Skip to content
REFRIGERATION

Food storage

How to store dal and curries (cooked)

Dal, sabzi and curries are cooked in large batches across Indian restaurants, canteens and caterers. They are moist, rich in protein and often thickened, which makes them slow to cool. A deep pot of dal can stay warm in the centre for many hours, which is exactly when bacteria such as Clostridium perfringens, linked to large batches of slow-cooled food, can multiply. Safe practice is to keep curries hot for service, or cool them quickly in shallow containers and chill them at 0 to +4 °C, then reheat thoroughly before serving.

  • Chilled0 to +4 °C (after rapid cooling)
  • Frozen−18 °C or colder

Do

  • Divide large batches into shallow containers to cool. The shallower the layer, the faster it cools.
  • Stand containers in a tray of cold water or ice, stirring occasionally, to speed cooling.
  • Once steam has stopped rising and the food is warm rather than hot, cover and chill it.
  • Leave space around containers in the fridge so cold air can circulate.
  • Reheat until the curry is steaming hot all the way through, stirring so there are no cool spots.
  • Freeze portions of base curries, dal makhani and rajma that you will not use soon.
  • Label each container with the dish, date and time of cooking.

Avoid

  • Do not leave a large pot of dal on a switched-off stove to cool overnight.
  • Do not put a full, steaming pot directly into a small undercounter fridge.
  • Do not top up yesterday's dal with today's batch.
  • Do not hold curries in a lukewarm bain-marie through a long service.
  • Do not reheat the same portion more than once.

In Indian conditions

Indian commercial kitchens commonly cook dal and curries in the morning for both lunch and dinner service. In 35–40 °C kitchens, cooling is slow, and many kitchens still leave pots on the stove. Dal makhani, which is often slow-cooked overnight, needs special care: either keep it hot or cool it quickly. Canteens and caterers producing for hundreds of people need enough reach-in capacity and shallow gastronorm containers to cool and chill properly. During power cuts, avoid opening the fridge more than necessary, and check temperatures before reheating.

General good practice for commercial kitchens and shops. Where your FSSAI licence conditions or food-safety plan set stricter limits, follow those.