I would guess my hand blender taker 1-2 minutes to do a ten onion batch.

I've used liquidizers for this sort of thing before (soups etc) and I've sice found the hand blender quicker, easier and cleaner.

Does anybody know if tandors have drip trays to catch the cooking juices. If so, these juices would give a smoky flavor to any gravy base to which they were added.

I just use a hand blender. Nice and easy. Hardly any washing up. Blends perfectly. Don't have to cool the mixture prehand.

I understand hand blenders come with different power ratings. Most chefs advise getting the most powerful one you can afford.

I've had mine about five years. No problems so far (cost about?15)

Up until now I think I've been masking the taste. At first I was skeptical of Pete's chicken stock revelation, but I'm convinced that this is an important component too.

I made a batch of gravy and some curries at the weekend and they were very very close (even straight away after cooking). The secret? I cut down drastically on the spices. My batch of gravy (about 3-4 litres) had no more than a level tablespoon of curry powder in it. The base was made with onions, carrots, potatoes, green pepper, a good squeeze of tom puree, two chicken stock cubes and a bulb of garlic finely chopped and fried in about 700 ml of oil. And quite a lot of salt.

I pre-cooked the diced chicken in a tiny bit of water and a ladle of the gravy (lid on). When cooked I added the resultant liquid to my main batch of base

When cooking the final dishes I added no more than a quarter of a teaspoon of curry powder per portion. I also used chopped fresh garlic rather than puree, as its taste is more powerful.

I began dish with a little fresh oil and fried the garlic until golden, then in with a ladle of gravy and flame, etc

I made a madras, a patia and a few veg dishes ? I think the madras especially was spot-on.

Pete,
Apparently, if garlic cloves are soaked in lemon juice or vinegar for a couple of hours prior to pureeing (to remove the risk of botulism bacteria) the resultant puree often goes bluish green. It seems that sulphur compounds in the garlic react with the acidity. I would guess they're reacting with a slightly acidic water supply.

Chickpeas are good (and cheap) - just replace the meat with a drained can?

I forgot, if you can get baby aubergines use these - they hold their shape better (just slice them lengthwise). You'll need half a dozen or so.

I don't use exact quantities but I do it something like this:

Finely slice and onion and fry in oil until brown. Reserve.
Slice aubergine in to pieces (I like it in thick matchsticks, about the width of a pencil).
Fry in lots of oil (several tablespoons) over a medium heat until soft. It will soak up loads of oil, then give some back. Removed the Aubergine with a slotted spoon and reserve.
In the remaining oil (add more if required) fry 2 cloves of chopped garlic until golden, then add a ladle of curry gravy. Reduce this right downtill dry, then add a pinch of menthi, a pinch of dried mint, a pinch of nigella seeds, 1 teaspoon of curry powder and another ladle of gravy. Add the aubergine and the onion and a chopped tomato or two. Cook for a minute or two, season,then sprinkle with fresh coriander.

This makes a good double portion.

Blondie,
I suspect "the taste" is partly taste and partly flavor.