hello everybody im trying to find a basic curry sauce which i can use to make a decent curry by just adding chicken or mince veg etc nothing to complicated but full of flavour please

chinese or Indian

There's a book called The Curry Secret http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0716021919/?tag=googhydr-21&hvadid=5128997645&ref=pd_sl_pry5a4l21_b
It's reveals the basic curry sauce recipe that Indian restaurants use. Very tasty, takes a while to make (although not complicated)

Best to make up a big batch and freeze it!

Basic curry sauce [based on the curry secret as mentioned above]

Boil a large onion in quarters, drain but retain the water it was boiled in.
In a pan heat up some oil, gently fry off
4 tbsp of paprika
2-4 tbsp of turmeric
2 tsp salt
black pepper
8 cloves of garlic, minced and a tablespoon of grated ginger
fry off for about 30 seconds or so taking care not to burn the garlic
add a tin of chopped tomatoes, a couple of tablespoons of tomato puree and the onion.
wizz up using a hand blender [ or if you have a liquidiser wizz up the tomato and onion before adding to the pan]

cook for about 20 minutes using the reserved water from cooking the onion to adjust the thickness.

this freezes well and you add it to your curry in addition to whatever spices that curry calls for.

I would also go with the method suggested by mort. I make lots of currys this way and have had excellent results. I haven't tried that base sauce though,

What currys have you made with it mort??

All sorts but I've found it's particularly good for veggie curries, the basic flavour isn't too heavy and it adds a smoothness to the finished curry. I used to find that veg curries could often have a rather 'gritty' texture but not with this. I was watching the hairy bikers mum's know best programme the other week and one of the mums did a very similar thing but with slightly different spicing and she used it as a stock sauce for everything.

I've used a very similar base (with added Cumin, Corriander) to make Korma. I have found this to be almost identical to takeaway:

in a stainless pan (not non stick)fry some dessicated coconut in oil so it slightly browns.

put in 1 ladle of base sauce and reduce down to almost dry. The sauce will be frying in the oil. Scrape the dried sauce from round the edge of the pan back into the sauce, don't burn it.

put in a couple more ladles of sauce and some pre cooked meat (boil chicken with turmeric, cloves, bay leaf, cardomoms for 10 minutes) or any veg you fancy. add a few green cardomom pods here (remove them when done)

add 1/2 small tin Carnation (important, this is what makes it taste right) if you want it sweeter add some sugar.

add chilli if you want it a little more spicy.

Reduce it down intil its a bit thicker than you need it and then add some cream to the desired consistency.

There's a book called The Curry Secret http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0716021919/?tag=googhydr-21&hvadid=5128997645&ref=pd_sl_pry5a4l21_b
It's reveals the basic curry sauce recipe that Indian restaurants use. Very tasty, takes a while to make (although not complicated)

Best to make up a big batch and freeze it!

Yep, I've used this one and it does turn out really well, although you have to be in a cooking mood for it - its not something you can throw together when you get in from work and want dinner in less than an hour. When I've made it I've done the batch-freezing thing. Its definitely worth giving it a go

hello everybody im trying to find a basic curry sauce which i can use to make a decent curry by just adding chicken or mince veg etc nothing to complicated but full of flavour please

http://www.pataks.co.uk/coupon.aspx?gclid=CJfE09Hz6Z8CFSGElAod8WkQYQ

Pataks curry pasts - the PASTE - not the sauce.

Dead easy. Fry a bit of it off in a wok. Add meat and/or veg. Add fresh/tinned toms and voila easy peasy, nice curry.

I agree with the above method

If you are looking for a curry sauce to use from a jar I can recommend one called Naziars it comes in all different strengths and all you have to do is cook the meat and onions add the paste and water (instructions are on the jar). I used to get it in jars from local Indian stores but have had difficulty finding it lately. Hope this helps if you find a store that stocks it let me know cheers

Personally I don't think you can have a basic curry paste, even if you could it would be typical to a particular Indian state e.g Madrass, Kashmir etc. That's the wonder of Indian cooking - it's all different.

I know in the canteen at work most of the food tastes similar whether it's curry, chilli or ratatouille