Curry Sauce

This is the basis for many of the curries that I like to make. It freezes really well so you can double up the quantities and cook for longer.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil or ghee (clarified butter)
• 1 medium onion - finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic - peeled and sliced
• 1.5 inch piece root ginger - peeled and thinly sliced (or a teaspoon of dried ginger should do)
• 2 mild fleshy green chillies - de-seeded and chopped
• half teaspoon turmeric powder
• half teaspoon ground cumin
• half teaspoon ground coriander
• 5 tablespoons passata (or 1 tablespoon tomato puree mixed with 4 tablespoons of 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 garlic and green chilli. Stir for a few seconds then turn the heat down to very low.
3. Cook slowly for 15 minutes until softened but not browned.
4. Add the ginger,turmeric, cumin and coriander and cook  for a further 5 minutes.
5. Take off the heat and cool a little. Put 4 fl oz cold water in a blender, add the contents of the pan and whizz until very smooth. Add the passata 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.