North Indian Curry Gravy Base

Step 1: Prepare Ingredients

Coarsely chop the Indian onions, garlic, ginger, and tomatoes. Roughly chop the green chilies and coriander (including stalks).

Step 2: Combine Gravy Base Ingredients

Add 100g ghee to a pressure cooker. Then add 2kg coarsely chopped Indian onions, 1 chopped garlic bulb, 3-4 green chilies, 100g unsalted cashew nuts, 2 inches of roughly chopped ginger, 50g chopped coriander, 200g full-cream yogurt, and 1kg chopped tomatoes. Add 1.5 tsp chili powder, 2 tbsp coriander powder, 1 tbsp garam masala, 1 tbsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp salt, and 2 tbsp kasuri methi.

Step 3: Mix and Add Water

Stir all the ingredients in the pressure cooker thoroughly to ensure they are well combined and coated with spices. Pour in approximately 1.5 liters of water, or enough to just cover the ingredients.

Step 4: Pressure Cook

Close the lid of the pressure cooker. Cook for 50 minutes once the pressure is reached. If not using a pressure cooker, boil for 90 minutes. After cooking, turn off the heat and allow the pressure cooker to cool down naturally until the pressure is fully released.

Step 5: Blend the Gravy

Once the pressure cooker is safe to open, remove the lid. Stir the softened ingredients. Use an immersion blender to blend the mixture directly in the pot until it forms a smooth, uniform paste.

Step 6: Prepare and Add Tarka

In a separate small pan, heat 2 tbsp ghee or oil. Add 2-3 bay leaves, 1-2 star anise, 2-3 black cardamom pods, 4-5 green cardamom pods, 5-6 cloves, 1 tsp cumin seeds, and 1 small piece of cinnamon stick. Fry the whole spices until fragrant. Carefully pour the hot seasoned oil (tarka) into the blended gravy.

Step 7: Final Adjustments and Simmer

Stir the tarka into the gravy. Taste the gravy and adjust salt if necessary. Bring the gravy to a gentle boil to allow all the flavors to meld together. As it boils, the whole spices will rise to the top. Use a slotted spoon to remove these whole spices for a silky smooth texture.

Step 8: Cool and Store

Once the oil has split and the gravy is fully cooked, turn off the heat. Allow the gravy to cool completely before storing it in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezing for later use.

• If Indian onions (Mumbai Piaaz) are unavailable, use standard white onions.

• Include the stalks of the coriander as they contain a lot of flavor.

• Under-salt the mixture initially, as you can adjust the seasoning after all spices and the tarka are added.

• Allow the pressure cooker to cool down naturally after cooking to continue the cooking process and tenderize ingredients further.

• Skim out the whole spices from the gravy after blending and boiling for a smoother texture.

• This base gravy is perfect for preparing dishes like Butter Chicken or Butter Paneer.