Bhuna Curry Recipe by Richard Sayce
Served as a very thick curry in which the base gravy is heavily reduced and caramelised for a more intense, almost smoky flavour. Bhuna is usually served as a low-medium strength curry, and has a relatively simple array of ingredients. This is a curry you can use to practice the methods needed to get the best flavour out of BIR curry, particularly the art of leaving the curry alone without fiddling with it unnecessarily.
This recipe (pictured on this page with lamb) is from my Gourmand award-winning books Curry Compendium and Indian Restaurant Curry at Home Volume 1, which are available at Amazon and all good book sellers. Also available in kindle format to read on any device.
Please scroll down to see the accompanying YouTube video for this bhuna curry recipe.
Books by Richard Sayce
INGREDIENTS
- 4 TBSP (60ml) Oil
1 Tej Patta-Asian Bay Leaf (optional) - 10cm Cassia Bark
- 2 Green Cardamom Pods, split open
- 70g Onion, very finely chopped (about half a medium Onion)
- 20g Green Pepper, very finely chopped (about one sixth of a medium sized Pepper)
- 2 tsp Ginger/Garlic Paste
- 1 tsp Kasuri Methi
- 2 tsp Mix Powder
SPACEHOLDER
- ¼-½ tsp Chilli Powder¼-½ tsp Salt
- ¼ tsp Garam Masala
- 1 TBSP each of finely chopped fresh Coriander Stalks and Leaves
- 250ml+ Base Gravy
- 4 -5 TBSP Tomato Paste
- Pre-Cooked Chicken, Lamb, Beef, Prawns, Vegetables, etc.
- 2 fresh Tomato Quarters
- 1 tsp of Lemon Juice (optional)
METHOD
- Add the oil to a frying pan on medium high heat.
- When hot, add the cassia bark, green cardamom pods, and the optional tej patta. Fry for 30-45 seconds to infuse the oil, stirring occasionally.
- Add onion and green pepper. Fry for 1-1½ minutes until soft, stirring often. Do not let the onions brown or burn.
- Then add the ginger/garlic paste, stirring diligently for 20-30 seconds or until the sizzling sound dies down.
- Now add the kasuri methi, mix powder, chilli powder, salt, and garam masala.
- Fry for 20-30 seconds, adding a little base gravy if the spices start to stick to the pan. Stir very often, and use the base of the spoon to ensure flat and even distribution of the spices.
- Turn up the heat to high and add the tomato paste and coriander stalks. Stir together and leave for 20 seconds or until the oil separates and small craters appear around the edges of the frying pan.
- Add the main ingredient (pre-cooked chicken / pre-cooked lamb / pre-cooked keema / vegetables / paneer etc.), and mix well into the sauce. If using prawns, they will be added later (see below).
- Next add 75ml of base gravy. Stir into the sauce, and leave on high heat until the sauce has reduced a little, the oil has separated and small craters form around the edges again.
- If adding mushrooms in this bhuna curry recipe, now would be a good time to add a good handful of sliced ones.
- Add a second 75ml of base gravy. Stir and scrape the pan once, then leave it for a further 45 seconds or so, allowing the sauce to reduce and crater again.
- Now add a third 75ml of base gravy and the fresh tomato quarters. Stir and scrape once again, then leave to cook on high heat for 4-5 minutes. Avoid stirring unless the curry is about to burn. Let the sauce stick to the bottom and sides of the pan to caramelise and thicken, bringing out the true bhuna flavour. Add extra base gravy if desired, but make sure to reduce it down so the result is very thick.
SPACEHOLDER
- If using prawns add them between 1-3 minutes before the anticipated end of cooking (depending on the size). An optional 1 tsp of lemon juice complements the prawns well at this stage.
- Fish out the whole spices, and if you wish, spoon off excess floating oil from the surface.
- Serve, garnished with coriander leaves.
Watch the Video
NOTES
- When emptying the curry from the frying pan ensure you include all the residue from the bottom and sides too. There’s a lot of amazing flavour in the thick bits.
- Enjoy this bhuna curry recipe with naan, rice, or even chips!
- All spoon measurements are level (1 tsp = 5ml, 1 TBSP = 15ml)