Curry Sauce for Leftovers

For the time of year that's in it, here is a blow-your-mind curry paste recipe.  It can be used for raw meat or is perfect for leftovers


2 large onions
2 cloves of garlic
Piece of ginger (size of half your thumb) chopped finely with skin on
Good shake of sea salt
2 tbsp vegetable or sunflower oil

Blitz the above in a food processor or one of those small blenders. I got a cheap one in Lidl and it's a cracker for making pesto and other type sauces.  When it is a paste remove and place in a bowl.

1 tbsp. cumin seeds
1 tbsp. coriander seeds
half tsp. mustard seeds
half tsp fenugreek seeds

Heat the seeds above on a dry frying pan for a couple of minutes to draw the flavour out. Transfer to blender and grind. Add the spices below.

2 tsp. turmeric
2 tsp chilli powder plus a fresh chilli(s) chopped depending on how hot you like it
1tsp garam masala
half tsp cinnamon
pinch of mace blades (optional)

Then add in 5 cloves, 5 cardamon pods, a cinnamon stick and some curry leaves and galangal (one small piece) if you can get it. Add all the spices into the onion mix from first step. This seems like a lot of work but you can make double quantities or more and save in a clean jar in the fridge. It will keep for at least a week.

500g meat of choice
1 tin tomatoes plus use tin to measure out 2 tins of water. Add more later if necessary.
1 tin coconut milk
Good pinch salt

If you are using raw meat such as chicken then mix the pieces of meat into the above paste and leave to marinate for a few hours or overnight in the fridge. I use about 4 good sized chicken breasts for this quantity of spice paste.  To cook just pour it into a large pot and heat with no oil or any other liquids stirring continuously to heat the spices in the mix. Then add in some water or stock if you prefer or a tin on tomatoes.  Simmer until the meat is tender and add some coconut milk ten minutes before end of cooking, stirring continuously so it does not split.  Either serve immediately or leave sit for a day for the flavour to improve.

For cooked meats such as turkey then make the sauce by frying the onions and spices until well cooked and browned stirring continuously to prevent it sticking or burning.  Add in your liquid as above and simmer for an hour or until it reduces and thickens.  Add your coconut milk (half tin) and then finally add the cooked meat and heat until the meat is piping hot.  Serve immediately with basmati rice, naan and poppadoms and some chutney.