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Sauces, pastes & condiments · Curry bases

Onion-tomato masala (curry base)

Cooked-down onion, tomato, ginger, garlic and spice base (bhuna masala) that most North Indian curries start from.

Also called: bhuna masala, curry base, masala base, onion tomato gravy, curry gravy base

Around the world: भुना मसाला (hi)

Make it yourself: Onion-tomato masala base

What it is

Onion-tomato masala is the bhuna base of North Indian home cooking: onions fried until deep brown, then ginger, garlic, green chilli, ground spices and puréed tomatoes cooked until thick and the oil separates. Many cooks make it in a big batch and freeze it in portions, turning it into chole, rajma, egg curry or paneer dishes in minutes.

How it’s used

  • Rajma, chana masala and dal
  • Matar paneer, anda curry and dum aloo
  • Keema and quick chicken curries

Characteristics

Taste
Savoury, sweet from browned onion and tangy from tomato.
Texture
Thick, jammy, slightly coarse.
Sold as
paste, frozen
Cooking uses
Commonly cooked

Storage

Frozen. Fridge for 4 days; freeze flat in bags for 3 months.

Diet, allergens and safety

No major allergens in typical versions.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy
38 kcal
Protein
1.65 g
Carbohydrate
8.98 g
Fat
0.21 g
Fibre
1.9 g
Sugars
4.83 g

USDA FoodData Central: Tomato products, canned, puree, without salt added (a close stand-in).

Related ingredients

Recipes with onion-tomato masala (curry base)

No recipe in the catalogue uses it yet.

More curry bases