Curry bases & pastes· VG · GF · DF

Madras Paste

A hot, deep red curry paste of roasted spices, chilli, garlic, ginger and tamarind.

makes 10 cubes, about 34p each

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BatchJoy

batchjoy.com/sauces/madras-paste/

Time: 20 min12 min prep · 8 min cook
Makes: 10 cubes
Cost per cubePer cube: 34p
Calories per cubeCalories: 94 kcal
A serving: 2 cubes
Spice: 4 of 5

You’ll need

Batch size

cubes

30gcoriander seeds
15gcumin seeds
6gblack mustard seeds
15ghot chilli powder
10gturmeric
10 cloves (50g)garlic
60gfresh ginger
4 (25g)red chillies
40gtomato purée
30gtamarind paste
60mlrapeseed oil
6gsalt

Allergens: Mustard. Check the labels on stock cubes, sauces and pastes, as brands vary.

Use it for

Chicken Madras for one: 150g chicken, 2 cubes, half a tin of tomatoes · 2 cubes; Beef or lamb curry · 3 cubes; Spiced roast potatoes · 1 cube

Method

Step 1: Toast the whole seeds in a dry pan over a medium heat for 2 minutes until fragrant, then grind.
Step 2: Blitz with the chilli powder, turmeric, garlic, ginger, chillies, purée, tamarind, salt and half the oil to a smooth paste.
Step 3: Fry the paste in the rest of the oil over a low heat for 8 minutes, stirring, until it darkens and the oil separates.
Step 4: Cool completely.
Step 5: Spoon into 30ml trays and freeze.

Nutrition (estimated)
	kcal	protein	carbs	fat	fibre	salt
Per cube	94	1.7g	8.3g	6.3g	2.5g	1.02g
Per 2 cubes	188	3.4g	16.6g	12.6g	5g	2.04g

Cook’s notes

Fry straight from frozen in a little oil before adding meat and liquid.
Frying the paste before freezing cooks out the raw garlic and makes it last longer.
Use half a cube for a medium curry.

Use it for

Chicken Madras for one: 150g chicken, 2 cubes, half a tin of tomatoes · 2 cubes
Beef or lamb curry · 3 cubes
Spiced roast potatoes · 1 cube

Freeze, reheat and serve

Freeze: Cool it within two hours, freeze it in 30ml ice-cube trays, then bag and label the cubes. It keeps for 6 months.
Use from frozen: Fry straight from frozen in a little oil before adding meat and liquid. Never refreeze thawed cubes.
A portion: 2 cubes is a serving: about 188 kcal.

Madras Paste questions

Can I use ground spices instead of whole seeds?

Use the same weight of ground coriander, cumin and mustard, warmed in the dry pan for 30 seconds. The flavour won't be quite as vivid as freshly ground seeds.

What can I use instead of tamarind?

Lime juice gives a similar sourness, though not tamarind's fruity depth. Add it a little at a time and taste.

How do I make a vegetable Madras with it?

Fry 2 cubes in a little oil, add a tin of tomatoes, a tin of chickpeas and some diced potato, and simmer until the potato is tender. Stir in a handful of spinach at the end.