There’s little more comforting than settling in with a steaming takeaway curry, but YouTube chef Al from Al’s Kitchen says you don’t need to leave your home to enjoy authentic Indian restaurant flavours. His latest video reveals the secret ingredient behind every great curry and shows how easy it is to recreate in just 30 minutes.
Al’s secret is to start off with a simple base curry, and it relies on just four simple ingredients: 700g of onions, one large carrot, a teaspoon of tomato puree, and a tablespoon of mix or curry powder, all boiled in 1.5 litres of water. This humble combination forms the foundation for a rich, restaurant-style curry without requiring dozens of spices or complex techniques.
“Most Indian curries start with a base gravy,” Al said. “It doesn’t need to be complicated. Once you get this right, you can transform it into any curry you like, from a classic Madras to a creamy korma.”
In his demonstration, Al used the base gravy to make a chicken Madras.
The recipe incorporates 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil, a heaped tablespoon of garlic and ginger paste, 1 teaspoon of chilli flakes, a mix of curry powders and spices, watered-down tomato puree, a slice of lemon, a dash of Worcestershire sauce, Naga pickle, quartered tomato, and fresh coriander.
The process includes blooming the spices in oil and carefully caramelising the base, producing the bold, layered flavours typical of a restaurant curry.
Al said that using the correct base consistency, thin enough to pour but rich enough to coat the ingredients, is key to achieving the silky texture that makes Indian curries so satisfying.
He also recommends a deep aluminium pan for even cooking and minimal splattering.
“This method proves you don’t need a professional kitchen or a huge list of ingredients to make a curry that tastes like it came from your favourite restaurant,” Al said. “It’s comforting, delicious, and something anyone can do at home.”
So next time you’re craving a curry, you can skip out on the numerous steps and simply whip up a base to get you started on a hearty meal.