{"id":44,"date":"2019-04-25T03:08:27","date_gmt":"2019-04-25T03:08:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ryanlothian.com\/food\/?p=44"},"modified":"2019-04-27T18:08:10","modified_gmt":"2019-04-27T18:08:10","slug":"curry-base-sauce","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ryanlothian.com\/food\/2019\/04\/curry-base-sauce\/","title":{"rendered":"Curry base sauce"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ryanlothian.com\/food\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG_20190420_170121-1-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-64\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ryanlothian.com\/food\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG_20190420_170121-1-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.ryanlothian.com\/food\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG_20190420_170121-1-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ryanlothian.com\/food\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG_20190420_170121-1-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.ryanlothian.com\/food\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG_20190420_170121-1-1568x1176.jpg 1568w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>I use this recipe as a base of all my curries. It&#8217;s a wonder ingredient, a flavourful but non-spicy sauce that you can use in anything from kormas to vindaloos, and it keeps for months in the freezer. This recipe takes over an hour, but makes ~15 portions of base sauce. This is a good activity for a rainy Sunday afternoon. Keep things simple &#8212; don&#8217;t make it the day your guests are coming for dinner! This is one to make in advance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-gallery columns-3 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\"><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ryanlothian.com\/food\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG_20190420_175013-1-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"63\" data-link=\"https:\/\/www.ryanlothian.com\/food\/2019\/04\/curry-base-sauce\/img_20190420_175013-2\/\" class=\"wp-image-63\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ryanlothian.com\/food\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG_20190420_175013-1-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.ryanlothian.com\/food\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG_20190420_175013-1-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/www.ryanlothian.com\/food\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG_20190420_175013-1-1568x2091.jpg 1568w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><figcaption>A friend I bumped into on the way to buy onions<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ryanlothian.com\/food\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG_20190420_195421-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"51\" data-link=\"https:\/\/www.ryanlothian.com\/food\/2019\/04\/curry-base-sauce\/img_20190420_195421\/\" class=\"wp-image-51\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ryanlothian.com\/food\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG_20190420_195421-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.ryanlothian.com\/food\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG_20190420_195421-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ryanlothian.com\/food\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG_20190420_195421-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.ryanlothian.com\/food\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG_20190420_195421-1568x1176.jpg 1568w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ryanlothian.com\/food\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/00009IMG_00009_BURST20190420203400_COVER-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"50\" data-link=\"https:\/\/www.ryanlothian.com\/food\/2019\/04\/curry-base-sauce\/00009img_00009_burst20190420203400_cover\/\" class=\"wp-image-50\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ryanlothian.com\/food\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/00009IMG_00009_BURST20190420203400_COVER-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.ryanlothian.com\/food\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/00009IMG_00009_BURST20190420203400_COVER-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ryanlothian.com\/food\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/00009IMG_00009_BURST20190420203400_COVER-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.ryanlothian.com\/food\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/00009IMG_00009_BURST20190420203400_COVER-1568x1176.jpg 1568w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ryanlothian.com\/food\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG_20190420_205602-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"49\" data-link=\"https:\/\/www.ryanlothian.com\/food\/2019\/04\/curry-base-sauce\/img_20190420_205602\/\" class=\"wp-image-49\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ryanlothian.com\/food\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG_20190420_205602-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.ryanlothian.com\/food\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG_20190420_205602-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/www.ryanlothian.com\/food\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG_20190420_205602-1568x2091.jpg 1568w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ryanlothian.com\/food\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG_20190420_221158-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"48\" data-link=\"https:\/\/www.ryanlothian.com\/food\/2019\/04\/curry-base-sauce\/img_20190420_221158\/\" class=\"wp-image-48\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ryanlothian.com\/food\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG_20190420_221158-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.ryanlothian.com\/food\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG_20190420_221158-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ryanlothian.com\/food\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG_20190420_221158-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.ryanlothian.com\/food\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG_20190420_221158-1568x1176.jpg 1568w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ryanlothian.com\/food\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG_20190421_194402-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"46\" data-link=\"https:\/\/www.ryanlothian.com\/food\/2019\/04\/curry-base-sauce\/img_20190421_194402\/\" class=\"wp-image-46\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ryanlothian.com\/food\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG_20190421_194402-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.ryanlothian.com\/food\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG_20190421_194402-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/www.ryanlothian.com\/food\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG_20190421_194402-1568x2091.jpg 1568w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Equipment required: blender, large non-stick pan<br>Total time: ~2 hrs<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>1\/4 of a cabbage<\/li><li>a couple of carrots, chopped<\/li><li>7 large brown onions, sliced<\/li><li>1\/2 tsp salt<\/li><li>two bell peppers, peel removed then sliced<\/li><li>1 tbsp each of ground cumin, ground turmeric, ground fenugreek, ground coriander, paprika (smoked or unsmoked, either is fine)<\/li><li>half a dozen garlic cloves, finely minced or squashed into a puree<\/li><li>a similar volume of fresh ginger root, grated <\/li><li>100ml of neutral vegetable oil (e.g. sunflower, groundnut, not olive)<\/li><li>can of sieved tomatoes (sometimes called &#8216;passata&#8217;)<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Add carrots, onions, peppers, salt, cabbage to hot oil in a large non-stick pan. Fry until the onions are lightly browned, probably 30 mins+, stirring ever few minutes.  Add garlic, ginger and spices (fresh ground spices are always best &#8212; you can get a grinder very cheaply on Amazon). Add tomatoes, then simmer for 30 mins. Allow to cool, then blend thoroughly. No lumps! <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Freeze in portions. The beauty of this sauce is that you can use it as a base for almost any curry. It&#8217;s inoffensive without being bland, not spicy but still flavourful. For a korma, you&#8217;d add cream, coconut milk, sugar. For bhuna, add garlic, ginger, spices, chillies and some tomato paste. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ryanlothian.com\/food\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG_20190421_201845-1-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-66\" width=\"273\" height=\"204\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ryanlothian.com\/food\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG_20190421_201845-1-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.ryanlothian.com\/food\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG_20190421_201845-1-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ryanlothian.com\/food\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG_20190421_201845-1-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.ryanlothian.com\/food\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG_20190421_201845-1-1568x1176.jpg 1568w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 273px) 100vw, 273px\" \/><figcaption>In progress: butter chicken sauce. Water, tomato paste, sugar, butter, cardamom seeds added to the base.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The sauce is thick to save freezer space; when you make a curry from it, you&#8217;ll want to add some water to bring it to a more traditional consistency. As an ingredient rather than a finished dish, it&#8217;s also under-salted &#8212; this lets you control the seasoning of the finished dish &#8212; so remember to add salt right before you serve up any curry you make from it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I use this recipe as a base of all my curries. It&#8217;s a wonder ingredient, a flavourful but non-spicy sauce that you can use in anything from kormas to vindaloos, and it keeps for months in the freezer. This recipe takes over an hour, but makes ~15 portions of base sauce. This is a good &hellip; <\/p>\n<p class=\"link-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ryanlothian.com\/food\/2019\/04\/curry-base-sauce\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;Curry base sauce&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[10,11,7],"class_list":["post-44","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-recipes","tag-curry","tag-vegan","tag-vegetarian","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ryanlothian.com\/food\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ryanlothian.com\/food\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ryanlothian.com\/food\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ryanlothian.com\/food\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ryanlothian.com\/food\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=44"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.ryanlothian.com\/food\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":75,"href":"https:\/\/www.ryanlothian.com\/food\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44\/revisions\/75"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ryanlothian.com\/food\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=44"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ryanlothian.com\/food\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=44"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ryanlothian.com\/food\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=44"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}