Easy Indian Basic Curry Paste

Step 1

In a food processor, take onions, garlic, ginger and green chilies.

Step 2

Heat a frying pan, add oil and allow it to warm.

Step 3

Add onion, ginger garlic and green chili mixture and cook it for few minutes.

Step 4

Once the onion starts to lose water, add salt. It allows the onion to cook faster by losing more water.

Step 5

Brown the mixture well on low flame, and cook until the mixture starts to ooze oil and the mixture starts to leave the pan.

Step 6

At this point, the mixture becomes semi-dry and leaves the pan easily.

Step 7

This is the time to add spices. Add all the spices and give a good stir, so the spices incorporate well in the mixture.

Step 8

Now you have two choices. You can turn the heat off and keep this mixture as your base curry mixture or add tomatoes and cook it further.

Step 9

Because some curry recipes don't include tomatoes, I prefer keeping half curry paste without tomatoes and half with it.

Step 10

After keeping half of this mixture, I add chopped or puréed tomatoes, and allow it to cook until the mixture dries up and has a pasty consistency.

Step 11

Once it reaches a thick and pasty consistency, the curry paste is ready.

Step 12

Allow it to cool down completely and store it in refrigerator for a week or two.

Step 13

Set the instant pot to the saute mode. Let it heat till the "Hot" sign appears on the IP display. Add oil and let it heat.

Step 14

There is a little difference in this Instant pot method than the traditional curry paste making method mentioned above. Instead of adding onions first, we will add everything all at once.

Step 15

Add onion, ginger and garlic mixure, followed by tomato puree, all spices and salt. Give a good mix and saute for about 2 minutes. (Till the mixture loses some moisture)

Step 16

Now change the cooking method to pressure cook and set the time for 3 minutes.

Step 17

Close the lid and seal the vent.

Step 18

Once the cooking time is up, wait for the NPR.

Step 19

After the natural pressure release, stir the mixture well.

Step 20

Now press the saute button again and cook the mixture further till the mixture looks thick and paste-like consistency.

Step 21

The curry paste is ready. Store it in an air-tight glass jar for two weeks or freeze it for a month.