Life-Changing 30 Minute Masala Sauce
Total Time
30 minutes
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Rating
4.8 out of 5 stars
(75)
Ingredients
4 1/2 cups masala sauce
- 2 onions (1 yellow, 1 purple)
- 5 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, crushed
- 3 tablespoon garam masala
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon turmeric
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 cup almonds
- A small pile of cilantro stems
- Juice of one lemon
- 1 1/2 cups tomato puree + 1/2 cup water or broth
- 1 14-ounce can coconut milk
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
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Preparation
Step 1
Masala Paste: Pulse all the ingredients for the Masala Paste in a food processor until smooth.
Step 2
Masala Sauce: Heat a drizzle of oil in a skillet. Add 1/4 cup masala paste to the skillet with a little bit of oil and stir until fragrant (3-5 minutes). If using chicken or another protein, add it to the pan at this time. Add tomato puree and water, simmer until it turns a rusty-deep-red color (5-10 minutes). Add coconut milk, simmer for 10 minutes until thick and creamy. Longer simmering enhances thickness and flavor.
Step 3
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Chef's notes
Store the paste in a jar in the fridge for about a week or in the freezer for long-term storage.
The sauce is versatile for making chicken tikka masala or pairing with various other ingredients.
For a smoother sauce, omit almonds from the paste; for chunkier, keep them in.
Great over rice or with butternut squash and meatless meatballs.
