Ingredients:
6 Medium Onions. Topped tailed, skin removed, left WHOLE.
1 cup chopped carrots.
6 Garlic cloves WHOLE
2 inch piece Ginger Root. Chopped.
1 Green Pepper. De-seeded
1 25 ounce can of crushed tomatoes. *
1/2 green cabbage chopped.
1 cuc Chopped cilantro, including stems.
Water to cover.
1 Cup oil.
Spices.
2 dsp turmeric
1 dsp chili powder (Optional)
1 dsp ground coriander
1 dsp cumin
1 dsp garam masala
2 TBS ground fenugreek seed.
MIX THESE UP and put in air tight container.
Additional:
2 DSP Tomato Powder
Method:
1. Cut the tops and bottoms from onions and peel away skin, add to pot.
Add: Carrots. Garlic cloves, Ginger, Green Pepper, Cabbage, Cillantro, oil.
Cover with enough water so that onions float and have room to move.
2. Bring to a boil.
3. Turn right down and simmer on lowest heat. this may take a few hours, so allow time.
(Smells truly wonderful anyway).
4. When onions have broken down and are mushy, break them apart with a spoon.
5. Add tomatoes and simmer for another hour, to ensure tomatoes are not bitter.
6. Add spices and Tomato Powder.
7. Simmer for about half an hour then blend the mixture.
At this point I added 5 Black cardamoms, 1 Star Anise, 1 stick of cinnamon. I simmered this further to allow flavors to develop.
You could decide to leave these in if you want a more tangy base? I took everything out bar one Black cardamom.
Base sauce is my best ever and without a doubt my favourite that I've tried to date. The difference is the onions, prep time and method, Tomato powder and Feungreek seeds, also a long cooking time.
NOTES:
If its too thick? You can add water when adding the spice seeds.
I used green cabbage. Any will do but make sure its a neutral tasting cabbage, nothing spicy or bitter.