This 20 minute base curry sauce could not be easier!
One of the things I hear most about making the base curry sauce is that people just don’t want to spend 1 1/2 to 2 hours making it. If this applies to you, this 20 minute base curry sauce recipe could be for you. I actually made it in 13 minutes but I chop my veggies quickly. if you are new to cooking and perhaps don’t cut your onions as quickly as I do, give yourself 20 minutes and you’ll have a delicious base sauce to use in your curries.
About this 20 minute base curry sauce recipe.
The most authentic way to make a base curry sauce is as I do in this base curry sauce recipe. I love to cook so putting the time in to slowly simmer that base like they do at most curry houses is something I enjoy doing.
With this speedy recipe, I set out to develop a 20 minute base curry sauce that tasted just like the slow cooked version. You will see that this is not only possible but there are things you can do to make it even better.
To ensure the timings were right, I set my stopwatch so that only the time preparing and cooking was counted in between taking the step by step photographs that you will see below.
How can a quick base curry sauce be as good as one that is slowly simmered?
You are really just making this 20 minute base curry sauce in reverse. You blend the onions and other vegetables before you even begin cooking. This blend is quite strong in flavour so you need to simmer it as long as you can to mellow it some.
You pour everything into your pot and let it simmer. The longer you let it simmer, the more the flavours will develop and mellow. So even though this is a 20 minute base curry sauce, allowing it to simmer longer will be a bonus.
That said, after 15 minutes of simmering, the sauce in this case was ready to use and tasted amazing in the chicken tikka masala I was cooking.
So is this really a 20 minute base curry sauce?
Yes! You can cook and use the base curry sauce in 20 minutes and you will love how it tastes in your curry house style curries. Remember, however that the more you let it simmer, the better.
At busy restaurants, a big pot of base sauce will be stewing away all day. The chefs will add more ingredients to it if it’s running low but this longer simmering time does have its benefits. Just like when you slowly simmer a bolognese sauce over a day, the results are better than if you just through it together in minutes.
The big difference is that base sauce really has very little flavour. The magic happens when you add it to the pan with other ingredients to make the different curries.
How can you perfect this base sauce?
Although you can make this base curry sauce in 20 minutes, it doesn’t mean you have to stop cooking it at 20 minutes.
Let it simmer while you prepare the curry or curries you want to make. Add water or stock to it to keep it thin, like full fat (whole) milk or single cream. The longer cooking time will mellow the flavour and let all the flavours develop further.
If I’m really honest, I can only taste a small difference between this 20 minute base curry sauce and the slow cooked version. In fact, if you add this quick base to a curry and then use the slowly cooked base sauce to make the same curry again, I bet your friends and family will taste no difference between the two.
The concept behind the secret base sauce
Think of the curry sauce as you would a vegetable stock. It is quite bland but when you add different spices to it you can make your favourite curries very fast.
Over the years I have tried many different recipes for base curry sauce and most of them are quite similar.
Rather than cooking a curry the more traditional and authentic way, frying onions, garlic, ginger and tomatoes to form a base, the base sauce becomes that base cutting the cooking time down a lot.
How long can you store this base sauce in the fridge?
You can store your base sauce in the fridge, covered for 3 to 5 days. In fact, if you do, those flavours will continue to develop and it will be even better.
Can the base sauce be frozen?
Yes. It freezes really well. Be sure to freeze it in portion sizes that are convenient for you and the number of curries you want to cook at one time.
Freeze in air tight containers and be sure to label and date them. This 20 minute base curry sauce can be frozen for up to 6 months and is great to have on hand.
Step by step photographs.
Get all your ingredients together before you start cooking.
If you have a good blender, you only need to roughly chop your vegetables. If not, finely chop them.
Place the onions, carrot, garlic and ginger paste and bell peppers in a blender.
Pour in 125ml (1/2 cup) water and blend until smooth.
Melt the ghee in your pan over a medium-high heat. You can substitute oil.
Stir in the turmeric and let it sizzle for about 30 seconds or until it turns a tone or two darker.
Pour the blended onion mixture into the pot.
Pour in 500ml (2 cups) of water and stir well to combine.
Bring the sauce to a simmer over a medium heat. It will be quite thick so be careful as the simmering sauce will spit some.
Stir in the ground spices and passata.
Let the sauce simmer until the strong onion flavour has mellowed. It will be quite thick. If freezing, allow to cool and freeze it before diluting.
To use in your curries, be sure to add just enough water so that it is about the same consistency as full fat (whole) milk or single cream.
