I often buy a take away curry and last night the chicken tikka curry had these 'SQUARE' pieces of chicken.....

Question

I bought a chicken tikka curry last night and instead of the chicken being all funny shapes like you would expect, the chicken pieces were square and the chicken tasted all rubbery like it was pre-formed stuff?? Has anyone else come accross this and what is it?

Answer 1

Yes I have. It's re-formed chicken that's been minced and mixed with lots of water. Basically, they mince everything (chicken and fat and other chicken bits) together. It's cheaper than normal chicken as its been processed and has a high water content

Answer 2

i've just read a book called not on the label - pretty much all takeaway food is made with reformed meat. Essentially they mash up all the unwanted parts of the chicken (skin, bones, innards etc.) and, well reform it. Much of the meat also has added pork/beef proteins to help it absorb water (this applies to your normal chicken breast you buy in the supermarket as well :-/ ) . Generally speaking take away chicken isn't a very good call- Even the good chickens you buy in the supermarket have 15% of their weight made up of added water. Takeaway stuff could be 40%.

Y'see, takeaways don't have to tell you the ingredients of our food and that could be lethal. My advice is to cut it out as much as you can..... your takeaway can be giving you more than heartburn. When you also consider that the oil most chippers use used hydogenated vegetable oil because it's cheap and lasts longer you realise that MAYBE cooking for yourself wasn't so much of a hassle.

Answer 3

Chicken Tikka recipe should always use the Chicken Pieces which are roasted in Tandoor ( the clay oven).

Being in touch with this business, I have never come across such preparation, which uses the square pieces.

My guess is that they would have served you, Paneer Tikka Masala. ( Paneer is the Indian Cottage cheese ) and would be in the square shapes and bit rubbery.

If you definetely tasted Chicken then it is not authentic, never visit that restaurant again.

Answer 4

The shape of chicken is not funny.The taste you donot loved was rubbery.It sounds that chicken was not fully cooked.The actual taste of chicken is in the spices which are marinated in chicken for long time(over night)These spices not only make meat flavored but tenderize it which you didnot find.So there must be new chef or in hurry chicken was delivered to you.If you go in other Restaurant you defiantly find a lot different Tikka,Best of luck.

Answer 5

left over chicken meat and nicely cover the the wonderful curry sauce. You will not know the different. Seriously, this is how the F&B business all about.

Takeaway is the best way to blame for the period of time not consume.

Answer 6

doesnt sound that good, but on the up side it COULD just be that they cut the chicken into perfectly square pieces. but if it tasted funny its probably that processed stuff. complain and find another take away place

Answer 7

in the rare event that i have a takeaway ...
it is chopped and shaped bits of crap that they call chunky chicken

Meat content less than 5% so its suitable for vegetarians lol

this is true not the bit about being suitable for veggie tho

Answer 8

Change your takeaway place. Doesn't sound good for your body. I would let them know that it did not taste nice. They may be trying things out to save money so your opinion would count.

Answer 9

ooooh......nasty processed cr*p. All parts of the chicken are minced together with water and reformed. Don't go there again!!

Answer 10

That caurry sounds like it wasnt hand made, its all that pre cook crap! If I was you I would of took it back and asked for my money back!