Curry House Onion Masala (Takeaway Kitchen Method)

Onion masala is a cooked onion base used in many curry house kitchens. By blending onions with garlic and ginger and cooking them slowly, chefs create a smooth, slightly sweet foundation that can quickly be turned into curry gravy or used directly in dishes like bhuna and korma.

In the delivery kitchen we used to make onion masala in large batches.It’s one of those behind-the-scenes preparations that saves huge amounts of time during service.

This is the short-hand recipe we used in the kitchen, translated into a version you can follow at home.

Onions Frying

Why Curry Houses Use Onion Masala

In a busy curry house kitchen chefs need to cook dishes quickly. Preparing onion masala in advance allows the kitchen to build curries fast during service. The onion base provides sweetness and body, while spices and base gravy add the final layers of flavour.

Bulk Onion Masala

This makes one large pan or about 12 yoghurt tubs.

Ingredients

• 4 blender jugs full of finely sliced onions

• 1 bulb of garlic

• 4-inch piece of fresh ginger

• 1 dessert spoon garlic powder

• 1 dessert spoon ground ginger

• 1 dessert spoon sugar

• 1.5 litres water

Method

1. Add the sliced onions to a blender in batches.

2. Add some of the water, along with the garlic, ginger, garlic powder and ground ginger.

3. Blend until smooth.

4. Repeat until all the onions are blended.

5. Pour everything into a large pan and cook over medium heat.

6. Simmer until the raw onion smell has completely gone and the mixture thickens.

This onion masala becomes the base for curry gravy.

In our takeaway delivery kitchen we didn’t always rely on a traditional BIR base gravy for all of our curries. Instead we would prepare a bulk onion masala during the day, which could then be turned into curry gravy ready for the evening service. We would also keep some onion masala aside for cooking bhuna and korma curries.

This is how we made our onion masala in the kitchen. It’s worth mastering and adds real authenticity to your British Indian Restaurant style meals.

Home Batch Onion Masala

This is a smaller version of the onion masala we used in the takeaway kitchen.It produces enough for several curries and freezes well.

Ingredients

• 4 large onions, finely sliced

• 4 cloves garlic

• 1½ inch piece fresh ginger

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1 teaspoon ground ginger

• 1 teaspoon sugar

• 350–400 ml water

Method

1. Add the sliced onions to a blender in batches.

2. Add the garlic, ginger and some of the water.

3. Blend until smooth.

4. Repeat until all the onions are blended.

5. Pour the mixture into a saucepan.

6. Simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally.

7. Cook until the raw onion smell disappears and the mixture thickens.

You should end up with 3–4 yoghurt tubs of onion masala.

This can be frozen and used later to make curry gravy, bhuna or korma style dishes.

Little Curry House Tip

In a busy takeaway kitchen we made huge batches of onion masala, but this smaller version works perfectly for home cooking.

Cook’s Tip – Cooking Onion Masala Properly

One of the biggest mistakes people make with onion masala is not cooking it long enough.

When the blended onions first go into the pan they will smell very strong and raw. At this stage the flavour is still harsh and not suitable for curry cooking.

Keep simmering the mixture gently and stirring from time to time. As it cooks the raw onion smell will disappear, the mixture will thicken slightly, and the flavour will become milder and a little sweeter.

This usually takes 30–45 minutes, but the key sign is when the raw onion aroma has gone.

A properly cooked onion masala creates a much smoother and more authentic curry house flavour.

This recipe is part of the BIR Blueprint, where I explain the key techniques used in curry house cooking.

Conclusion

Onion masala is one of those simple preparations that makes a huge difference to the flavour of your curries. Once you have a batch ready in the fridge or freezer you can quickly turn it into curry gravy, or use it as the base for dishes like bhuna and korma. It’s a technique that we used every day in our takeaway kitchen and, once you master it, it will add another layer of authenticity to your BIR cooking.

In the next part of the series we’ll look at how this onion masala can be turned into a working curry gravy, ready for cooking classic curry house dishes.