This Indian masala is the perfect base for most Indian curries. You can choose various add-ins to make it your own. I usually make a couple of batches of this as it keeps beautifully in the refrigerator for up to a week and it also freezes really well. With this paste on hand, you can whip up a delicious dish of your choice in less than half an hour!
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 2 each of the following spices: whole cloves, crushed white cardamom, cassia bark
- ½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
- 6 large finely chopped white onions
- 1 bulb crushed garlic
- 2 tablespoons ginger paste
- 8 large tomatoes or 1 carton of pure strained tomatoes
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Add ¼ cup of heavy cream to the masala paste and heat thoroughly.
Preparation
In a large pan, heat oil on medium heat and add the whole spices. Once they start spluttering, add cumin seeds and chopped onions.
Stir in salt, and turn heat down to low and stir frequently to prevent onions from sticking to the pan. Once the onions are golden brown, stir in the garlic and ginger pastes.
Stir and cook for 30 seconds and then add the tomatoes. Turn the heat to medium, stir and cook the tomatoes until they have broken down and darkened in color— you should be able to see the oil separate. At this stage, stir in the powdered spices, salt and cook for around 10 seconds. Cool and store as required.
For Squash Makhani:
Preheat oven to 375. Arrange slices of delicata squash onto a baking tray and drizzle with olive oil and salt. Roast until tender.
Serve the squash atop the makhani sauce.
