Rich, aromatic curry broth, ready to use in your favourite Indian curry sauces.
Pour the oil into a pot. Add the bay leaf, crushed green cardamom, black peppercorns, cloves and cinnamon stick or cassia bark. Heat the oil over a medium heat until the whole spices begin to bubble in the oil. Reduce the heat to low and allow the spices to infuse the oil for 5-6 minutes. Strain and set the oil aside.
Put the quartered onions in a large stock pot and add the salad tomato, garlic, coriander seeds, cumin seeds and water. Cover with a lid, bring to the boil and cook over a medium to high heat for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the tomato puree, creamed coconut block, garam masala, turmeric, smoked paprika, paprika, red chilli powder and sea salt to the pot, stir well until the creamed coconut block is fully melted, then add the prepared flavoured oil. Mix well, reduce the heat to medium, cover and cook for another 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Use a stick blender to blend the curry broth until completely smooth. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting and allow the curry broth to simmer for a further 30 minutes, stirring occasionally until the broth becomes thick and toffee-like and the oil begins to separate. Keep the broth almost fully covered with a lid during this stage of cooking and be cautious. As the curry thickens it will begin to spit and splutter.
Allow the curry broth to cool completely, then portion into 200-250ml containers or food bags. The curry can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and frozen for up to 3 months.