Vegetable curry tomato base

Can be made in advance and frozen.

<Ingredients>

(6 servings)

2 tbsp oil (not in photo)
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1 medium onion
1 garlic clove
1 knob ginger
2 tsp turmeric
1 tbsp ground coriander
1 tsp cayenne pepper
200 g crushed/pureed tomato
1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

(1/3-1/2 tsp garam masala per 2 servings to finish vegetable curry, lower left in photo; not needed for curry base)


<Directions>
1.

Finely chop onion.
Grate ginger and garlic.








2.

In pot, put oil and cumin seeds, and heat on medium heat.








3.

When fragrant, add onion, and saute for 10 minutes.








4.

Add ginger and garlic, and saute until fragrant.









5.

Add powdered spices.

First add turmeric. Saute 1 minute.

Next add ground coriander. Saute 1 minute.

Then add cayenne pepper. Saute 1 minute.










6.

Add tomato, and stir.

Add salt and pepper, and stir.

Cook for up to 10 minutes, or until oil starts to appear on the surface, while occasionally stirring.

Ready to move to the next step (adding water and vegetables) or to freeze for later use.

To cook vegetable curry

Cut handful vegetables of your choice into 2-5cm pieces. Add equal or less amount of water to the tomato base, boil, add vegetables starting with the firmest one, cover and simmer. When vegetables are almost done, add 1/3-1/2 tsp garam masala per 2 servings (1/3 of the tomato base in the above recipe) and cook for several minutes. Add ghee if you wish.


To freeze tomato base

Line metal baking sheet with parchment paper. When tomato base cools down, place in single meal size onto the parchment paper. Put in the freezer.

When frozen, place tomato base patties in a Ziploc bag, and put back in the freezer.