Basic Curry Sauce

Here's how to make restaurant style curry. Lots of oil, and lots of
cooking on low heat for the onions.

(scales well, just multiply)

2 medium onions
2 Chile or Jalapeno peppers (or some cayenne powder, or none, if you
want mild)
2 medium tomatoes

2 Tbsp curry powder (more/less to taste, depending on your brand)
3 cloves of garlic
2 tsp ginger, or ground ginger root
1 bay leaf
1 tsp salt

Chop up a couple of onions, and fry them in some oil over med-low heat.
They should wilt, and you'll cook them until they're completely soft,
and starting to get sweet. I cook them for at least 20-30 minutes,
stirring to keep them from burning or browning. You can cook them over
high heat to get the same effect, but you have to constantly stir. Do
NOT burn them.

Then, add a couple of chopped and seeded hot peppers, or you can add
some cayenne, depending on how hot you want it. Also add the ginger,
garlic, and a couple of chopped tomatoes. Fry this for awhile longer,
maybe 10-15 minutes but don't burn anything. Add more oil or water if
needed.

Now add a spoonful of curry powder and some salt. Don't forget the
salt, because it needs it, but the curry powder generally does not have
it. Don't use the crap you get at the grocery, find a real Indian
market, or buy some over the Internet. Add the curry powder, fry it for
a few minutes, and then put the whole mess in the food processor.

Process it until it's a smooth paste (WITHOUT the bay leaf), and return
it to the pan (if you're making a bunch, you'll have to process it in
batches). Fry it in the pan for another 20 minutes or more, and it will
gloop and splatter, because it should be nice and thick. If it gets too
think, stir in some water.

Now you're done with the basic sauce. You can cook it longer if you want
it thicker, but it should be about the consistency of cat sup. You can
add water to thin it, or cook it down to thicken.

You can freeze it in portions to make quick curries, or you can add some
cooked meat, vegetables (cauliflower is good), stew it for awhile, and
you've got chicken, shrimp, boiled egg, or whatever kind of curry you
want. It's also good to stir up with some chick-peas and sauteed onions.

There are pictures at:
http://cooking.mikeski.net/index.php....html#extended

Enjoy.

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