Patak's is the brand most UK households reach for when they want to cook authentic Indian food at home without spending hours grinding spices from scratch. Founded in 1957 by Lakshmishanker Pathak, a Gujarati immigrant who started selling Indian pickles and chutneys door to door in London, Patak's has grown into the UK's most trusted Indian cooking brand — and for good reason. The pastes, pickles, and sauces are built on genuine recipes, use quality spice blends, and consistently deliver results that taste like they took far more effort than they did.
If you're stocking up on curry paste, it's also worth grabbing a bag of Daawat basmati rice — the natural partner for any Indian dish.
This guide covers the full Patak's range worth knowing about: which curry paste to use for which dish, how the pickles and chutneys work, where to buy Patak's in large jar formats for households that cook Indian food regularly, and answers to the questions people ask most often about Indian cooking sauces in the UK.
Patak's Curry Pastes: Which One for Which Dish?
Patak's curry paste is the starting point for most Indian dishes cooked at home in the UK. Each paste is a concentrated blend of spices, aromatics, and oil — you fry it briefly to release the flavour, then build your sauce around it. The difference between pastes is primarily heat level and spice profile, so choosing the right one for your dish makes a significant difference to the end result.
Patak's Tikka Masala Paste
Patak's Tikka Masala Paste is the UK's most searched Indian cooking paste, and it's the one that consistently delivers the rich, mildly spiced, tomato-cream sauce that made tikka masala a national favourite. The paste contains a blend of coriander, cumin, paprika, and aromatic spices — medium heat, deeply savoury, and versatile enough to work with chicken, paneer, vegetables, or prawns.
The classic method: fry the paste in oil for a minute or two, add your protein, coat well, then add tinned tomatoes and cream or coconut milk. Simmer until the sauce reduces and the oil begins to separate at the edges — that's when you know it's ready. Patak's Tikka Masala Paste is available at Reign Goods in a 2.4kg large jar, ideal for households that cook tikka masala regularly and want to avoid constant restocking.
Patak's Tandoori Paste
Patak's Tandoori Marinade Paste is the paste for grilling, roasting, and marinating. The blend of yogurt-friendly spices — including cumin, coriander, paprika, and fenugreek — is designed to penetrate meat during marination and produce the characteristic reddish-orange colour and smoky, charred flavour of tandoori cooking. Mix it with yogurt, coat your chicken, lamb, or vegetables, and leave to marinate for at least two hours (overnight is better). Grill, bake, or cook in a griddle pan for results that genuinely replicate the tandoor flavour at home.
It's also excellent as a base for tikka — the same marination method applies, with smaller pieces of meat threaded onto skewers or cooked in a hot oven. Available at Reign Goods in a 2.5kg large jar.
Patak's Balti Paste
Patak's Balti Curry Paste is a medium-heat paste with a slightly sharper, more complex spice profile than tikka masala — less creamy, more aromatic, with a characteristic tang from the blend of spices traditionally associated with Birmingham's balti houses. It works exceptionally well with chicken, lamb, and mixed vegetables, and produces a thick, clinging sauce that coats the meat properly. Fry the paste, add your protein and vegetables, then add a small amount of water or stock to loosen the sauce to your preferred consistency. Available in a 2.3kg large jar at Reign Goods.
Patak's Madras Paste
Patak's Madras Kebab Curry Paste is the choice for those who want genuine heat alongside deep, complex spicing. Madras is a hot curry — not the hottest in the Indian repertoire, but noticeably spicier than balti or tikka masala — with a robust, earthy flavour profile built around chilli, coriander, and tamarind. It works brilliantly with beef, lamb, and chicken, and it's the paste to reach for when you want a curry that has real presence on the plate. Available in a 2.4kg large jar.
Patak's Kashmiri Masala Paste
Patak's Kashmiri Masala Paste is a milder, more fragrant paste inspired by the cooking of Kashmir — a region known for its use of whole spices, dried fruits, and a gentler heat level than many other Indian regional styles. The paste has a beautiful deep red colour from Kashmiri chillies, which deliver colour and mild warmth without the aggressive heat of standard red chilli. It's particularly good with fish, prawns, and chicken, and produces a sauce that's aromatic and slightly sweet. Available in a 2.2kg large jar.
Patak's Pickles and Chutneys
Patak's pickles are as important to the range as the curry pastes — they're the condiments that turn a good curry into a complete meal. Served alongside rice, naan, or poppadoms, they add the sharp, tangy, spiced contrast that balances the richness of a curry sauce.
Patak's Chilli Pickle
Patak's Chilli Pickle is a hot, intensely flavoured pickle made from whole green chillies preserved in spiced oil. It's not a condiment for the faint-hearted — a small spoonful alongside a curry adds a sharp, fiery hit that cuts through rich sauces beautifully. It's also excellent stirred into rice, used as a topping for cheese on toast, or added to sandwiches for heat and depth. Available at Reign Goods in a 2.2kg large jar — the format that makes sense for households that go through pickle regularly.
Patak's Lime Pickle
Patak's Lime Pickle is the classic accompaniment to any Indian meal. Preserved lime pieces in a blend of spices and oil, it delivers a sharp, sour, intensely flavoured condiment that works with everything from a simple dal to a full biryani spread. The medium heat level makes it accessible to most palates, and the lime flavour provides a brightness that no other pickle quite replicates. Available in a 2.3kg large jar.
Patak's Mixed Pickle
Patak's Mixed Pickle combines a variety of vegetables — including cauliflower, carrot, and turnip — preserved in a spiced oil base. It's the most versatile of the Patak's pickle range, with a balanced heat level and a complex flavour that comes from the mix of vegetables and spices. A good all-rounder for households that want one pickle that works across a range of dishes. Available in a 2.3kg large jar.
Why Buy Patak's in Large Jar Formats?
The large jar formats stocked at Reign Goods — ranging from 2.2kg to 2.5kg — are a significant step up from the small jars available in supermarkets, and the economics make sense for any household that cooks Indian food more than occasionally.
A standard supermarket jar of Patak's curry paste typically contains 283g and costs around £2.50 to £3.00. A single curry for four people uses roughly 3 to 4 tablespoons — around 60 to 80g — meaning a standard jar gives you three or four curries at most. For a family that cooks a curry once or twice a week, that's a new jar every two to three weeks, and the per-use cost adds up quickly.
The large jar formats available at Reign Goods contain enough paste for 30 to 40 portions, depending on the dish. The per-use cost drops significantly, and you avoid the constant cycle of running out mid-week and making a supermarket trip. All the large jar Patak's products at Reign Goods are the same quality as the supermarket versions — same brand, same recipe, larger format.
Where to Buy Patak's Curry Paste Online in the UK
Patak's small jars are available in virtually every UK supermarket. The large jar formats are harder to find — most supermarkets don't stock them, and specialist Indian grocery shops may carry limited selection. Online is the most practical route for large format Patak's products.
At Reign Goods, we stock the full large jar range of Patak's curry pastes and pickles with free tracked delivery across the UK on orders over £30 and same-day despatch on orders placed before 4pm. No trade account required, no minimum order beyond the free delivery threshold — just a straightforward online order delivered to your door.
Browse the full Patak's range at Reign Goods and stock up on the pastes and pickles you use most.
Are Patak's Products Gluten-Free?
Several Patak's products are gluten-free, including the Balti, Madras, Kashmiri Masala, and Tikka Masala pastes, as well as the Chilli, Lime, and Mixed Pickles. The gluten-free status is indicated on the individual product labels. For anyone cooking for a household with gluten intolerance or coeliac disease, Patak's pastes are a reliable choice — they deliver the full flavour of Indian cooking without wheat-based ingredients.
Always check the label of the specific product and batch you're buying, as formulations can change.
The Perfect Rice to Serve with Patak's Curries
A great curry paste deserves great rice alongside it. Basmati is the natural partner for any Indian dish — its long, fluffy grains and delicate nutty aroma complement the bold spicing of Patak's pastes without competing with them. The rice absorbs the sauce beautifully and provides the textural contrast that makes a curry feel complete.
For everyday curries — tikka masala, balti, kashmiri masala — Daawat Original Basmati Rice is the reliable choice: aged, aromatic, and consistently long-grained. For biryani or any occasion where the rice is as much a part of the dish as the sauce, Daawat Extra Long Basmati Rice delivers the extra grain length and aroma that makes the difference.
Both are available at Reign Goods in larger bag sizes — 5kg, 10kg, and 20kg — so you can stock up on rice and curry paste in the same order and qualify for free delivery over £30 without any effort. It's the combination most households that cook Indian food regularly will want to have on hand at all times.
Browse the full rice range at Reign Goods alongside your Patak's order.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I buy popular Indian curry sauces and pastes online in the UK?
Reign Goods stocks a full range of Patak's curry pastes and pickles in large jar formats for delivery across the UK. Free tracked delivery is available on orders over £30, with same-day despatch before 4pm. No trade account or membership required.
What are the best curry pastes for making authentic Indian dishes at home?
Patak's is the most trusted brand for home Indian cooking in the UK. For tikka masala, use Patak's Tikka Masala Paste. For tandoori dishes and marinades, use Patak's Tandoori Marinade Paste. For a hotter curry, Patak's Madras Paste delivers genuine heat and depth. For a fragrant, milder option, Patak's Kashmiri Masala is excellent with fish and chicken.
Which Patak's products are suitable for quick weeknight meals?
All Patak's curry pastes are designed to make cooking faster without sacrificing flavour. Tikka masala and balti pastes are the quickest to work with — fry the paste, add your protein and a tin of tomatoes, simmer for 20 minutes, and the dish is done. Keeping a large jar in the cupboard means you always have the base of a good curry ready to go without a supermarket trip.
Are there gluten-free Indian cooking sauces available to buy online?
Yes. Several Patak's curry pastes and pickles are gluten-free, including the Tikka Masala, Balti, Madras, and Kashmiri Masala pastes, and the Chilli, Lime, and Mixed Pickles. All are available at Reign Goods in large jar formats. Always check the product label for the most current allergen information.
What is the difference between Patak's curry paste and curry sauce?
Patak's curry paste is a concentrated spice blend that you cook with — frying it in oil to release the flavour before building your sauce. Curry sauce is a ready-made, pre-cooked sauce you add directly to your dish. Paste gives you more control over the final dish and generally produces a more authentic result; sauce is faster but less flexible. For home cooks who want restaurant-quality results, paste is the better starting point.