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restaurant curry gravy for indian curries
Restaurant Curry Base-Gravy
This is a most basic of gravies using the minimum of condiments. It is based on the restaurant style but is my own deliberately scaled down version to illustrate that magical alchemy from the onions which create the fundamental taste of this unique Anglo-Indian approach to cooking
Ingredients
  
Onion gravy
  • peeled and quartered onions to fill a 3 litre pot
  • 1 carrot
  • 1/2 small white cabbage
  • 1 red pepper
  • 2 green chillies or 1tsp chilli powder
  • 1 tbs garlic-ginger paste
  • 1 small bunch fresh coriander
  • 1/4 litre neutral oil - enough to cover the onions
spices
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp cumin powder
  • 1 tsp unsmoked paprika
  • 2 tsp coriander powder
  • 1/2 tsp fenugreek powder
  • 1 tsp salt
Instructions
 
Transform the onions
  • Fill a 3-litre pot with the quartered onions, roughly chopped carrot, cabbage, bell-pepper, coriander, chilli and ginger-garlic paste.
  • Pour enough oil into the pot to cover the onions. Place a well-fitting lid tighly on and place on a medium flame for 45 minutes
  • At this state there should be bubbling and cooking of the onions. Turrn down the heat and simmer, without removing the lid for a furtheer 45 mins to an hour
  • Even if the onions feel soft when pricked with a fork or knife, you have to rely on your nose to tell you when the onions are ready. If you've eaten curry you'll know the smell when it happens
Add the spices
  • Add all the spices, salt and tomatoes. Cook for a further 30 mins until the oil has separated from the mixture. This separation is important since it means your spices are cooked and tempered. If there is no oil floating on top of the mixture the spices will taste raw. Continue to cook until this happens
  • Cool, then add a cup-full of water. Use a hand-held blender to create a smooth sauce, adding water to achieve a consistency like cream
  • Use as a base for your favourite restaurant curry