Mother Sauce for Gravies

In a pan add 3 tbsp of oil saute 2 big red onions, 4 ripe tomatoes, 2" ginger, 10 pods of garlic, 3 green chillies, 8 cashewnuts or 2 tbsp of coconut and salt. You can add red chillies to this or red chilli powder when making the gravy.. Cook for about 5 mts till the raw smell subsides.  Grind this to a nice paste with a handful of fresh coriander leaves. This is the mother sauce for all the gravies. I learnt this from Puja, my Maharastrian friend. It turns out super good any day. 

In a heavy bottom pan add 2 tbsp of oil. Once the oil is hot crackle cumin seeds and 1 cinnamon stick, 3 cloves, add the mother sauce say 1/2 cup, to this add 1 tbsp coriander powder, 1 tsp chilli powder, 1 tsp cumin powder and crushed kasoori methi.  Cook till the raw aroma of the spices subside you may want to add a little amount of water. This will take around 5 mts. You can add peas, bell peppers, boiled potatoes, cubed paneer, cooked chicken, boiled eggs to this at this stage and this gravy will turn into a very tasty subzi for roti, parathas and phulkas.