Curry base gravy | All-purpose curry base gravy | Punjabi master gravy | red gravy recipe

Punjabi master gravy is a basic Indian curry sauce made with just a few simple ingredients, regular spices, and aromatic flavors — perfect for preparing your favorite Punjabi or any Indian curry right at home!

The best part about this curry base is its versatility and convenience. Once prepared, it can be stored in the refrigerator or freezer and used whenever you want to make a quick and flavorful curry. This same concept is followed in most Indian restaurants, where a single curry base is prepared in advance and later customized into different dishes — such as paneer butter masala, mixed vegetable curry, or dal makhani — simply by adding specific ingredients and seasonings.

This curry sauce is a perfect solution for busy people who still love home-cooked Indian meals. Whether you’re a working professional or a busy mom, having this ready-made curry base in your kitchen saves a lot of time and effort. With this gravy on hand, you can easily prepare your favorite curries in just a few minutes — simply add sautéed vegetables, paneer, or cooked lentils, and your meal is ready! Do try this.

• Firstly, in this recipe, I have prepared a basic curry sauce using onions and tomatoes to create a rich and thick base. The proportion of onions should be half that of tomatoes. I also add soaked dry Kashmiri red chilies and coriander stems to enhance both the color and flavor of the tomato gravy. In addition, I include a cashew–melon seed paste to give the gravy a smooth, creamy texture.
• Secondly, if you wish to increase the shelf life of the curry base, be generous with the amount of cooking oil while preparing it. The oil not only helps to preserve the sauce but also improves its flavor and texture. I also add a little vinegar as a natural preservative and tomato sauce to give the curry base a deeper, tangier flavor.
• Lastly, once the curry sauce is ready, store it properly. It is best to freeze the curry sauce for longer storage, though simply refrigerating it also works well. When stored correctly, the curry base should easily last for up to one month.

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Recipe video

Curry base gravy | All-purpose curry base gravy | Punjabi master gravy | red gravy recipe

Author Nehas Cook Book

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Course Curry

Cuisine Indian

Servings 6 cups

Ingredients

 

For curry base

• 500 grm or 6 medium size tomatoes
• 250 grm or 5 medium size onion
• 30 grm or ¼ cup garlic cloves
• 15 grm or 2 inch chopped ginger
• ¼ cup cashews pieces
• ¼ cup watermelon seeds
• 1 tbsp poppy seeds
• 3 kashmiri dry red chilli
• Some coriander leaves stems
• 1 cup or 250 ml oil
• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 5-6 cloves
• 1 inch cinnamon sticks
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 black cardamoms
• 3 green cardamoms
• 2- star anise
• 5-6 black pepper
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 2 tbsp kashmiri red chilli powder
• 2 tbsp coriander powder
• 2 tbsp kitchen king masala
• 1 tbsp sugar
• Salt to taste
• ½ cup hot water or as required
• 2 tbsp kasuri methi
• 1 tsp vinegar
• 1 tbsp tomato sauce

For matar paneer

• 1 tbsp butter
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ cup chopped onion
• 1 cup curry base
• ½ cup green peas
• ½ cup hot water
• Salt to taste
• 15 paneer cubes
• 1 tsp kasuri methi
• ½ tsp garam masala
• Some coriander leaves

For kaju masala

• 1 tbsp butter
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• ½ cup chopped onion
• 1 cup gravy base
• ½ cup water
• Salt to taste
• ¼ cup butter roasted cashews
• 1 tbsp fresh cream
• 1 tsp kasuri methi

