Pictures by Mamta
This is the type of curry sauce sold in Chinese take-aways. People often buy it with potato chips or French fries. It can also be eaten with rice. The recipe comes from a friend who used to own and run several Chinese take-aways and is an excellent cook-Mamta
Ingredients
| • | 2 tbs. oil |
| • | 3 cloves garlic, chopped |
| • | 1 inch piece ginger, peeled and chopped/pureed or thinly sliced |
| • | 2 tbs. plain flour |
| • | 2 tsp. HOT curry powder (Madras or similar from Chinese grocers) |
| • | 1/2 tsp. salt, adjust to taste |
| • | 1/2 -1 tsp. chilli powder (depends upon your taste) |
| • | 1 tsp. sweet paprika powder |
| • | 2- 2.5 cups water |
| • | Mamta's suggestions (optional); |
| • | 1/2 onion, thinly sliced |
| • | 1 1/2 to 2 tbs. tomato puree |
Instructions
| 1. | Mix curry powder and flour in a bowl and keep aside, dry. |
| 2. | Heat oil in a wok. |
| 3. | Add ginger and garlic, and onions if used. Stir fry, until lightly browned and their aroma rises. |
| 4. | Add flour and curry powder mix and allow it to bubble for 20-30 seconds. If you leave it too long, the flour will burn resulting in a bitter sauce. |
| 5. | Add salt, paprika and chilli powder to the bubbling mix and stir for a few seconds. |
| 6. | Add enough water, a little at a time, stirring all the while, just enough to get sauce consistency. |
| 7. | Add tomato puree, adjust seasoning and bring to boil. hen simmer briskly for a few minutes. Turn the heat off. This is the basic curry sauce like the â 'take-away' shop. People generally buy it with chips/French fries, as a dipping sauce. |
| 8. | You can also use it to make take-away style curries. When you are ready to cook a curry, like chicken, prawns, pork or boiled potatoes etc., heat 1 tbs. oil in a wok, stir-fry the chicken/prawns/meat/potatoes and add the curry paste. Continue to stir-fry for a few minutes. Add a little water, if you want more gravy. |
| 9. | Serve hot, with rice or noodles. |
Notes
| • | You can add any of the following; fried onion slices, cooked carrot slices, pineapple chunks, peas, beans etc. |
| • | One of our readers 'Topconker' recommends using 1 teaspoon Bolst's hot curry powder, instead if Madras Curry powder. |