Curry bases & pastes· V · GF

Tikka Masala Base

Name: Tikka Masala Base
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 4 (600g) onions, chopped; 2 × 400g tins chopped tomatoes; 60g tomato purée; 8 cloves (40g) garlic; 40g fresh ginger; 16g garam masala, cumin, coriander, turmeric; 8g Kashmiri chilli powder; 3g smoked paprika; 6g (2 tbsp) dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi); 20g honey; 6g salt; 40g butter; 20ml rapeseed oil; 200ml water

A curry-house masala of slow-cooked onion, tomato, Kashmiri chilli and garam masala, finished with the dried fenugreek leaves that make it taste like tikka masala.

makes 50 cubes, about 8p each

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BatchJoy

batchjoy.com/sauces/tikka-masala-base/

Illustration of a bowl of Tikka Masala Base

Time: 1 hr15 min prep · 45 min cook
Makes: 50 cubes
Cost per cubePer cube: 8p
Calories per cubeCalories: 24 kcal
A serving: 4 cubes
Spice: 2 of 5

You’ll need

Batch size

cubes

4 (600g)onions, chopped
2 × 400g tinschopped tomatoes
60gtomato purée
8 cloves (40g)garlic
40gfresh ginger
16ggaram masala, cumin, coriander, turmeric
8gKashmiri chilli powder
3gsmoked paprika
6g (2 tbsp)dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)
20ghoney
6gsalt
40gbutter
20mlrapeseed oil
200mlwater

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

Use it for

Chicken tikka masala for one: 120g chicken, 4 cubes, 2 tbsp cream · 4 cubes; Paneer tikka masala · 4 cubes; Chickpea and spinach curry · 4 cubes

Method

Step 1: Melt the butter with the oil in a large pan over a medium heat and cook the onions slowly for 20 minutes until deep golden.
Step 2: Add the garlic and ginger for 2 minutes, then the ground spices, Kashmiri chilli, smoked paprika and purée for 2 minutes, stirring so they don't catch.
Step 3: Add the tomatoes, honey, salt and water and simmer for 20 minutes.
Step 4: Blend completely smooth, then crush the fenugreek leaves between your palms into the sauce and simmer for 2 minutes.
Step 5: Cool, pour into 30ml trays and freeze.

Nutrition (estimated)
	kcal	protein	carbs	fat	fibre	salt
Per cube	24	0.5g	2.9g	1.1g	0.6g	0.14g
Per 4 cubes	96	2g	11.6g	4.4g	2.4g	0.56g

Cook’s notes

Straight from frozen into a pan with the browned meat and a splash of water.
The slow-cooked onions are the backbone; don't rush them.
Stir 1 to 2 tbsp cream through each portion at the end, not before freezing.

Use it for

Chicken tikka masala for one: 120g chicken, 4 cubes, 2 tbsp cream · 4 cubes
Paneer tikka masala · 4 cubes
Chickpea and spinach curry · 4 cubes

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: Straight from frozen into a pan with the browned meat and a splash of water. Never refreeze thawed cubes.
A portion: 4 cubes is a serving: about 96 kcal.

Tikka Masala Base questions

What if I can't find dried fenugreek leaves?

They're sold as kasuri methi in Indian grocers and the world-food aisle. They're what makes it taste like a curry-house tikka masala, but without them it's still a good curry.

Can I use ordinary chilli powder instead of Kashmiri?

Kashmiri chilli is mostly there for its colour and gentle heat. Use sweet paprika with a small pinch of hot chilli powder instead.

Can I make it dairy-free?

Use rapeseed oil instead of the butter, then finish each portion with coconut cream instead of dairy cream when you serve it. Swap the honey for sugar too if you want it vegan.