Curry Cubes recipe
Due to popular demand (ok, just 1 hehe), here’s the recipe for curry cubes:
- 4 cans of tomatoes (diced will work best if you don’t have a blender or food processor. If you can find “no salt” tomatoes that would be better)
- 2 medium onions
- 8-10 cloves of peeled garlic
- 1 1/2″ fresh ginger ( peeled)
- 2-3 green chillies chopped finely
- salt, turmeric, garam masala, oil and black mustard seeds
Drain tomatoes (saving some liquid). Chop onions as fine as you can, same with garlic and ginger. Drain out juice out of onions by squeezing by taking handfuls.
Take a big pot with heavy bottom. Pour about 5-6 tbsp. of oil and heat on low heat. Put @ 1 tbsp. of mustard seeds. When they start popping, you know the heat is right and put in onions and saute. Add @ 1tsp. of salt. After @ 2 minutes, add ginger, chillies and tomatoes. Increase heat to med high and stir often. If you are using no salt tomatoes then add 1tsp. of salt again. Cook until onions and tomatoes are mushy and excess water has evaporated. This will take about 20 to 25 min.
At last add garlic, 1/2 tsp. turmeric, 2-3 tsp. garam masala and cook for 2 more minutes. Taste and adjust accordingly. If it becomes too dry, add couple of tbsp. of saved tomatoes juice. Turn off heat and remove pot to cool area and cool the mixture.
When completely cooled, put it in ice cube tray and freeze. Then next day, take them out and put them in freezer zip lock bags.
Good luck making,
love mom
I tried using them for chana masala last night and it worked as advertised, though I had to use 4 cubes and a bit extra seasoning. Maybe I’m overdoing it, or my little cubes were too small. IKEA doesn’t have ice cube trays, go figure. I’ve got garam masala in case anyone needs extra. :)
Enjoy and happy cooking.
mom Said,
October 9, 2008 @ 5:33 pm
I am so glad that finally you got around making the curry cubes. To make them more spicy, you can add @ 2 tsp. of red chilli powder ( murchu) . Also those who have access to food processor or blender, can use it to grind up in paste for smooth texture. When you add to any recipe you still have to add extra spices and seasoning the recipe requires.
mary Said,
October 9, 2008 @ 5:34 pm
Thanks, Saket. So you just add a few cubes to whatever veggies you’re going to eat to season them? Do you simmer them for a while with the curry cubes, or cook everything else first, or what? (Clearly, some Indian cooking lessons are in order! I have some new veggie recipes to try too, so we can trade. :-D )
mary Said,
October 9, 2008 @ 5:36 pm
PS What size can of tomatoes? Do you mean 4 of those big 28 oz cans, because that is a LOT of curry cubes!
Saket Said,
October 9, 2008 @ 6:34 pm
Yep. It sort of depends on the veggies you have, but I would put a little bit of oil and saute them and then throw in a few cubes, then add whatever other spices I feel might be needed. If you need something to cook for a longer period of time, I just add some water and then cook until the water boils off. But keep an eye on it. Too often I’ll add water, go back to my desk, then suddenly go “OH NO” and run back to the kitchen to find half the food burned to the bottom of the pot. :)
For the can of tomatoes, I just use the normal can size – the 15 oz one? Next time I make this I’ll probably double all the quantities so I have to do this less often.
Saket Said,
October 9, 2008 @ 6:36 pm
I’ve found that to make some elementary dishes, it’s pretty straightforward (even Mom agrees!). Take some oil, vegetables, heat/saute, add spices, and cook until you’re ready.
Some vegetable combinations are popular, like potato + peas, cauliflower + peas. Some of them you add water to help cook then let the water simmer off, but you would never do that with making cauliflower + peas. I usually keep a bag of frozen peas handy for this purpose.