ChefSteps is a team of chefs, writers, and food lovers who develop recipes, techniques, and guides to help people cook better at home.

ChefSteps

This quick Vadouvan curry sauce has a warmth, heat, and inherent sweetness that make it irresistible.Pre-made curry powder blends can feel like a shortcut that erases the authenticity of the country from which they come. We acknowledge that. However, we have found that a Vadouvan curry blend can be quite good, a fully-acknowledged fusion that doesn’t claim to be typically Indian. (We especially like the <a href="https://www.worldspice.com/blends/curry-vadouvan">Vadouvan blend created at World Spice</a>, which sits across from our office. Since it began as a French version of a masala, anything flavored with Vadouvan begins with sautéed onions, and garlic. After the Vadouvan powder goes into those warm aromatics, the smell of brown mustard, turmeric, and cardamom fill the room. And yes, the cumin and fenugreek, plus the unexpected sweetness of cloves and nutmeg, with a touch of heat with chili. This sauce is a blend of the expected and surprising. Cook chicken thighs sous vide in this sauce, then put them on rice with roasted carrots. Simple preparation + complex flavors = the fusion you need for a weeknight meal.