Basic Curry Sauce

(from reenum’s recipe box)

Here’s how to make restaurant style curry. Lots of oil, and lots of cooking on low heat for the onions.
(scales well, just multiply)
There are pictures at:
http://cooking.mikeski.net/index.php?/archives/3-Basic-Curry-Sauce.html#extended

Source: rec.food.recipes

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Serves 4 people

Categories: asian, sauce

Ingredients

  • 2 medium onions
  • 2 Chile or Jalapeno peppers (or some cayenne powder, or none, if you
  • want mild)
  • 2 medium tomatoes
  • 2 Tbsp curry powder (more/less to taste, depending on your brand)
  • 3 cloves of garlic
  • 2 tsp ginger, or ground ginger root
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tsp salt

Directions

  1. Chop up a couple of onions, and fry them in some oil over med-low heat. They should wilt, and you’ll cook them until they’re completely soft, and starting to get sweet. I cook them for at least 20-30 minutes, stirring to keep them from burning or browning. You can cook them over high heat to get the same effect, but you have to constantly stir. Do NOT burn them.

  2. Then, add a couple of chopped and seeded hot peppers, or you can add some cayenne, depending on how hot you want it. Also add the ginger, garlic, and a couple of chopped tomatoes. Fry this for awhile longer, maybe 10-15 minutes but don’t burn anything. Add more oil or water if needed.

  3. Now add a spoonful of curry powder and some salt. Don’t forget the salt, because it needs it, but the curry powder generally does not have it. Don’t use the crap you get at the grocery, find a real Indian market, or buy some over the Internet. Add the curry powder, fry it for a few minutes, and then put the whole mess in the food processor.

  4. Process it until it’s a smooth paste (WITHOUT the bay leaf), and return it to the pan (if you’re making a bunch, you’ll have to process it in batches). Fry it in the pan for another 20 minutes or more, and it will gloop and splatter, because it should be nice and thick. If it gets too think, stir in some water.

  5. Now you’re done with the basic sauce. You can cook it longer if you want it thicker, but it should be about the consistency of cat sup. You can add water to thin it, or cook it down to thicken.

  6. You can freeze it in portions to make quick curries, or you can add some cooked meat, vegetables (cauliflower is good), stew it for awhile, and you’ve got chicken, shrimp, boiled egg, or whatever kind of curry you

  7. want. It’s also good to stir up with some chick-peas and sauteed onions.

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