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FAQs

How long does delivery take?

We usually dispatch products within 3 working days of receiving your order. We post all of our products using Royal Mail 24 (First Class). Royal Mail aim to deliver next working day including Saturdays but this can take up to 3 working days. If you still haven’t received your delivery after 5 working days, please get in touch with us using the contact page.  Alternatively, you can choose guaranteed next day delivery at the checkout for those kits you need in a hurry! Please note for next day delivery orders must be placed before 1pm Monday to Friday.

If you need your order earlier, or would like to delay for any reason, please drop us an email at hello@tastesmiths.com


How long is the shelf life on your kits?

All of our fresh kits are made and despatched on the same day and will leave us with a minimum 22 days fridge shelf life. The Onion Bhaji and Fragrant Pilau Rice kits have a shelf life of around 30 days. You can safely eat our kits after their best before date – it’s just a handy reminder to let you know when they’re at their best. You can also FREEZE THE KITS – just pop them in your freezer in their original packaging and use from frozen straight away. You can allow to thaw if you prefer but the fresh ingredients might become a little soggy.


How should I store the kits?

The fresh kits need to be kept in the fridge as soon as possible after you receive them to keep them in tip top condition until you want to use them.


How many people does each kit serve?

Each curry kit typically serves 2-3 people (although this may vary depending on size of appetite!), whilst some of the marinades have a larger serving size. Details on serving size for specific kits can be found on its respective product page.


Can I place an order in advance (e.g. for a special occasion)?

If you would like your order delivered for a birthday or any other special occasion, please let us know via the ‘Order notes’ section at the Checkout, calling us (01922 447659) or emailing us (hello@tastesmiths.com). We’ll make sure your order is delayed and sent out with the freshest ingredients possible. We cannot guarantee a delivery date for the future, but will do out best to make sure it is as close as possible to the requested date.


I’ve already placed my order. How do I make changes to it?

We try to incorporate changes to orders after they have been placed where we can, however during our peak periods this isn’t always possible due to the volume of orders we receive.

For urgent changes (e.g. incorrect delivery address submitted), the best way to make sure any changes are made is to call us as soon as possible on 01922 447659 and speak to a member of our team.


How do you deliver and what is the cost of delivery?

We post our kits using Royal Mail. There are 3 options for delivery.

The Standard delivery service delivers orders in 2 working days. This provides a tracking update at the point of delivery. The cost of delivery is £3.10 and free of charge for orders of £19 or more.

The Fully Tracked delivery service delivers orders in 1-2 working days. This provides a fully tracked service up to the point of delivery. The cost of delivery is £4.50.

Lastly, there is a guaranteed next day delivery option using Royal Mail Special Next Day delivery which costs £7.50. Please note for next day delivery orders must be placed before 1pm Monday to Friday.


Do you deliver internationally?

Yes, we deliver to most of Europe, including Ireland and France. We ship via Royal Mail International Tracked and Signed, and delivery is charged at £11.


I’ve lost my instructions, where can I find them?

We can email you the instructions. Just contact us here.


I added too much water/my dish is looking a little dry, what can I do?

If you’re dish looks too watery, don’t panic, you can turn the heat up on the hob, and leave to bubble away with the lid off until some of the water has evaporated, keep stirring so it doesn’t burn! If it looks too dry, you can add a little more water and cook bring back to the boil.


I added too much chilli – it’s too hot! What can I do?

You could try serving with yoghurt or plenty of boiled rice to try and tone down the heat, but the best way to prevent this from happening is to always test the chilli before putting any in your dish by cutting one in half and testing the heat by dabbing the chilli lightly on your tongue. Remember, you can always add more chilli at the end if it’s not hot enough, but you can’t take it out!


I have allergies/dietary requirements, can I use your kits?

Please see individual product pages for a list of ingredients/allergens. All of our kits are gluten free, vegetarian and vegan friendly, and most of our kits are salt free (excluding Persian Khoresh – due to the dried limes being boiled in salt water) and fat free excluding any kits with coconut and/or nuts.

They are sugar free and don’t contain anything artificial at all.


Which oil/how much should I use?

You can make our kits using as little/as much oil as you like. We recommend 1–2 tbsp. You can use any olive oil, nut oil, spray oil or ghee. If using spray oil, make sure you cook the onions and spices on a very low heat adding a splash of water if you think anything might burn.


Are your kits diet friendly?

All of our kits are much healthier versions of the ones you find in a restaurant or takeaway. We were shortlisted in the English Curry Awards – Healthy Curry Category. Madras, Rogan Josh and Timatar Masala are used in Weight Watcher diet plans and were also recommended by Slimming World as syn free (2015).


Are the kits difficult to make?

No! They all have simple instructions included to make cooking from scratch fun! If you want a little extra help, either give us a ring, email us or have a look at our step by step videos.


How can I slow cook my curry?

Using a slow cooker, or using a casserole dish and cooking in the oven on a very low heat, is ideal to make the most of cheaper cuts of meat such as shoulder of lamb, stewing steak, pork shoulder etc.

When making curries, make the sauce in a saucepan up to the point in the instructions where you have added the tomatoes and left them to cook down until the mixture is glossy. Add the meat here (without adding water) and stir well. When making marinades, follow the instructions up to the point of cooking. You can cover and leave in the fridge overnight ready to put in the slow cooker in the morning.

When you’re ready to cook, add some water but bear in mind that slow cookers produce a lot of water so don’t make the mixture too wet, but if you don’t put enough water in, it may dry out and burn.

Slow cook on high for 4-6 hours or low for 6-8 hours. If cooking in the oven, preheat to 220C/200C fan oven/Gas mark 7. Put the curry in a casserole dish and cover with a layer of foil before putting the lid on. Turn the heat down immediately to 160C/140 fan oven/Gas mark 3 and cook for 4-6 hours or until the meat is soft and pulls apart easily.