Curry base sauce
Author: 
Recipe type: Curry
Cuisine: Indian
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 6
 
Ever wonder how Indian restaurants can make their food so fast. Normally curries take hours to cook if you want them to be any good. The secret lies in pre- prepared curry bases and previously slow cooked meats. When an order arrives, all the chef has to do it heat the curry base, add any meat or other ingredients- and there you are. A succulent tender curry in no time at all. This is a recipe for a curry base that would typically be used in Indian restaurants. Make it at home and freeze it for your own home-cooked curries.
Ingredients
Step one
  • Vegetable oil – Half a cup
  • Cinnamon – one inch
  • Cardamom – one teaspoon
  • Cloves – one teaspoon
  • Bay leaves – two
  • Cumin seeds – one teaspoon
  • Saute above in oil
  • Onions – 500 grams sliced
  • Garlic – 30 grams
  • Ginger – 30 grams
  • Salt – one teaspoon
  • Tomatoes – one kilogram
Step two
  • Cashew nuts – ½ cup
  • Water – ½ cup
Step three
  • Oil ¼ cup
  • Turmeric – one teaspoon
  • Chilli powder – one tablespoon
  • Coriander powder – three tablespoons
  • Cumin powder =one teaspoon
  • Garam masala -one teaspoon
Final step
  • Ghee – one teaspoon
  • Cumin seed – half a teaspoon
  • One bay leaf
  • Onion – half ( chopped)
  • Water – one cup
Instructions
Step one
  1. Add the oil to a skillet
  2. Add the Cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, bay leaves and cumin seeds
  3. Stir for a minute to allow the aromatic oils to start being released
  4. Add the onions. Stir until they start becoming translucent
  5. Add the garlic/. Stir for a minute ( be careful not to burn)
  6. Add the ginger stir for another minute
  7. Finally, add the tomatoes
  8. Place a lid on the skillet and cook for 15 minutes
  9. Stir and add the salt. Remove from the heat. Keep to one side until cool
  10. Spoon into a blender. Blend to a smooth paste
Step two
  1. Place the cashew nuts in warm water
  2. Allow to soak for thirty minutes
  3. Place in a blender. Blend to a smooth paste
Step three
  1. Heat oil in a separate skillet
  2. Add the turmeric, coriander, Chilli, cumin and garam masala powders
  3. Stir until well combined on a gentle heat for a minute
  4. Add a cup of the tomato/ onion paste
  5. Cook o a gentle heat ( stirring all the time ) until red oil appears
  6. Remove from the heat
Final step. Combining all the ingredients
  1. In a separate skillet, add the Ghee. Allow to melt
  2. Add the cumin seeds. Sautee until they start spluttering
  3. Add the bay leaf and one cup of the sauce made in step three
  4. Add one cup of water
  5. Stit to combine
  6. Cook until red oil appears again
  7. The curry base is now ready.
  8. Use it as a base for many other curries by adding ingredients like cheese, meat, poultry, bell peppers etc.,
Notes
Use this base sauce to make curries like Kadai paneer simply by adding fried paneer cheese. Can also be used as a base for many other curries including Chicken Jalfrezi . Simply add chicken and more onion

This recipe yields 6 portions

Keywords: Curry base sauce recipe
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 250 grams Calories: 668 Fat: 48 grams Saturated fat: 7 grams Unsaturated fat: 20 grams Carbohydrates: 57 g Sugar: 12 grams Sodium: 552 mg Fiber: 6 grams Protein: 13 g
Recipe by The Chilli Workshop at https://chilliworkshop.co.uk/recipes-with-chilllies/recipes-from-india/curry-base-sauce/