PrintNew Jersey Dispatch: 99-Cent Swad Micro Curries Tasting
I really wanted to write about Patel Brothers, the Indian grocery chain with a strong presence near me in New Jersey. I really did, but something I found while shopping there stopped me dead in my tracks: 99¢ packages of pre-cooked imported Indian food by Swad. These days, 99¢ for a meal—potentially even two given the portion size—is worth stopping for. At the same price point as ramen, mac and cheese, and other lazy-mood foods from a box (or can, or in this case, bag), this is a cheaper alternative to ordering Indian takeout.
Ready-to-eat Indian dishes aren't that new, and there are several brands: Kitchens of India and Tasty Bite. They've spread from suburban mega-Indian shops like Patel Brothers to smaller urban Indian markets, and now to imported food stores and even Trader Joe's.
Swad packs a sealed, laminated pouch inside a colorful, contemporary, cardboard box with the "Micro Curry" (microwaveable curry) logo on the front and side. I filled a gym bag full of them and headed to Serious Eats HQ recently for an official tasting.
We tasted the palak paneer, channa masala, bhindi masala, and navratan korma Micro Curries. Our biggest complaint: The texture was off. The chickpeas (channa) were undercooked and many of the other dishes lacked the pleasing texture that local restaurant and home cooking versions offer. But if you're considering Indian takeout, and don't need a culinary revelation, these will fill you up.
Here are some choice tasting notes from me and fellow serious eaters, Alaina and Erin.
Tasting Notes
Palak Paneer
Brian: "Pleasantly acid."
Alaina: "I like it less puréed, a little sour for me."
Channa Masala
The undercooked chickpeas stopped the discussion.
Bhindi Masala
Erin: "I expected firm okra texture, but it turned out to be a pile of slime."
Navratan Korma
Alaina: "A little on the sweet side, my favorite so far."
Erin: "Tastes like a squash or turnip...has the right proportion of sweet and spicy."
Related
Grocery Ninja: Curry in a Hurry
Global Grocery Shopping in Jackson Heights at Patel Brothers and More
The Phaal Challenge at Brick Lane Curry House: Spiciest Curry Ever?
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15 Comments:
I still like Deep brand the best, and I've never encountered undercooked or slimy food. Just had their okra the other day and it was actually really good. Nanak brand frozen paneer dishes are good too (not surprising since they make/sell paneer). Of course, neither of these are 99 cents. Probably in the $3-4/5 range. But then, you sometimes get what you pay for, right :) Great post.
nithya at hungrydesi at 1:51PM on 03/06/09
I got the Saag Paneer last week from the Patel in Jackson Heights. 99¢!! I KNOW! It was the best dollar EVER spent.
rockinTACO at 1:55PM on 03/06/09
I'm a big fan of the Kitchens of India packets (I love their Rajma Masala, my husband their Palak Paneer). Served with a piece of Trader Joe's garlic naan, it has become my new lazy comfort food. The thing that always surprises me is that they're (so says the box) not really unhealthy - no preservatives, I know all of the ingredients, etc. The sodium levels are still way high, but my BP is low so I'm okay with that.
flurie at 2:10PM on 03/06/09
@flurie, good point...we also really like the Trader Joe's garlic naan and their boxed daal makhani, and while I can't read a nutrition label, my husband says they are actually not unhealthy.
nithya at hungrydesi at 2:11PM on 03/06/09
"micro curries" give Indian food a bad name
americandesi at 2:44PM on 03/06/09
yes yes yes. I just found these in an Indian grocery store near New Haven, CT a week ago, and they have changed my life! I love good, carefully cooked Indian food, and if I were eating dinner or sharing with other people I'd surely still go with home-cooking or take-out. But! for the busy woman who needs to pack 5 lunches during the week and finds herself too tired to cook anything at all, these are a blessing!!! Rice cooker rice with 3/4 of this makes lunch, with the last 1/4 for a quick snack when I get home. AWESOME. I'd say there's not much better you can do for 99 cents without actually cooking. Thank you, Swad.
veggiesattva at 2:49PM on 03/06/09
You didn't get any of the good ones. The ones that are pureed are the best, particularly the sarson ki saag and the baigan bhartha. The flavor of the kadhi pakoda is good, but the pakora themselves have an odd texture. The sauce could be repurposed for making a delicious meal with grilled chicken (which I've done).
JungMan at 3:00PM on 03/06/09
The Indian restaurants where I live are TERRIBLE so I've come to rely on the pouches at Trader Joes when I crave Indian. I think they are on par with the take out I used to get in NYC.
alexb at 3:19PM on 03/06/09
I've tried Tasty Bite on numerous occasions, and found the flavor to range from disgusting to positively revolting. Maybe I'm just spoiled by good Indian food, but...ugh. The smell that wafts out of those packages is toxic.
I'd rather go with a frozen box of Amy's Palak Paneer or Paneer Masala than one of these "shelf stable" things.
onalark at 3:51PM on 03/06/09
I've used these on short backpacking trips in the Sierra Mtns. So great and quick after a day of hiking!! Not this particular brand but Tasty Bites/TJs with some quick cook rice. Nice treat in the mountains for sure.
nomenclature at 8:45PM on 03/06/09
I'm surprised MTR wasn't mentioned in this thread. While it is the only pre-made packaged Indian food I have tried, it is surprisingly good. But MTRs definitely cost more than 99 cents. Their channa masala is great!
steamsoldier at 10:13PM on 03/06/09
I really like Amy's frozen brand of indian foods. My favorite are their somosa wraps.
Amybear at 11:40AM on 03/07/09
I bought a jar of Swad something or other once, and it had the strangest flavor, not what I was looking for...or even close. I tossed it.
I agree with the other posters about Amy's and TraderJoes Indian food, it's decent. Esp those pouches of veg dishes.
chanterelle at 1:49PM on 03/07/09
I never tasted any frozen Indian food which came close to being called "decent". Heard good reviews about Trader Joes though, never tried it. Ever seen the nutritional labels on those frozen packets? Sodium levels are ridiculously high...and even saturated fat in some cases! If I'm opting for unhealthy food...it better be tasty!
bigfoodie at 11:37PM on 05/21/09
I tried the okra...I don't know if "firm" was the right word, but it wasn't slimy for me at all, it was pretty well held together and with a good flavor. I was quite satisfied with it, in fact. I noticed a lot of steam when I took it out of the microwave, leading me to suspect a lot of water is supposed to evaporate.
Jarred at 11:24AM on 07/15/09