Here is the base gravy recipe I was recently shown by the chef on my recent takeaway lesson.I have been assured that it EXACTLY how the base gravy is prepared for a night's service,just on a smaller scale.As you can see it is quite similar to other recipes,there are no 'magic' pastes or ingredients.I cooked it in the takeaway kitchen so it should be able to be done in a domestic kitchen.Once it was cooked,I tasted it and compared it to the chef's gravy he had on the go.....It was virtually identical.Indeed although it's similar to other gravies it had a special something that I've not been able to manage before.The chef impressed the point that the onions MUST be cooked until they've virtually melted...that's the key to it's success.

3 kilo white onions(any sort,they chop them so it cooks quicker and it doesn't affect the taste)
1 green pepper/1 red pepper
small bunch corriander stalks
1 small carrot
2 chefs spoon plain veg oil
2 chefs spoon blended plum tomatoes
1 chef spoon ginger garlic
1/2 chef spoon salt
1/2 chef spoon turmeric
1/4 block coconut block

cover with water,put a lid on and then boil on a high heat for two hours until the onions are melting.


Then add 1/4 chef spoon turmeric,tiny amount of chilli powder,1/4 chef spoon cumin powder,1/4 chef spoon corriander powder,1 chef spoon  blended tomatoes.Re-cover and then turn the flame down(so the bottom doesn't catch )and cook for another half an hour,then blend until smooth.

The chef then explained that in the takeaway they leave the gravy like this(it's quite thick) and then add water to thin when they need it.It should be very thin,like watery soup.However when it hits the hot pan it will thicken.Finally take another pan,add a chef's spoon of oil and add a very finely chopped garlic clove and brown it.Tip this into the gravy(rinse the garlic pan out with a spoon of gravy).This seemed to give the gravy a fantastic smokey like flavour.Simmer the sauce for about half an hour and the oil should begin to rise.

So,nothing unusual and certainly no magic paste nonsense.Next time I go to visit the takeaway I will try and go when the chef is making a full size base gravy.Like I said though the gravy I made was a near perfect match to what he was using.