Prawn curry is a dish that spans regions of India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Indonesia. It is a seafood lover’s dream come true with its succulent prawns cooked in a fragrant and flavorful curry sauce, but can you reheat prawn curry to be enjoyed a second time?
Yes, you can reheat prawn curry, but with a couple of caveats. A few reheating options include using a stovetop, microwave, or convection oven. For food safety reasons, only reheat prawn curry if you refrigerate it within one hour of cooking and plan to consume it within one to two days.
This article will discuss how to reheat prawn curry, keep it safe to eat, and retain its flavor and texture.
Tips Before You Start Reheating Prawn Curry
Before you start reheating your prawn curry, there are a few things to keep in mind:
- Use a covered container: When reheating your prawn curry, use a covered container. A cover will help to prevent the curry from drying out and will also help to retain its flavor.
- Do not overcook the prawns: Overcooking prawns is one of the biggest mistakes when reheating prawn curry, causing them to become tough and rubbery.
- Use low heat: When reheating prawn curry, use low heat, regardless of which reheating method you use. Low heat will help to prevent the sauce from splitting and help retain the curry’s flavor.
How To Reheat Prawn Curry
You can reheat prawn curry in multiple ways, including on the stovetop, microwave, and oven. We’ll get into straightforward steps for these standard reheating methods below.
On the Stovetop
Prawn curry is best reheated in a saucepan on the stove over low heat, and you will need to add a bit of water or coconut milk to the pan to prevent the sauce from drying out.
To reheat prawn curry on the stovetop:
- Add the prawn curry and a splash of water or coconut milk to a saucepan over low heat.
- Cook the curry, occasionally stirring, until it is heated all the way through.
- Once the curry is heated, taste it and add more salt, pepper, or other spices.
- Serve immediately.
The tools that you’ll need to reheat prawn curry on the stove include a saucepan and a wooden spoon.
In the Microwave
You can also reheat prawn curry in the microwave, although this is not the recommended method as it can cause the prawns to become rubbery.
If you reheat your prawn curry in the microwave, use a covered container and add a little water or coconut milk to prevent the sauce from drying out.
To reheat prawn curry in the microwave:
- Add the prawn curry and a splash of water or coconut milk to a microwave-safe container.
- Cover the container and microwave the curry on low power in 30-second intervals, stirring until heated through entirely after each interval.
- Once the curry is heated, taste it and add more salt, pepper, or other spices.
- Serve immediately.
You’ll only need a microwave-safe dish, a microwave-safe cover, and a spoon to stir the curry outside the microwave.
In the Oven
An oven is an excellent option if you have a large quantity of prawn curry to reheat. This method will take longer than the stovetop or microwave methods, but it will help prevent the sauce drying out.
To reheat prawn curry in the oven:
- Preheat your oven to 275 degrees Fahrenheit (or 135 degrees Celsius).
- Add the prawn curry and a splash of water or coconut milk to an oven-safe dish.
- Cover the dish and bake the curry until it is heated through, removing it from the oven to stir it once or twice during cooking.
- Once the curry is heated, taste it and add more salt, pepper, or other spices.
- Serve immediately.
An oven-safe dish and a wooden spoon are the only tools you’ll need to reheat prawn curry in the oven.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you still have questions about reheating prawn curry, here are some answers to common questions.
Is it safe to reheat cooked prawns?
Yes, it is perfectly safe to reheat cooked prawns. However, it would help if you took care not to overcook them as they can become tough, rubbery, and chewy.
This compromised texture is especially likely if you try to reheat prawns more than once.
Can you reheat prawn curry and rice?
Yes, you can reheat both prawn curry and rice together. Simply add the curry and rice to an oven-safe dish, cover it, and reheat in the oven until both the curry and rice are hot.
If you plan on using a microwave or stovetop, however, it is recommended that you reheat the curry and the rice separately. Rice heats up nicely in the microwave as long as you add a few splashes of water beforehand.
Can you reheat takeout prawn curry?
Yes, you can undoubtedly reheat takeout prawn curry. It is lovely to reheat takeout curry since the flavors have had time to mingle and develop.
If you are reheating takeout curry that you’ve had in the fridge, be sure to check the “use by” date before proceeding.
What is the best way to reheat prawn curry?
The best way to reheat prawn curry is on the stovetop. Stovetop reheating is faster than reheating in the oven but cooks better and maintains a more agreeable consistency than reheating it in the microwave.
Can you freeze and reheat prawn curry?
Prawn curry can be frozen and reheated, but it is not recommended as the dish’s quality will suffer. This scenario is especially true for curries that contain coconut milk, as this can separate and cause an unpleasant texture when frozen and thawed.
If you choose to freeze your prawn curry, be sure to do so in an airtight container and use the curry within three months for the best results. When reheating, take out the curry 24 hours beforehand so it has time to thaw appropriately.
Conclusion
That prawn curry was delicious the first time around, so can you reheat prawn curry to enjoy the leftovers? Absolutely.
Reheating prawn curry is a simple process that you can complete using a stovetop, microwave, or oven. You can reheat a prawn curry dish stored in the fridge or the freezer within about one hour of cooking.
The best way to reheat prawn curry is on the stove, but armed with the knowledge presented in this article, you’ll be able to enjoy your curry using alternative reheating methods.
