Oil Less Indian Curry Paste ( Onion-Ginger-Garlic-Tomato Masala)

Oil Less Curry Paste

In my earlier blog I had written how to make onion-ginger-garlic paste and storing it for posterity. I always make it a point to make these masalas and store as cubes in freezer when onion and tomatoes are less expensive. This serves double purpose,

One saving money

Two having masala ready in fridge so when I am busy or suddenly guests come I do not feel hassled.

Curries are integral part of Indian cooking. Normally when onion, garlic, ginger, tomatoes.. are used to make curries, lots of oil is used. This blog today will tell how to circumvent that and make yummy curries with least amount of oil.

The curry paste can be stored in freezer for months together. I store it by freezing it in ice tray. Storing and using cubes of curry paste becomes very easy, because every time one want to use it the whole lot need not to be thawed. Just pick up the required cubes, add it to oil tempered with spices along with the vegetable/rajma/chole/ chicken /fish…..add required amount of water and give a boil. Curry is ready.

Ingredients Required For Making Oil Less Curry Paste:

• 500 gm. Onion
• 500 gm. Tomato
• 100 gm. Ginger
• 100 gm. Garlic
• 2 Teaspoon Salt
• 8-10 Whole Red Kashmiri Mirch (Dry Red chili which has color but is less hot)

Direction For Making Curry Paste:

• Peel and cut onion to thin long slices. Keep aside.
• Wash and cut the tomatoes .
• Peel and grate ginger. Keep aside.
• Peel the garlic. Keep aside.
• Make pieces of whole red kashmiri mirch and remove the seeds. Keep aside.
• Take a thick bottom wok, preferably nonstick or anodized wok. Put
• Chopped Onions
• Chopped tomatoes
• Garlic
• Ginger
• Salt.
• Mix and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes stirring and turning in between.

Onion-Ginger-Garlic cooking in wok

• Tomatoes and onions will start losing their juices.

Whole red Kshmiri Mirch Added

• Add the pieces of red chilies and mix. Cover and cook on medium flame for 15-20 minutes with occasional stirring and turning the contents of the wok. By now the liquid in the wok will start reducing and the onions will turn translucent, Tomatoes will be completely cooked.

After 20 minutes of cooking

• Now all ingredients are completely cooked, we just need to reduce the liquid. Thus bring the heat to high and cook with constant stirring and turning the contents in the wok. It will take 3-5 minutes.

Ready to be made to paste

• Switch off the heat and let it cool without covering.
• Grind the cooked, cooled contents to fine paste. No water will be required.
• Freeze the curry paste in an ice tray. Store the cubes in freezer. Use as per requirement of the dish you are preparing. Just add the cubes to oil tempered with spices. Add water as required.
• Add salt, chili powder, garam masala as you please. Add water, give it a boil and your curry is ready.
• Curry paste can be stored in any container also. Thaw it before taking out required amount for use and freeze rest.

Oil less Curry Paste

Tips:

• Mix the ingredients nicely before heating.
• Put the ingredients in wok at room temperature.
• Do not heat wok before putting ingredients in it.
• Reduce the amount of chilies if they are too hot. Chilies are added basically to give a good red color to it.
• The time required depends upon the juiciness of onions and tomatoes.
• In the last leg of cooking when the heat is on high and liquid content is reducing it is must that the contents be stirred and turned constantly. Else the danger of the cooked masala to stick to the bottom and get burnt is very high.

Suggested Variations:

• Only onion and tomatoes can be made to curry paste and garlic-ginger can be added to tempered oil while making curry. Garlic ginger paste can be made at home and stored.

http://jyotsna-pant.blogspot.com/2012/11/home-made-ginger-garlic-paste.html