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Trader Joe's Masala Simmer Sauce

*Update*
Since posting this, I have found a way to modify the Trader Joe's Masala Simmer Sauce recipe on the bottle into a masala recipe that tastes good. Click over to enjoy that recipe instead. It's even better than the Mini Masala Meatballs recipe from the Trader Joe's website. (Unless you enjoy lemon in your meatballs - yuck.)

Trader Joe's Masala Simmer Sauce

What the heck is a masala?

 (Google and you shall receive. It's 'any of a number of spice mixtures ground into a paste or powder for use in Indian cooking.')

 Trader Joe's Masala Simmer SauceI wasn't in the mood to prepare anything elaborate tonight, so it seemed like an ideal opportunity to try the Trader Joe's Masala Simmer Sauce that has been sitting in our pantry.

 masala sauce recipeI poured the contents of the jar, some small pieces of chicken, and a cup of water into a pot and covered it, then let it heat on the stove. Easy enough.

 trader joes hacksI also added some carrot, celery, onion, and peanuts.

 Sexy Nerd made some instant brown rice to accompany our meal.

 finished meal
The finished product, which looks better than it tastes.

Trader Joe's Masala Simmer Sauce Review

So, how was the Trader Joe's Masala Simmer Sauce? Lemony. Really, really lemony! I'll be honest. I wasn't quite sure what Masala Simmer Sauce was supposed to taste like. The jar is no help. All it says is that the product makes a great base for authentic Indian meals. 

 Silly me, I didn't realise that authentic Indian meals meant full of lemon juice. When I did a search for masala recipes, the results came back with lots of cumin, coriander, and cinnamon, but not a lot of lemon. Altogether, tonight's dinner was a bit of a dud.

 I should have bought their green curry sauce instead. That one's delicious!

 For tomorrow's leftovers, I'll try adding a little spinach and coconut milk. In defense of Trader Joe's, I do enjoy their curry sauce. In fact, the next time I'm in the area, I plan to stop by for their curry sauce, soy chorizo, pizza dough, and something called 'mangolicious'.

 No Masala Simmer Sauce though.

 *Update* Improve the leftovers with my new Trader Joe's Masala Sauce Recipe - Take Two! It's my favorite Trader Joe's hack.

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