How to make onion tomato masala for Indian gravies?

4.47 from 15 votes

How to make onion tomato masala for Indian gravies?

This six-ingredient simple and no-fuss Onion tomato masala (Indian Curry paste) made with pantry staples is a perfect base to many Indian curries. Add some protein and veggies to the sauce and spruce up your boring dinner to restaurant-style dining. Naturally vegan, gluten-free and freezer-friendly too!

Prep: 15

Cook: 45

Total: 1

Course: How To's

Cuisine: Indian

Servings: CUPS

Calories: 605kcal

Author: Ruchi

Ingredients

MAKES 2 -8 oz JAR MASALA

6 big Onions peeled and rinsed
10 cloves Garlic peeled and rinsed
2 inch Ginger root peeled and rinsed
9-10 small Tomatoes peeled and rinsed
2 teaspoons Cumin Seeds
1/2 cup Oil

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Roughly chop the onions. Peel garlic pods and ginger. Transfer these ingredients to a food processor/blender. Pulse or blend until pureed.
Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds. When it starts to crackle
Add onion, ginger, and garlic paste to the pan.
Cook at a medium flame until the color changes from light purple to light brown. Do stir 3-4 minutes so that the paste doesn’t burn or stick to the bottom of the pan. While the onion paste is cooking, wash and roughly chop tomatoes. Add it to a blender and blend until smooth and pureed. After 20-25 minutes of cooking, onions will change its color from light purple to pale brown.
Stir in the pureed tomatoes and mix to combine.
Cook for another 15-20 minutes until all the moisture has evaporated and oil starts to separate from the masala. Keep stirring in between (probably every 5 minutes or so).
When you see a super-thin layer of oil bubbles popping at the edge of the masala, this means it is thoroughly cooked. At this point, the color of the masala will become deep red.
Switch off the gas and allow it to cool. Store in an airtight container in your refrigerator. It freezes beautifully.
If a recipe calls for onion, garlic, ginger, and tomatoes then use 1/4 -1/2 cup of cooked magic masala and voila... you are all set, follow rest of your recipe and your meal will be on the table in no time.

Notes

Can I use canned tomatoes?

You sure can. This curry paste is very adaptable and can be prepared with canned whole tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, canned diced tomatoes, and of course fresh tomatoes. Whatever you decide to use, it’s all going to end up more or less the same with the same texture. So feel free to use what you have got on hand: Fresh or canned. It's no biggie!

If I were to use a canned tomato, I would prefer a can of crushed tomatoes because it adds a beautiful color and is less watery as compared to fresh tomatoes.

Can I season this curry paste?

To add spices or not, it all depends on one's preferences. I personally do not like to season my curry masala. Reason: I add spices as per my recipe demands. But feel free to experiment. Salt is usually added to chunky masala as it helps to release the water from the chopped onions and the onions will cook faster.

Can I double this recipe?

Of course, you can. Double up on the ingredients and make a big batch of this masala/sauce. If you double up the recipe, the cooking time will increase by a few minutes. Allow it to cool and store in the refrigerator.

Can I freeze this masala?

Yes, it freezes beautifully. You can make an extra batch and save it for later (perfect for crazy weeknights). In the freezer, it stays well for six weeks. To freeze, I measure a ½ cup of masala and store in silicone cups. Once frozen, I pop the cubes out and transfer the frozen cubes to a Ziploc Freezer Bag and store until use. You can either use an ice cube tray or silicone molds to freeze portion-sized masala.

When ready to cook, thaw the masala cube and toss it along with your ingredients, and dinner will be prepared and onto the table in less than 30 minutes (depends on the ingredient).

Are you hosting a dinner party?

Whether you are hosting a party for 10 or 100, this masala comes in real handy. Prepare a few days in advance and store. Depending on my recipe, I multiply this curry paste and combine with my veggies or meat recipes to create a thick gravy.

Nutrition