Bhuna Masala - Indian Curry Sauce Base

a glass jar filled with bhuna masala curry sauce base, with the raw ingredients (onion, tomato, ginger & garlic) in the background

Bhuna Masala - Indian Curry Sauce Base

step by step recipe to make bhuna masala / indian curry sauce base in instant pot (and stove-top)

Course n/a

Cuisine Indian

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 15

Servings cups

Calories 406kcal

Author Shantala Shenoy Nayak

Equipment

Ingredients

6 tablespoon oil
4 tablespoon chopped ginger
4 tablespoon chopped garlic
8 cup chopped onions
3 cup chopped tomatoes
4 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoon kashmiri chilli powder
4 teaspoon garam masala powder
4 teaspoon coriander powder
2 teaspoon cumin powder

Instructions

Instant Pot Method

Start the Instant Pot in the Saute Mode - normal, and pour the oil in the inner pot, and let it heat up for a couple of minutes.
Once the oil has warmed a little, add the chopped ginger and garlic together. Mix well and saute for 2-3 minutes, till the ginger and garlic start turning light reddish in color.
Then add in the chopped onion along with the salt. Mix well, and saute till the onions turn light (or deeper) golden brown in color (based on your preference). I usually aim for really well roasted onions.
At this point, you can switch the saute mode from normal to high for browning onions faster. Just ensure to keep moving the onions around, so that they don’t stick to the bottom and burn.
Once the onions are done, add in the spice powders, mix well, and saute for 1-2 minutes, till the masalas get lightly cooked. Add a splash of water, if required, so that the masalas don’t stick to the bottom & burn.
Finally, add in the chopped tomatoes, and saute for a couple of minutes, before turning off the saute mode.
At this point, depending on how watery your tomatoes are, you might need to add ½ cup of water.
Then close the Instant Pot lid, after ensuring the sealing ring is securely in place, and position the steam release knob to sealing.
Pressure cook for 2 minutes on high pressure, and then once the cooking cycle is complete, let the pressure release naturally.

Stove-top Method

You can follow the same method as listed above, with one exception. Instead of pressure cooking the tomatoes, you need to saute it on medium heat for 10-15 minutes, till it gets cooked well, and turns soft and mushy.
Bhuna Masala is ready when the oil starts leaving the sides.

Substitutions:

If you want a spicier base, you can use red chilli powder instead of kashmiri chilli powder.
Alternatively, you can add chopped green chillies. Which if you choose to add, add them right along with ginger & garlic.

Notes

Important Notes

Adjust the ratio of onion vs tomato based on your preferences, and the amount of sourness you want in your curry base. I always use a little less than half quantity of tomatoes to onion. You can do 1:1. Or even use a little more tomatoes than onions. Based on your preference and the sourness of tomatoes.
If you are going for an onion tomato ratio of 1:1 or even using more tomatoes than onions, then it’s best to saute and cook down the tomatoes for a couple of minutes before pressure cooking it. And add 1-2 minutes to the pressure cooking time.
You can either store this masala base as is, or grind it into a fine paste before storing it, based on whether you prefer texture in your curries or a smoother curry base. I usually use a hand blender to get a semi coarse paste with some texture.

Bhuna Masala Pro Tips

Switching the Instant Pot saute mode to high will help brown onions faster. If you are using the stove-top, choose a flat, wide-bottomed pan to speed up the roasting of the onions.
Adding salt while sauteing onions speeds up the process of browning onions.
Use an onion / vegetable chopper like this one to chop onions and tomatoes in minutes.

Storing & Freezing Tips

Bhuna Masala stores well for 7-10 days in the refrigerator. Store in an air-tight glass container.
Bigger batches can be frozen in glass storage containers or ice cube trays. If you’re using ice cube trays, then ensure to transfer the frozen masala cubes, into a zip-lock bag. And remove all the excess air out of the zip-lock bag, before sealing it, and storing it in the freezer.
Also, if you are portioning out the masala to store in ice cube trays, try to store in ¼ cup portions. It will be easier to measure out the exact quantity of cubes you need while making the curry.

Thawing & Using Bhuna Masala

If you have frozen the masala in cubes, just take out as many as you need, and directly warm them in the Instant Pot or the stove-top.
If you have frozen the masala in a bigger glass storage container, you can either thaw out the container in the refrigerator or the kitchen counter-top.
If you have thawed out more masala base than you need, you can refrigerate the rest, and use up within a week. Do not refreeze thawed masala base.

Please note: The nutrition values are best estimates provided as a courtesy. The exact values can vary depending on the exact ingredients or brands used. If you rely on them for your specific diet and/or health issues, please consult a registered dietician or nutritionist.

Nutrition