Instructions

Making Curry Base

• In a mixer jar, add 30 g or ¼ cup garlic cloves and 2-inch ginger. Grind them coarsely. Then add a little water and grind into a smooth paste. Keep it aside.
• In the mixer jar, add 250 g or 5 medium-sized roughly chopped onions. Add a little water and grind into a smooth paste. Keep it aside.
• Now in a pan, add 3–4 cups of water and bring it to a boil. Make a cross cut on the top of each tomato. Add the tomatoes to the boiling water, along with 3 dry Kashmiri red chilies, and boil for 2–3 minutes. Switch off the gas, remove the tomato skins, and keep them aside.
• Add the tomatoes and Kashmiri red chilies to the mixer jar, along with coriander stems. Add a little water and grind into a smooth paste. Keep it aside.
• In a bowl, add ¼ cup cashews, ¼ cup watermelon seeds, and 1 tbsp poppy seeds. Add ½ cup hot water and soak for 20 minutes. When the cashews and watermelon seeds become soft, add them to the mixer jar with water and grind into a smooth paste. Keep it aside.
• Take 1 cup oil; add ¾ cup oil into a pan. Add 1 tsp coriander seeds, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 5–6 cloves, 1-inch cinnamon stick, 2 bay leaves, 4 black cardamoms, 3 green cardamoms, 2 star anise, and 5–6 black peppercorns. Sauté them.
• Then add the ginger-garlic paste and sauté until the oil releases from the sides.
• Now add the onion paste and sauté on a low flame until the oil releases from the sides.
• Lower the flame and add ½ tsp turmeric powder, 2 tbsp red chili powder, 2 tbsp coriander powder, 2 tbsp kitchen king masala, 1 tbsp sugar, and some hot water. Sauté the masala until the oil releases from the sides.
• Then add the tomato paste and salt. Mix well, cover, and cook until the oil releases from the sides.
• Now add the cashew–watermelon seed paste and sauté it. Add ½ cup hot water and stir continuously until the oil releases from the sides.
• Add 2 tbsp kasuri methi to the gravy. Heat the remaining ¼ cup oil (from the 1 cup total) and pour the hot oil over the kasuri methi. Mix well. The addition of hot oil to the gravy gives it a perfect texture.
• Add 1 tsp vinegar and 1 tbsp tomato sauce. Mix well, cover, and cook the gravy on low flame for 5 minutes.
• The curry base is ready. Allow it to cool down and strain it.
• Store the curry base in an airtight container. It stays good for up to 1 month in the refrigerator.

Making Matar Paneer

• In a pan, add 1 tbsp butter. Add ½ tsp cumin seeds and 1 bay leaf. Sauté them.
• Then add ½ cup chopped onions and sauté.
• Add 1 cup curry base and sauté.
• Now add ½ cup boiled green peas and sauté.
• Add ½ cup hot water and mix well.
• When the oil releases from the sides of the gravy, add 15 paneer pieces, 1 tsp kasuri methi, ½ tsp garam masala, and some chopped coriander leaves. Mix well.
• Hotel-style Matar Paneer is ready.

Making Kaju Masala

• In a pan, add 1 tbsp butter. Add ½ tsp cumin seeds and 1 bay leaf. Sauté them.
• Then add ½ cup chopped onions and sauté.
• Add 1 cup curry base and sauté.
• Add ½ cup hot water and mix well.
• When the oil releases from the sides of the gravy, add ¼ cup roasted cashews, 1 tbsp fresh cream, and 1 tsp kasuri methi. Mix well.
• Hotel-style Kaju Masala is ready.

Notes

• The proportion of onion should be half of the tomatoes.
• Soak cashews, melon seeds, and poppy seeds in slightly hot water so they become soft and easy to grind.
• Add a little water to the garlic and ginger to grind them into a smooth paste.
• Adding dry Kashmiri red chillies enhances the color of the tomatoes.
• Boil the tomatoes for 2–3 minutes and remove their skins.
• Adding coriander stems enhances the flavor of the gravy.
• Grind each paste separately to achieve a perfect texture for the gravy. (u)
• Cook all the pastes together until the oil separates from the sides.
• Adding hot oil gives the gravy a rich and smooth texture.
• Vinegar acts as a preservative, and tomato sauce enhances the flavor of the gravy.