Masala sauce recipe
 This delicious masala sauce will give your curries real depth of flavour. The secret to the rich taste is cooking the onions slowly until they are very dark. Add pan-fried chicken, meat, prawns or vegetables for a delicious quick curry. 30g/1oz root ginger, peeled30g/1oz garlic cloves, peeled 30g/1oz root ginger, peeled 30g/1oz garlic cloves, peeled 2 tbsp vegetable oil2 black cardamom 10 black peppercorns 3 cloves4 green cardamom2 tsp cumin seeds2 cinnamon sticks1 bay leaf500g/1lb 2oz onions, chopped1 tbsp ginger garlic paste (from above)1 tsp ground turmeric½ tsp red chilli powder1 tbsp ground coriander1 tsp garam masala salt, to taste2 tbsp tomato purée 2 tbsp vegetable oil 2 black cardamom 10 black peppercorns 3 cloves 4 green cardamom 2 tsp cumin seeds 2 cinnamon sticks 1 bay leaf 500g/1lb 2oz onions, chopped 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste (from above) 1 tsp ground turmeric ½ tsp red chilli powder 1 tbsp ground coriander 1 tsp garam masala salt, to taste 2 tbsp tomato purée Method First prepare the ginger garlic paste. Blend the ginger and garlic with a teaspoon of water in a blender. Store any you don’t use for this recipe in the fridge.To make the masala sauce, heat the oil in a large frying pan. Add the whole spices (black cardamom, peppercorns, cloves, green cardamom, cumin seeds, cinnamon and bay leaf) and fry until they start to crackle, then add the onions. Cook the onions gently and slowly until caramelised and very dark brown.Add a tablespoon of the ginger garlic paste and fry gently for 3-4 minutes. Taste to make sure the ginger and garlic are well cooked otherwise their flavour will be too strong.Add all the powdered spices and mix well. Add 100-150ml/3½-5fl oz water if the sauce is too thick. Finally add the tomato purée and cook until the oil comes to the surface of the sauce. First prepare the ginger garlic paste. Blend the ginger and garlic with a teaspoon of water in a blender. Store any you don’t use for this recipe in the fridge. First prepare the ginger garlic paste. Blend the ginger and garlic with a teaspoon of water in a blender. Store any you don’t use for this recipe in the fridge. To make the masala sauce, heat the oil in a large frying pan. Add the whole spices (black cardamom, peppercorns, cloves, green cardamom, cumin seeds, cinnamon and bay leaf) and fry until they start to crackle, then add the onions. To make the masala sauce, heat the oil in a large frying pan. Add the whole spices (black cardamom, peppercorns, cloves, green cardamom, cumin seeds, cinnamon and bay leaf) and fry until they start to crackle, then add the onions. Cook the onions gently and slowly until caramelised and very dark brown. Cook the onions gently and slowly until caramelised and very dark brown. Add a tablespoon of the ginger garlic paste and fry gently for 3-4 minutes. Taste to make sure the ginger and garlic are well cooked otherwise their flavour will be too strong. Add a tablespoon of the ginger garlic paste and fry gently for 3-4 minutes. Taste to make sure the ginger and garlic are well cooked otherwise their flavour will be too strong. Add all the powdered spices and mix well. Add all the powdered spices and mix well. Add 100-150ml/3½-5fl oz water if the sauce is too thick. Add 100-150ml/3½-5fl oz water if the sauce is too thick. Finally add the tomato purée and cook until the oil comes to the surface of the sauce. Finally add the tomato purée and cook until the oil comes to the surface of the sauce. Recipe tips Store the sauce in the fridge up to two weeks, or it can be frozen for up to three months.