Smooth Balti Sauce

Welcome back to Stevie's Curry Magic, where we explore the vibrant realm of flavours with our classic tomato balti sauce! This fantastic recipe is perfect for anyone eager to enhance their cooking skills, serving as the essential base for many cherished curry dishes. Bursting with fresh ingredients and aromatic spices, our smooth balti sauce is both easy to make and incredibly adaptable, catering to both vegetarians and meat lovers. It's one of the most versatile sauces featured in our Indian balti recipes on this blog. Plus, it can be conveniently stored in small batches in the freezer and defrosted as needed—I've even tossed it into recipes while it’s still almost frozen! Join us as we walk you through step-by-step instructions and tips to create your own culinary masterpiece, taking your home-cooked meals to exciting new heights!

Recipe Difficulty level - Beginner-Friendly

Special equipment - blender

Cooking time around an hour

"Basic Curry Gravy" — Smooth Balti Sauce

Nearly every Balti house has its own unique take on 'Balti Sauce,' and numerous recipes exist to capture its essence. Typically prepared in the morning to meet the lunchtime or evening rush, this sauce serves as the backbone of most sauce-based balti curries, with many establishments guarding their recipes closely. The gravy consists of intricately layered flavours that are built up over time, but for the sake of simplicity, I’m going to break it down a bit here to make it easier for you to recreate at home..

Balti Sauce recipe

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons of coconut oil or ghee
6 Medium onions chopped
2 cloves of garlic crushed
1 inch piece of ginger grated
2 teaspoons of ground coriander
1 teaspoons of ground cumin
½ teaspoon of turmeric
½ teaspoon of chilli powder
1 teaspoon of garam masala
2 bay leaves
6 cardamon pods
2 tins of chopped tomatoes or 6 whole fresh tomatoes peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon of tomato puree
½ teaspoon of Celtic or Himalayan salt
1 teaspoon of dried fenugreek leaves
½ pint of water or fragrant stock if you have any

How to make Smooth Balti Sauce

Click here for Kitchen Timer

Step 1:

In a large pan over a medium heat, sauté the onions, crushed garlic, and grated ginger in the oil until they become soft and the pungent smell of raw onions is gone; this should take about 5 minutes.

Step 2:

Add the ground spices and bay leaf, along with the cardamom, and sauté for 2 minutes. Include a splash of water to prevent the spices from burning. Keep cooking until the spices deepen in color and release their aromatic essential oils.

Step 3:

Add the chopped tinned tomatoes (or fresh tomatoes if using) along with the salt and water, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 40 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent the mixture from sticking to the bottom of the pan or burning.

Step 4:

Once the mixture has cooled, remove the bay leaf and cardamom pods, then blend the mixture until smooth using either a hand blender or a jug blender.

Conclusion

In conclusion, this flavourful dish showcases how simple ingredients can come together to create a delicious, comforting meal. The slow simmering allows the flavours to meld beautifully, while the blending process provides a smooth, creamy texture that elevates the overall experience. Perfect as a standalone dish or as a base for various additions, this recipe is not only easy to prepare but also a versatile option for any dining occasion. Enjoy your culinary creation, and don't hesitate to experiment with spices or ingredients to make it your own!