Recipe
BIR Tomato Paste
A make-ahead BIR tomato paste with plum tomatoes, purée, garlic, ginger and oil, cooked down to a smooth, freezer-friendly base for richly flavoured curries at home.
Ingredients
Ingredients
Method
10 mins prep15 mins cook25 mins total
Blend the plum tomatoes and tomato purée until smooth.
Put the tomato mixture, vegetable oil, garlic paste, ginger paste and water into a wide saucepan.
Bring to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered over medium heat for 10–15 minutes, stirring often so the paste does not catch.
Stop when the oil has risen and the mixture has the loose consistency of passata. Cool completely before portioning and storing.
Notes
Cool completely, then keep refrigerated for up to 3 days or freeze in 20–30g portions for up to 1 month. Thaw in the fridge before adding to a curry.
About this recipe
This make-ahead tomato paste gives BIR-style curries a concentrated tomato backbone without making the finished sauce heavy. Plum tomatoes bring fresh acidity, while tomato purée deepens the colour and flavour as the mixture cooks down.
Blend the tomatoes until smooth, then simmer the paste with garlic, ginger, oil and water until the oil rises and the texture is loose and spoonable. Cool it fully before portioning for the fridge or freezer. Its measured quantities make a dependable batch for several curry nights. It can be stirred into tikka, korma or madras sauces.
