Onion-Tomato Masala

also called base gravy · curry base · masala base · onion tomato base · bhuna masala · curry house base

The table

2 lb(900 g; halved and sliced thin)yellow onionsfry 25 min to a deep brownfry in 2 min, until it stops smelling rawbloom off the heat 30 secsimmer 30 min, until the fat runs clear at the edge
1/2 cup(105 g)ghee
1/4 cup(60 mL)neutral oil
3 Tbs(50 g)ginger-garlic paste
2(slit)green chiles
1 Tbsground coriander
2 tspground cumin
1 tspground turmeric
1 TbsKashmiri chile powder
28 oz(800 g)crushed tomatoes
1 Tbskosher salt
Nine lines on the board start here: bhuna dopiaza jalfrezi madras vindaloo karahi balti dansak and patia. A cup and a half is one curry for four. It keeps a week in the fridge and freezes in a tray of cubes a curry house makes it in a pot the size of a bathtub on the morning of a Saturday
Tap anything to cross it off.

What to lay out

Everything the recipe asks for, sitting under the step that eats it. Tick each one as you measure it.12 things to get out.

Pans and tools

1fry 25 min to a deep brown

2fry in 2 min, until it stops smelling raw

goes in with what step 1 made

3bloom off the heat 30 sec

goes in with what step 2 made

4simmer 30 min, until the fat runs clear at the edge

goes in with what step 3 made

Cooking it

Tap a step when it is done; the next one lights up.

The clock

Start to finish
58 mintwo waits that overlap count once
Needs you
28 minthe rest you can walk away from

The recipe itself says 1 hr 15 min.

  1. fry 25 min to a deep brown

    25 minneeds youfrom the start

  2. fry in 2 min, until it stops smelling raw

    2 minneeds you25 min in

  3. bloom off the heat 30 sec

    30 secneeds you27 min in

  4. simmer 30 min, until the fat runs clear at the edge

    30 minwalk away28 min in

Drawn to scale, so a long wait really does take up the room it takes. The shortest stretches keep a sliver so they stay visible; their times are printed beside them.

You'll need heavy pot

Goes with

See how it is written
>> title: Onion-Tomato Masala
>> category: Sauces & Gravies
>> tags: indian, onion, tomato, base, curry
>> counters: Curry House
>> aka: base gravy, curry base, masala base, onion tomato base, bhuna masala, curry house base
>> pairs-with: ginger-garlic-paste, bhuna
>> servings: 6 cups
>> time: 1 hr 15 min
>> step.1: fry 25 min to a deep brown
>> step.2: fry in 2 min, until it stops smelling raw
>> step.3: bloom off the heat 30 sec
>> step.4: simmer 30 min, until the fat runs clear at the edge

Fry @yellow onions{2%lb}(900 g; halved and sliced thin) in @ghee{1/2%cup}(105 g) and @neutral oil{1/4%cup}(60 mL) in a wide #heavy pot{} ~fry{25%min}, stirring every few minutes, until they have collapsed to a third of their volume and gone the colour of a chestnut. This is the whole job. Onions pulled at pale gold make a base that tastes of raw onion for the rest of its life.

Fry @ginger-garlic paste{3%Tbs}(50 g) and @green chiles{2}(slit) into @&(~1)browned onions{} ~fry{2%min}, until the raw smell lifts and the paste stops spitting.

Bloom @ground coriander{1%Tbs}, @ground cumin{2%tsp}, @ground turmeric{1%tsp} and @Kashmiri chile powder{1%Tbs} in @&(~1)onion masala{} off the heat ~stir{30%sec} — the pot is hot enough, and ground spice in a pot on the flame is burnt spice.

Simmer @&(~1)spiced masala{} with @crushed tomatoes{28%oz}(800 g) and @kosher salt{1%Tbs} ~simmer{30%min}, until it has gone dark and jammy and a spoon drawn through it leaves a channel with clear orange fat standing at the edges.

Nine lines on the board start here: bhuna, dopiaza, jalfrezi, madras, vindaloo, karahi, balti, dansak and patia. A cup and a half is one curry for four. It keeps a week in the fridge and freezes in a tray of cubes, and a curry house makes it in a pot the size of a bathtub on the morning of a Saturday.