To not want herbs and spices in my microwave curry rice?

[10ThousandSpoons]

I don't want a whole clove or a bay leaf or a cardamon pod. Can't they do without them? I just tip the curry over the rice so it's pointless trying to fancy it up.

If it was a teaspoon of whole black pepper maybe, but a cardamom pod is easily identifiable and not so bad.

That's the thing. Do they actually do anything for the microwave rice?

Just buy a microwave curry without the rice and get the boil in the bag rice to go with it

For rice I make my own, plain. Maybe do a taste test to see comparing microwave plain or pilau/other flavoured. Of course there are two questions-
does it make a difference?
Do you actually like the taste and can you put up with whole spice?

When I eat curry I’m using a fork so if you push down into a pile of rice or rice with curry on top you can see if there is a cardamom pod or cinnamon stick. Not always but it helps.

I think they put them in to make the curry seem more authentic. Which is quite bizarre really, as I've eaten many many meals in Indian restaurants/from Indian takeaways, and never come across a whole fucking cardamom pod or lump of bay leaf. Whereas Indian ready meals are such a minefield I've stopped eating them - it's not a ready meal if I have to examine every bit of it for lurking nasties before I eat it!

Buy the Bol curries without rice?

Buy a separate curry and pack of basmati microwave rice then!!

You get loads of curry then

THANK YOU! This is what I mean.

And to be clear this isn't a waaaaahhh the world is ridiculous aibu. It's a..I think these leaves are pointless in a microwave curry rice aibu or do they actually do something

You're saying this as though that would be a bad thing?

My son just wants loads of curry sauce and rice and wraps 🤨 the more the better haha

It's not great for the waist line.

Just split it over two nights

Ahh good idea!

It’s pilau rice, and it’s already been fully cooked when you buy it - with the spices in it. You’re only reheating it in the microwave, so it’s not just getting the five minutes’ cooking you are thinking.

Buy better ready meals where both parts are separate, so you can choose plain rice instead if you don’t like it.

Given that all you’ve had to do to cook your meal is pierce the film lid and press a button, I can’t see that’s any great hardship to push a bay leaf to the side of your plate, really.

In terms of whether it adds flavour, it should do, because when you microwave rice it basically kind of steams itself, which does release flavour/aroma of something like a bay leaf or cardamom pods or a star anise very quickly. So it’s not just there for show. How well it actually does its job will depend quite a bit on the quality of the bay leaf or cardamom pods they use, though, which I suspect isn’t terribly good, because it’s, you know, for a microwave curry. Nothing in a microwave curry will be premium quality.

Mostly right, but depends on the type of curry. Aktar at Home is an amazing range of frozen curries you can order online. Highly recommend their mixed curry boxes.

Thank you! In that case if it does something then perhaps I am being unreasonable. I often chomp on a clove by accident

They sell curry for one!! 🙄

Do they? I thought it was always curry for two

Stop buying it ?

Why?

OP, you are not wrong that cloves are the work of the devil! I make my own bread sauce often (my family would hang me if I didn't for roast chicken!) and you need about 8 cloves, 8 bay leaves and lots of onion to give it the right flavour (despite the usual recipes saying less!). I'm obsessive counting in and out the cloves 😁because they are truly hideous to eat, but flavour-wise absolutely essential!

But when it comes to pilau rice, cloves (and the other spices) do add something, so I always make sure to pick out the spices before adding the curry bit.

What a stupid comment!!???
Have a look in the supermarket next time you shop.
As it happens I haven't bought a microwave meal or jar of sauce for myself since my student days 20 years ago as I can actually cook.
I do however often go shopping for an elderly relative.
if you are so hellbent on moaning about a microwave curry. Cook one yourself

Overreaction much?