Really Really Simple Base Curry Sauce
When it comes to Base Curry Sauce this is as simple as it gets! A few ingredients that you can memorise, and it can easily be made from start to finish in 40 minutes.
This is my go to recipe for base sauce these days. It is a great recipe. You can start this right away. By the time you’ve done your prep for the main dish, your base is cooked and ready to add.
This recipe makes enough for six to eight portions of curry, depending on how saucy you like it. If you want to make more to freeze, for convenience, just double or even triple up.
What Is Curry Base Sauce?
Curry base sauce or gravy is basically a stock. The predominant ingredient is onion.
Indian restaurants have a base sauce. This sauce is added to fried garlic and ginger. It is combined with different spices adapted for various dishes and other ingredients.
High heat is used to quickly reduce the base sauce. This reduction results in a caramelisation of the sauce. This caramelisation is where the flavour comes from. This allows the restaurants to produce many different dishes, very quickly. If they were cooking from scratch, they wouldn’t manage to do that. We would be waiting an age for our curry!
Of course most people aren’t cooking for hundreds of people a night. It’s still nice to recreate that Indian restaurant or takeaway flavour though, isn’t it? Many people in the UK make their own base sauce. Who wouldn’t want that authentic Indian restaurant flavour? Especially if like me, you don’t go out for an Indian meal very often.
I’ve Made My Base… Now What?
This base curry sauce is ideal for any Indian recipe that requires a base sauce. Just remember to dilute it so it’s reasonably thin. And have it heated up when adding to your curry.
A good place to start would be some of the basic curries. I have shared these on my British Indian Restaurant blog.
And since writing this, I have devised another curry base gravy. It’s still really simple to make, it just has some different elements to bring out the flavours of your ingredients. You can find it here; Base Sauce – Magic BIR Recipe
If you’re looking for inspiration have a look on my Facebook group UK Curry Group. A friendly group where you can discuss all things curry related.
There are many authors and You Tubers that specialise in British Indian Restaurant style cooking. Why not try this base for their recipes too.
What About The Spice Mixes?
I make several curry masalas that are perfect for homemade curries. They are available to buy at www.omemade.co.uk
Of course you can always have a go at blending spices to make your own bespoke blend.
More Recipes From ‘Ome Made
Really, Really Simple Base Sauce
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp of oil not a strong one so vegetable, rapeseed (not cold pressed) or sunflower oil.
- 3 large onions sliced
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 big fat cloves of garlic
- 1 inch cubed piece of fresh ginger
- 3 tsp mild curry Masala ('Ome Made B.I.R Curry Masala is ideal!) or you could use 1 tsp each of ground cumin, coriander and turmeric
- 800 ml of water
- A handful of coriander stalks
- 400 ml tin of tomatoes they get blitzed so chopped or whole
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pan. Once hot add the onions and salt and gently fry for 10 minutes or until the onions are starting to soften.
- Add the garlic and ginger and fry for a couple more minutes
- Add the curry Masala or spices, along with a splash of water. Give a quick stir and mix and then pour in the water, tomatoes, and coriander stalks
- Bring to the simmer and cook for 20 to 30 minutes, lid off
- Take the pan off the heat and blitz with an immersion blender until you have a smooth sauce
- Put back on a low heat ready for adding to your curry. If it looks a little thick add some water. It should be slightly thinner than full fat milk.
- Use in a curry recipe as directed.