pounds onions, coarsely chopped
3 bay leaves
2 black cardamom pods, pounded lightly to break the skin
4 whole cloves
1 (1-inch) stick cinnamon, broken lengthwise into 2 pieces
1 ⁄ 2 cup water
1. Place all the ingredients in a medium nonstick saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until all the water evaporates and the onions are soft, about 15 minutes.
2. Discard the whole spices, then process the onions in a blender or a food processor until very smooth. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate up to 5 days or freeze up to 3 months.
Fried Onion Paste
Talae Pyaz ka Masala
Makes about 1 cup
This paste, used mostly for the richer northern, Mughlai-type dishes, gives everyday curries a distinctive rich quality that sets them apart from the usual fare. Even though the onion, ginger, and garlic are deep-fried, this paste is not as rich as the word "fried" implies. The fried ingredients are drained on paper towels and then ground to make a paste.
To use, add spices to the paste and then simmer with water, buttermilk, whisked yogurt, or light cream, for all types of meats, especially kofta (fried minced meat balls).
1 cup melted ghee or vegetable oil for deep-frying
6 to 8 quarter-size slices of peeled fresh ginger
4 large cloves fresh garlic, peeled
1 large onion, cut in half lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 ⁄ 2 cup nonfat plain yogurt
1. Heat the oil in a large nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat and fry the ginger and garlic until golden, about 2 minutes. Add the onion and fry until everything is well browned, about 5 minutes. (Reduce the heat if the browning occurs too quickly.) Remove to paper towels to drain and reserve the ghee or oil for another purpose.
2. Transfer to a blender or a food processor, add the yogurt and process to make a thick, smooth paste. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate up to 5 days or freeze up to 3 months.
Kerala Fried Onion Paste
Kerala ka Talae Pyaz ka Masala
Makes about 2 cups
Popular mostly in the coastal, southwestern state of Kerala, where coconut palm trees grow in abundance, this paste has an incredible smoky and rich bite, that is somewhat mellowed with the addition of coconut milk.
To use, sauté meats, poultry, seafood, or vegetables, along with your favorite herbs and spices, in the paste and then add more coconut milk, water, or broth to make curries of distinction. Drizzle some over grilled foods or simply stir some into steamed rice or vegetables for a flavor boost.
1 cup Coconut Milk (or store-bought)
1 ⁄ 2 cup peanut oil
5 to 8 dried red chile peppers, such as chile de arbol, broken
2 large onions, coarsely chopped
5 large cloves fresh garlic, peeled
6 to 8 quarter-size slices of peeled fresh ginger
15 to 20 fresh curry leaves
1. Heat the oil in a large nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat and fry the red chile peppers and the onion until golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, and curry leaves and fry until everything is well-browned, 3 to 5 minutes. (Reduce the heat if the browning occurs too quickly.)
2. Cool, drain, and reserve the oil for another purpose. Then transfer to a blender or a food processor, add the coconut milk and process to make a thick, smooth paste. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate up to 5 days or freeze up to 3 months.
Basic Curry Paste with Onion
Pyaz vaala Kari Masala
Makes about 1 ⁄ 2 cup
This is the basic wet masala curry paste upon which Indians build most of their vegetarian and non-vegetarian curries. Variations stem from adding other ingredients.
There are two parts to making this paste, each of which has two steps—but it's not complicated, really! First, grind together the ingredients in two groups. Then brown the paste, also in two steps. The masala is ready when traces of oil are visible on the sides and the top.
To use, heat the paste and pan-fry spices and whatever vegetables and meats you wish to use, then mix in
3 bay leaves
2 black cardamom pods, pounded lightly to break the skin
4 whole cloves
1 (1-inch) stick cinnamon, broken lengthwise into 2 pieces
1 ⁄ 2 cup water
1. Place all the ingredients in a medium nonstick saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until all the water evaporates and the onions are soft, about 15 minutes.
2. Discard the whole spices, then process the onions in a blender or a food processor until very smooth. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate up to 5 days or freeze up to 3 months.
Fried Onion Paste
Talae Pyaz ka Masala
Makes about 1 cup
This paste, used mostly for the richer northern, Mughlai-type dishes, gives everyday curries a distinctive rich quality that sets them apart from the usual fare. Even though the onion, ginger, and garlic are deep-fried, this paste is not as rich as the word "fried" implies. The fried ingredients are drained on paper towels and then ground to make a paste.
To use, add spices to the paste and then simmer with water, buttermilk, whisked yogurt, or light cream, for all types of meats, especially kofta (fried minced meat balls).
1 cup melted ghee or vegetable oil for deep-frying
6 to 8 quarter-size slices of peeled fresh ginger
4 large cloves fresh garlic, peeled
1 large onion, cut in half lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 ⁄ 2 cup nonfat plain yogurt
1. Heat the oil in a large nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat and fry the ginger and garlic until golden, about 2 minutes. Add the onion and fry until everything is well browned, about 5 minutes. (Reduce the heat if the browning occurs too quickly.) Remove to paper towels to drain and reserve the ghee or oil for another purpose.
2. Transfer to a blender or a food processor, add the yogurt and process to make a thick, smooth paste. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate up to 5 days or freeze up to 3 months.
Kerala Fried Onion Paste
Kerala ka Talae Pyaz ka Masala
Makes about 2 cups
Popular mostly in the coastal, southwestern state of Kerala, where coconut palm trees grow in abundance, this paste has an incredible smoky and rich bite, that is somewhat mellowed with the addition of coconut milk.
To use, sauté meats, poultry, seafood, or vegetables, along with your favorite herbs and spices, in the paste and then add more coconut milk, water, or broth to make curries of distinction. Drizzle some over grilled foods or simply stir some into steamed rice or vegetables for a flavor boost.
1 cup Coconut Milk (or store-bought)
1 ⁄ 2 cup peanut oil
5 to 8 dried red chile peppers, such as chile de arbol, broken
2 large onions, coarsely chopped
5 large cloves fresh garlic, peeled
6 to 8 quarter-size slices of peeled fresh ginger
15 to 20 fresh curry leaves
1. Heat the oil in a large nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat and fry the red chile peppers and the onion until golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, and curry leaves and fry until everything is well-browned, 3 to 5 minutes. (Reduce the heat if the browning occurs too quickly.)
2. Cool, drain, and reserve the oil for another purpose. Then transfer to a blender or a food processor, add the coconut milk and process to make a thick, smooth paste. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate up to 5 days or freeze up to 3 months.
Basic Curry Paste with Onion
Pyaz vaala Kari Masala
Makes about 1 ⁄ 2 cup
This is the basic wet masala curry paste upon which Indians build most of their vegetarian and non-vegetarian curries. Variations stem from adding other ingredients.
There are two parts to making this paste, each of which has two steps—but it's not complicated, really! First, grind together the ingredients in two groups. Then brown the paste, also in two steps. The masala is ready when traces of oil are visible on the sides and the top.
To use, heat the paste and pan-fry spices and whatever vegetables and meats you wish to use, then mix in
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