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Family meals: How long is curry safe to eat if it’s stored properly?

By on March 11, 2020

Curry is one of the most commonly served dinner meals in Japan.

Delicious, easy to prepare and also tastes better when not served right off the stove.

So the practice for most families is to serve it a day (or even two) later to allow the spice flavors to really blend in. Some people leave the pot on the stove top, others refrigerate or freeze them to prolong the shelf life. Although curry seems to last long, the truth is, it all depends on how you’re storing them.

Storing at room temperature
When stored at room temperature in winter, the food could last up to one and a half days. In summer or when the humidity is high, it only lasts about half a day. During the rainy season when harmful bacteria develops fast, the risk of food poisoning increases so it is wise to keep it refrigerated or frozen. If you must store food at room temperature, make sure that it is heated at least once or twice a day, but preferably, thrice. In addition, do not put the lid right away after  re-heating. When you close the lid immediately, the middle part of the casserole stays warm that could cause the nasty bacteria to develop.

Storing it in fridge for 2-3 days
If you won’t be eating it right away, keep the food refrigerated. However, do not put the whole casserole in the fridge. Casseroles even with lids allow bacteria to creep in and propagate. Instead, transfer food in storage containers or ziplocs  taking care not to let the curry cool down completely, as this causes bacteria to grow. 2-3 days is the maximum shelf life of curry when refrigerated. After this, you’ll have to check the appearance and odor before eating as the food cells can start to deteriorate at this point.
When re-heating curry that has been stored in a refrigerator, transfer the food in a microwave dish and cover with a plastic wrap. Do not reheat from a plastic container for health reasons.

Freezing
There’s no safer way to prolong food’s shelf life than freezing. Depending on the amount of curry you have on the casserole, divide quantity according to how much you plan to eat at a time. Freezer bags come handy and don’t take up much space in the freezer. Remember to allow the curry to cool down completely before freezing. Take out the carrots and potatoes from the casserole and freeze them in a ziploc separately to preserve its moisture and chewy texture.
The shelf life of frozen curry is about a month. When it’s time to eat, allow it to thaw naturally to preserve the moisture before reheating.

But sometimes, we take out food from the fridge and forget about them. Here are the signs your curry is no longer good to eat:

  1. When you see stringy whitish thing on the surface. Those are molds starting to take shape.
  2. When the food gives off a rancid, sour smell, it is likely spoiled and should be discarded right away.

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