Basic Curry Sauce - 2
3 tablespoons vegetable oil or ghee (clarified butter)
1 medium onion - finely chopped
4 cloves garlic - peeled and sliced
1-½ inch piece root ginger - peeled and thinly sliced
2 mild fleshy green chilies - de-seeded and veined then chopped, (These are optional)
½-teaspoon turmeric powder
½-teaspoon ground cumin seed
½-teaspoon ground coriander seed
5 tablespoons plain purée tomatoes, smooth, thick, sieved tomatoes, or a tablespoon concentrated tomato paste mixed with 4 tablespoons water
Method
1. Heat the oil in a heavy pan then add the chopped onion and stir for a few minutes with the heat on high.
2. Add the ginger, garlic and green chili (if using). Stir for 30 seconds then put the heat down to very low.
3. Cook for 15 minutes stirring from time to time making sure nothing browns or burns.
4. Add the turmeric, cumin and coriander and cook, still very gently, for a further 5 minutes.
5. Take off the heat and cool a little. Put 4 fluid oz cold water in a blender, add the contents of the pan and blend until very smooth. Add the tomato purée and stir.
6. Put the puréed mixture back into the pan and cook for 20 - 30 minutes, the longer the better, over very low heat stirring occasionally. You can add a little hot water if it starts to stick to the pan.