Description
This is the basic curry sauce for making restaurant-style curries. This recipe makes between 8 and 9 fl oz of curry sauce which is enough for 2 main course curries or a main course and some side dishes. Don’t try to make half portions, as the recipe does not work as well in smaller quantities. The recipe will however, double nicely if you're making a number of portions but you will probably need to cook it slightly longer. If you have any sauce left over it will keep for a short while in good condition in the freezer. Small amounts left over are useful for making a quick one-portion curry. Line a container with a freezer bag and pour or spoon in cold leftover sauce.  Remove the bag from the container, tie securely and freeze.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion - finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic - peeled and sliced (wet garlic is best if you can get it)
• 1.5 inch piece root ginger - peeled and thinly sliced (it should look about the same volume as the garlic)
• 1 or 2 mild fleshy green chillies - de-seeded and veined then chopped (if you like a bit of bite)
• half teaspoon turmeric powder
• half teaspoon ground cumin seed
• half teaspoon ground coriander seed
• 1 tin peeled tomatoes, chopped and drained well

Method

1. Heat a heavy frying pan, and lightly toast the cumin and coriander seed. Set toasted seeds aside.
2. Heat the oil in the frying pan then add the chopped onion and stir for a few minutes with the heat on high.
3. When the onion is just starting to turn light golden brown, add the ginger, garlic and green chilli (if using). Stir for 30 seconds then put the heat down to very low.
4. Cover and cook for 15 minutes stirring from time to time. Don’t allow anything to burn.
5. Add the turmeric, cumin and coriander and cook, still very gently, for a further 5 minutes. Don't burn the spices or the sauce will taste horrid - sprinkle on a few drops of water if you're worried.
6. Take off the heat and cool a little. Put the drained, chopped tomatoes in a blender, add the contents of the pan and blend until very smooth.
7. Put the blended mixture back into the pan, cover and cook on a low heat for around 20 minutes stirring occasionally. Add some of the drained off tomato juice if the sauce starts to stick. The sauce will turn an orangey brown colour, and should be roughly the same consistency as ketchup.