Description
This is a basic tomato based curry paste recipe that is the base of almost all Indian curries. With a slight variation here and there you can make hundreds of curries using this basic curry paste. It can be made in bulk and can be stored for weeks. No more going to the stores and buying jarred month old curry paste that cost you a fortune and don’t taste half as goodd!
Ingredients
- Makes approx. 1.5 cups of curry paste)
- wet paste)
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 inch ginger
- 3–4 cloves of garlic
- 2–3 green chilis (or any chili pepper of your choice)
- dry spice powder)- Only half of it will be used in this recipe for curry paste. You can store the rest in an air tight container for later.
- 2–3 bay leaves
- 2 tsp cloves
- 2 tsp peppercorn
- 3–4 black cardamom
- 1/2 Cinnamon stick
- 1/2 tbsp cumin seeds
- 3 tbsp coriander seeds (you can use 2/2.5 tbsp coriander powder if you don’t have seeds)
- other ingredients:
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 tsp ghee (optional)
- Salt to taste
- 1 cup diced tomato
Instructions
- Grind together ingredients for the wet mix in a food processor or blender/grinder. Use about 3-4 tbsp of water if necessary for the blades to rotate. Set aside.
- Grind together all the dry ingredients in a spice or coffee grinder. Set aside.
- Heat oil in a thick bottom pan, add wet mix.
- Cook it on medium high heat until all the water has evaporated. Once the paste starts getting thicker reduce the heat to medium low, add salt and turmeric.
- Cook until the paste starts changing color and gets golden brown in color.
- Add ghee. Very soon oil will start to separate.
- Add diced tomato. First the tomatoes begin to melt then slowly all the liquid will evaporate. Cook until the mixture has no liquid left.
- Now add dry ingredients. Mix everything well together.
- Your curry paste is ready.
Notes
Now you can add vegetables if you are making a vegetable curry. Add browned, baked, stir fried or deep fried meat to make a meat curry. You can also add it to rice with a few vegetables and make a tahiri (spicy rice pilaf)
This curry paste can be stored in a refrigerator for weeks. All you have to do is let the paste cool down completely and then transfer it to an air tight container and freeze.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins