Topic: smokenspice's base curry sauce

[SnS]

Having tried Admin's base curry sauce the other day, this weekend I did some experimenting. This is a base sauce I made today.

SMOKENSPICE?s  BASIC CURRY SAUCE

Use standard measures throughout
1 teaspoon (tsp) = 5ml
1 tablespoon (tbsp) = 15 ml

1 tbsp Coriander powder
1 tbsp Turmeric powder
2.5 tsp Cumin powder
1 tsp Chilli powder (or more if hotter sauce is required)
2 tsp Madras Curry powder (rajah)
1 tsp salt
5 medium Cooking or Spanish onions
10 cloves garlic
1.5 inch cube ginger root (20-25 grams)
400 grams of finely pureed tomatoes (or 1 tin of tomatoes)
200 ml hot water
100 ml cold water
1 cup vegetable oil


Mix the spices and salt with 100 ml of cold water to form a paste.
Finely chop the onions, garlic and ginger. Add to the pot with the oil and fry on a high heat for 10 to 15 minutes stirring constantly until the onions are transparent and sweet and the liquid has evaporated.
Reduce the heat and then put in the curry paste. Turn up the heat, stirring continuously to fry off the spices for about 1 minute.
Add tomatoes and hot water and bring to the boil.
Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Turn off the heat. Using a hand blender, blend for at least 5 minutes until the sauce is very fine.

Cover, turn the heat on very low and simmer for at least an hour (stirring occasionally) until the oil separates. The sauce will darken in colour.

[Bobby Bhuna]

Good job smokenspice - your images look top notch. So to summarise, is that less chili, slightly less cumin, the addition of the curry powder, less garlic and more onion?

What did you think of it compared to admins base? I ask because I gave that a shot last week and enjoyed it a lot, although like you used slightly less chili ! Do you feel the addition of the Madras curry powder greatly affected the taste?

When I mix my spices to a paste, I use oil rather than water to try and infuse their colour and flavour into the dish, often leaving them in the oil for some time before use. I'm are sure there is more than one school of thought on this and I would be eager to hear other members opinions.

Take care and good luck with the curry's!

[SnS]

Hi Bobby

Besides using less spice quantities, I suppose the major difference is that the spices are added to the pot much earlier than in Admin's base sauce instructions.

Personally  I found his base sauce a bit too over-spiced. I prefer the base sauce/gravy to be a more subtle taste.

The spice paste is made using cold water to ensure that it isn't over heated/burnt when added to the hot oil.

Although I didn't use any paprika, I do think adding this particular curry powder improved the flavour (other powders may not be as good).

Regards

[Bobby Bhuna]

I do know what you mean sns, admins new base sauce is very heavily spiced, although I did enjoy it a lot (and from the amount I made, will coninue to be enjoying for some time). I don't think the fact that I ground the Cumin and Corriander seed from fresh helped matters any ;D I'm quite keen on trying the Rajver base mentioned by CK, which he assures me is fairly lightly spiced by comparisson. Thanks for the response sns - all the best!

[SnS]

Chicken and mushroom bhuna made tonight using my base curry sauce above  ;D

[mike travis]

Nice one smokenspices..

[Curry King]

Great pics, how did the final curry taste compared to what you have tried before?

[mike travis]

Hi smokenspices,  do you have the recipe for this?  ;D

[SnS]

My easy Chicken Bhuna - would normally serve two

Use standard measures throughout
1 teaspoon (tsp) = 5ml
1 tablespoon (tbsp) = 15 ml

precooked marinated chicken (see other recipes) or prawns

300 ml of smokenspice?s curry sauce (above)
5 tbsp veg oil or ghee
0.5 tsp chilli powder (or more if a hot one is required  )
0.5 tsp garam masala
0.5 tsp sugar  ;D
0.25 tsp turmeric powder
0.25 tsp fenugreek powder
0.25 tsp salt

Mix spices and salt with a little cold water to make a thick paste.
Heat oil on high heat then add 2 - 3 tbsp of the curry sauce.
Quickly stir and then add spice paste. Stir continuously for about 20 to 30 seconds - without burning the spices.
Add cooked prepared meat and remaining sauce. Bring up to high temperature, stirring all the time. Turn down heat, add sugar and simmer until meat is heated through.
Just before serving add chopped coriander leaves (I didn?t have any yesterday!)

Note: Bhuna is supposed to be fairly dry but I prefer it on the wet side.

Regards
smokenspices

[SnS]

Great pics, how did the final curry taste compared to what you have tried before?

Hi Curry King

Well I liked it, the wife liked it and the dog ..... well anything goes.

Seriously, although the sauce recipe contains less spices I think it tends to be more versatile - it isnt overpowering. Leaves room for more spices to be added on the final recipe.

Try it and let me know what you think !

Regards
sns