Tomato Base Curry Gravy

This is a recipe for a tomato-based curry gravy. What’s unusual about this recipe is that it contains typical Southeast Asian ingredients like soy sauce, fish sauce, and lemongrass, but not the ubiquitous coconut milk.

INGREDIENTS
1-inch ball - Tamarind
2 tblspns - Tomato paste
3 stalks - Lemongrass, white part, chopped fine
1 large or 2 medium - Red or yellow onions, diced medium
3 to 6 red chilies - Fresh or dry ok. If using dry, soak in warm water for 1 hr
4 cloves - Fresh garlic, chopped medium
1 inch piece - Fresh ginger, copped medium
1 tspn - Cumin Powder
6 to 8 - Curry leaves
2 inch piece - Turmeric root chopped fine, or ¼-tspn turmeric powder
2 tblspns - Peanut or vegetable oil
Salt to taste

2 cups - Water
1 tspn - Light soy sauce
1 tspn - Fish sauce or ½-tspn shrimp paste
2 tblspns - Fresh cilantro leaves, chopped fine



PREPARATION

Soak the tamarind in 1 cup of water and microwave for 30 secs. Remove and allow to soak and cool for an hour. Use fingers to knead and break down the tamarind. Strain and collect tamarind liquid (extract). Discard solids.

Grind to fine paste: Onions, chopped lemongrass, red chilies, garlic, ginger, turmeric or turmeric root, cumin powder.

Add oil to a pan and heat over medium high. Add curry leaves (CAREFUL – the hot oil will sputter and splash!). Immediately add the finely-ground spice paste from above. Stir constantly and continue to cook till paste reduces in volume to nearly half. This will take 15 to 20 minutes. Make sure not to burn the paste.

Add half the tamarind extract and continue to cook for about 60 seconds, stirring constantly.

Add soy sauce and fish sauce (or shrimp paste) and continue to stir and cook for 60 seconds.

Add tomato paste. Stir well to mix and cook until the raw flavor disappears. This should take 5 to 10 minutes. Again, make sure not to burn the mixture.

Add 2 cups of water and simmer over low heat. Add salt to suit your taste. Taste, and add more tamarind extract to suit your taste. The curry gravy is ready.

NOTE 1
You can use this gravy with veggies, chicken, beef, or hard boiled eggs. The spices are too mild for lamb, and lamb is therefore not recommended. To add vegetables, boil the veggies in lightly salted water until they are about 80 percent cooked; then add to curry gravy and simmer till fully cooked. If using chicken or beef, cut into bite size pieces and cook in broth. I use plan water with a couple of cubes of bullion, or add a couple of tablespoons of old curry powder that has lost its flavor and will likely be tossed! Boil till fully cooked. Then add to the gravy and simmer for 15 minutes over low heat. If using hard boiled eggs, shell the eggs and cut in half length-wise. Add to gravy and simmer for 10 minutes over low heat. In all cases, garnish with chopped cilantro leaves.

NOTE 2
You can find tamarind in Asian or Indian grocery store. I prefer the Thai or Indian brands which come in the form of a 4 in by 5 in by 1 in slab, wrapped in plastic. I do not recommend the tamarind paste that you can buy in a little plastic can/tub. If you cannot find tamarind, replace with 3 medium sized ripe tomatoes. Boil in water for a couple of minutes and immediately dunk into iced water. Remove skin and puree. Add the tomato puree immediately after the tomato paste step described above. Cook till the raw flavor disappears. Add 1 cup of water instead of 2, and simmer.

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