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Hotel Style Curry Sauce

Similar to a base gravy, this sauce can be made in advance and added to fried ingredients to create a tasty curry. This Hotel Style Curry Sauce has a bit more depth of flavour, is thicker and caramelises the onions first so no high heat reduction is necessary.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian
Servings 8 people

Ingredients
  

  • 750 g sliced onion About 4 medium onions
  • 110 ml oil Any neutral oil such as vegetable, sunflower or rapeseed (not cold pressed)
  • 4 Tej Patta leaf (also known as Indian Bay or Malabar leaf) Bay leaf can be substituted but won't give the same flavour.
  • 2 sticks cinnamon or cassia
  • 1 tsp chopped garlic
  • 1 tsp chopped ginger
  • 2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder substitute with 1 tsp sweet paprika and 1 tsp chilli powder if not available
  • 1 tsp ground turmeric
  • 1 tbsp Mild Curry Masala
  • 1 tsp Garam Masala
  • 1 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
  • 1.2 litre water 3 x empty tomato tins worth!
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp fresh coriander stalks can be used if wished
  • 2 green chillies deseeded and chopped

Instructions
 

  • Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed pan
  • Add the onions, tej patta leaves and cinnamon to the pan and fry on a medium heat, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes or until just starting to turn brown.
  • turn the heat to the lowest you can and fry for another 30 minutes, stirring quite often until the onions have turned a deep brown colour.
  • Add the garlic and ginger and gently fry for another 20 seconds
  • Add the Kashmiri Chilli and stir in. Add the turmeric and stir in again before adding the curry masala. Fry for 20 seconds.
  • Add the tinned tomatoes and water and bring to a simmer.
  • Add the salt and cook for 20 minutes.
  • Add the fresh coriander, chillies and Garam Masala
  • continue to cook for another 10 - 20 minutes
  • Take the pan off the heat and let cool a little before fishing out the cassia and tej patta leaves
  • Now blend with an immersion blender, food processor or blender. If using the latter I would recommend to let it cool slightly first as hot steam tends to blow the lid off!
  • Use in any recipe that requires a Hotel Style Curry Gravy or try using as a replacement to Base Gravy in any highly flavoured B.I.R curries that require a base sauce.
Keyword Base Curry Sauce, Curry Gravy, Indian Hotel Curry Sauce, Indian Style