Spicy masala sauce

Name: Spicy masala sauce
Yield: Makes 1.75 litres
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 1.5 litres reduced Beef or Veal stock; 2 teaspoons belacan (Malaysian shrimp paste); 25 ml fish sauce; 1 tablespoon minced ginger; 2 slices galangal, diced; 5 red bird’s-eye chillies, diced; 25 ml sesame oil; 1 brown onion, diced; 75 ml vegetable oil; 2 teaspoons coriander seeds; 1 teaspoon cumin seeds; 4 large cloves garlic, minced; 50 g palm sugar, shaved; 150 ml coconut milk; 100 ml tomato purée; 1 stick cinnamon; 4 coriander roots, chopped; 2 slices turmeric, diced; 1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns; 2 teaspoons dried prawns; 8 curry leaves; 1 teaspoon ground turmeric; pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

Preparation info

Makes
1.75 litres

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

Spice

By Christine Manfield

Published 1999

About

This sauce has a rich, enduring, mellow spiciness — it’s one of my favourites and a staple on our menu. It is best served with any red meat and is fabulous with smoked eggplant, Garam Masala Potato, and the sweetness of pumpkin roasted with spices.

Ingredients

2 teaspoons belacan (Malaysian shrimp paste)
2 teaspoons dried prawns
1

Asia
India
Sauce
Gluten-free
Spicy

Method

Dry-roast belacan, dried prawns, Sichuan peppercorns, cumin and coriander seeds, separately, over gentle heat until fragrant. Cool, then grind spices and dried prawns, separately, to a fine powder. Heat a wide-based saucepan, then add oils and fry belacan, ground prawns, diced vegetables and aromatics until just beginning to colour. Stir in ground spices, curry leaves and cinnamon stick until f