The encyclopaedia of gravy
The curry-house method: a very hot pan, spices fried briefly in oil, then base gravy added in stages so the edges catch and caramelise. Six to eight minutes from start to plate.
The base gravy and the pre-cooked meat are only half of the story. The other half is a technique that is over before most people have finished chopping an onion.
The sequence¶
Every BIR curry follows the same seven steps. Only the spices and additions change.
- Oil, hot. Two or three tablespoons in a wide pan over a high heat.
- Garlic–ginger paste, 20–30 seconds, until it stops smelling raw.
- Dry spices, 20 seconds, stirring constantly. They must fry in the oil, not steam in liquid — this is what separates a BIR curry from a stew.
- Tomato paste, 30 seconds, until it darkens.
- First ladle of base gravy. Let it bubble hard and catch slightly at the edges of the pan. This is the step everyone leaves out and it is where the flavour comes from.
- Meat, then the second ladle. Simmer 2–3 minutes. A third ladle if it is tightening too fast.
- Finish off the heat: crushed kasoori methi, garam masala, fresh coriander, a squeeze of lemon.
Total: six to eight minutes.
Why the catching matters¶
When base gravy hits a very hot pan and reduces against the metal, the sugars and proteins in the onion purée brown — the Maillard reaction and caramelisation together. Scraping that back into the sauce with the next ladle builds layers of roasted flavour in a way that simply simmering never does.
It is the same principle as deglazing a roasting tin: the flavour is on the metal, and you keep putting it back.
💡 Why restaurant curries taste different
Commercial burners run far hotter than a domestic hob. You cannot match them, but you can get closer: use a wide heavy pan, get it properly hot before anything goes in, cook one portion at a time, and never crowd it. Two curries in one pan will steam.
Mise en place¶
There is no time to measure anything once the pan is hot. Before you start, have ready:
- Base gravy, hot, in a jug or a pan alongside
- Pre-cooked meat, with its liquid
- Garlic–ginger paste
- A small bowl with the dry spices already weighed out
- Tomato paste
- Chopped coriander, kasoori methi, lemon
Base gravy consistency, on the fly¶
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| Sauce too thin | Let it bubble harder for a minute — it reduces fast |
| Sauce too thick | Another splash of base, never water |
| Sauce catching too much | Lower the heat slightly and stir the base in sooner |
| Tastes flat | Salt, then lemon. Usually lemon |
| Tastes raw and harsh | The spices were not fried long enough in the oil |
| Bitter | The spices burned. Start again |
What not to do¶
Do not use a non-stick pan. You want the fond to form and lift; non-stick prevents both.
Do not add cold base gravy. It drops the pan temperature and you lose the catching.
Do not walk away. The whole thing takes six minutes and burns in thirty seconds.