Name: Chasni Sauce
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 1
Cuisine: Bir Indian
Ingredients: 2 tbsp rapeseed (canola) oil; 1 tbsp garlic and ginger paste; 1/4 tsp turmeric; 1 generous tsp ground cumin; 300l (1 1/4 cups) base curry sauce; 1 1/2 tbsp mango chutney; 1 tbsp mint sauce; 2 tbsp ketchup; 70ml (1/4 cup) single cream; Bright red food colouring (optional); 1/4 tsp garam masala; 1 1/2 tbsp coriander (cilantro) finely chopped; Salt to taste

You can add the main ingredient/s of your choice to this chasni sauce.

This is a British Indian restaurant (BIR) style chasni sauce which gets fantastic results, every time!

The chasni sauce was invented in the UK and is now considered to be the new chicken tikka masala by many. It’s mild but has a bite to it.

Chasni curries are also usually bright red. This is done with red food colouring.

Chasni sauce is delicious served with chicken. You can add the main ingredient of your choice though.

Where is this chasni sauce recipe from?

It’s believed that the chasni sauce was developed at Indian takeaways in Scotland. In fact, that’s where I learned to make this hugely popular curry.

Working ahead…

You can make this sauce a couple of days before serving. The flavours will actually develop if you do and the flavour will be even better.

Feel free to add the main ingredient of your choice. If adding red meat instead of the chicken I used, you will want to pre-cook it before adding it to the chasni sauce.

Here is my recipe for pre-cooked lamb. This is a tasty way of getting you red meat deliciously tender.

If you would like to make things even easier on yourself, you could also pre-cook red meat and chicken in your base sauce.

What is the base sauce?

Making a base sauce is essential when preparing a curry house style curry like this chasni sauce. The base is what gives BIR curries their unique flavour and texture.

Here is one of my recipes.

It might look like a lot of work to make but it’s actually very easy. The base sauce also freezes well so you can have it on hand to use as and when you want.

All cooked and so good!

Dig in!

If you like this chasni sauce recipe, you might also like to try some of these curry house favourites…

Tikka masala sauce
Korma sauce
Pasanda sauce
Chilli garlic sauce
Ceylon sauce
Pathia sauce
Jalfrezi sauce
Keema sauce
Bhuna sauce
Methi sauce
Madras sauce
Vindaloo sauce
Phaal sauce

Yield: 1 - 2

Chasni Sauce

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

2 tbsp rapeseed (canola) oil
1 tbsp garlic and ginger paste
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 generous tsp ground cumin
300l (1 1/4 cups) base curry sauce
1 1/2 tbsp mango chutney
1 tbsp mint sauce
2 tbsp ketchup
70ml (1/4 cup) single cream
Bright red food colouring (optional)
1/4 tsp garam masala
1 1/2 tbsp coriander (cilantro) finely chopped
Salt to taste

Instructions

Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium high heat. When hot, stir in the garlic and ginger paste and fry for about 30 seconds.
Stir in the turmeric and cumin and then add about half the base sauce. Bring this to a rolling simmer, stirring only if the sauce is obviously sticking to the pan.
This is a good time to add your main ingredient of choice. Or if you just want to make the pathia sauce for later, that's fine too.
Add the mango chutney, mint sauce and ketchup and bring to a simmer adding more sauce gradually.
When the pathia sauce has cooked down to your preferred consistency, add the single cream and red food colouring, if using.
To finish, add the garam masala and garnish with the coriander (cilantro). Season with salt to taste.