Makes about 600–800ml sauce (enough for 4-6 curries)

The Base Curry Sauce is your key to making most of your favourite restaurant-style curries, including Madras, Vindaloo, Tikka Masala, Dopiaza, Dhansak and Bombay Potato. Restaurant chefs make a huge pot of it every night and when the orders start coming in they turn to the pot and with a few additions – a bit of spice here, some onion, some pepper, a bit more spice there – your favourite curries are created. Think of the Base Curry Sauce, also called Base Curry Gravy or Basic Curry Sauce, as the essential building block to all those delicious curries.

What you need…
• 6 Tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 Tablespoon garlic paste
• 1 Tablespoon ginger paste
• 500g onions, finely chopped (about 2 large onions)
• 200g chopped tomatoes (fresh or tinned)
• 1 small handful chopped coriander
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Water, as required

Spice Mix
• 1 Tablespoon mild curry powder
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon vinegar

How to make it…
1. Heat the oil in a pan to a very high heat. While it is heating up add the vinegar and little water to the Spice Mix to create a sloppy paste.
2. Add the cumin seeds to the vegetable oil and fry for 10–15 seconds. They should sizzle immediately. You can test if the oil is hot enough by adding one seed. If they burn throw the cumin seeds and oil away and start again.
3. Turn down the heat and remove the pan from the ring to allow the oil to cool a bit. Then add the garlic and ginger and fry for two minutes on the lower heat.
4. Add the Spice Mix and stir fry until all the moisture has evaporated and the mixture is thick and gloopy (about 3 minutes).
5. Add the onion, some water and cover the pan. Stir occasionally. Cook until the onion is soft but not caramelised (about 10 minutes).
6. Add the tomato and coriander and stir well. Use a hand blender to mash the mixture into a creamy puree. It should be the consistency of apple sauce.
7. Add the salt and cook for another 10 minutes. Add enough water to keep the sauce the correct consistency.

If you like this you should try our…
Medium Chicken Curry • Chicken Madras • Chicken Vindaloo • Chicken Bhoona • Chicken Rogan • Chicken Dhansak

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