You could continue simmering the sauce longer but it will be ready to use in 20 minutes.
Here are a few curry house style curry recipes you can try with this base sauce now.
Chicken Tikka Masala
Chicken Korma
Chicken Madras
Chicken Dhansak
Lamb Rogan Josh
Lamb Vindaloo
Chicken Chilli Garlic
Chicken Patia
Lamb Bhuna
20 minute Base Curry Sauce
This simple curry sauce is a must when making curry house style curries. It can be made in minutes. If you prefer to cook the base curry sauce like they do at restaurants, try this recipe.
Ingredients
- 2 large brown onions, chopped
- 2 tbsp garlic and ginger paste
- 1/4 green bell pepper, roughly chopped
- 1/4 red bell pepper, roughly chopped
- 7.5cm (3 inches) carrot, roughly chopped
- 70ml (1/4 cup) ghee or rapeseed (canola) oil
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 200g (3/4 cup) passata
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground fenugreek
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 tsp garam masala
Instructions
- Place the chopped onion, garlic and ginger paste, carrot and the bell peppers in a blender and add 125ml (1/2 cup) water. Blend until smooth and set aside.
- Now heat the oil or ghee in a pot over a medium-high heat and stir in the ground turmeric. Let is sizzle for about 30 seconds or until it turns a tone or two darker and then pour in the blended onion mixture.
- Stir continuously to cook the onion mixture in the oil for a couple of minutes and then stir in 500ml (2 cups) water.
- Bring to a simmer and then then add the ground spices and passata. Cover the pan to simmer for about 15 minutes or longer if you like. You could let it continue simmering while you prepare the ingredients your are making, for example.
- After 15 minutes, the strong onion flavour will have mellowed and the sauce will be quite thick.(See note). This is the perfect consistency if you want to freeze your base sauce. Freezing it at this time will save freezer space.
- To use the base curry sauce in a curry, it needs to be the same consistency as full fat (whole) milk or single cream. To do this, add water or stock to the pan until this consistency is reached. Enjoy.
Notes
How long to simmer?
I developed this recipe for people who don't have a lot of time to make my slowly cooked base curry sauce. That said, just because it is a 20 minute base sauce, you don't have to stop cooking at 20 minutes! If time allows, go ahead and simmer the sauce a little longer if you like.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
10Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 30Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 54mgCarbohydrates: 4gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 1g
Sir Kevin Parr Bt
Thursday 7th of November 2024
Nice to hear from you again. I bought your book and make basic sauce to freeze . I was in India in my youth and know curry as a sauce .Back in England aged 12 cooked first curry for myself in boarding school in Salop. No one liked it .Other than an Indian scholar in same class . At 74 now in Latvia again no one likes Madras chicken but then more for me . England have grown up with Asian meals save for Yorkshire that is . I bought one of your tandoori ovens so make naan and chapatti while chicken cooks . Mine is not in house its with big Italian brick oven i made and can make pizza and bread on falling heat. While cooked whole chickens halved cook so fast they are juicy for Chinese or Indian dinners in the garden.Summer garden parties my special skill . Long time since you posted a new letter so thanks
Dan Toombs
Tuesday 12th of November 2024
Sounds like you lead a very interesting life! Your summer garden parties sound fun, thanks for your support and buying my books. Dan
Mig Weston
Friday 29th of March 2024
Thank you for your work. I've got your book and I made a sublime chicken tikka masala with this base sauce. I'd add that if you've got a posh soup maker, this is easily made in one of these.
Dan Toombs
Saturday 30th of March 2024
Great to know, thanks very much. Dan
Ross
Wednesday 3rd of January 2024
Hi Dan, I have a query about the ingredients.
Does ‘1 inch carrot’ refer to a whole carrot with a diameter of approximately one inch, or does it mean a one inch piece cut from a carrot?
Kind regards, Ross.
Dan Toombs
Wednesday 3rd of January 2024
Just about an inch long of an average sized carrot. Don’t worry too much as it doesn’t have to be too exact. Thanks Dan
James West
Saturday 4th of March 2023
Why have you used "cups" as a measure? It's this not an Amrican unit of measure?
Dan Toombs
Tuesday 7th of March 2023
I tend to give the measurements in cups and ml. I do get a lot of Americans reading my my blog so I try to cater to everyone. Thanks Dan
Linda
Sunday 23rd of October 2022
Can you freeze curry base sauce after diluting?
Dan Toombs
Sunday 30th of October 2022
Hi Linda
Yes you can. I just freeze it before diluting to save freezer space.
Thanks, Dan