Curry base

Curry base is a foundational sauce used in Indian and South Asian cooking, typically made by sautéing onions, tomatoes, ginger, garlic, and a blend of spices like turmeric, cumin, and coriander. It serves as the starting point for countless curry dishes, providing depth and complexity to both meat and vegetable preparations.

🍽️ Nutrition at a glance

Generally high in carbohydrates from onions and tomatoes, with moderate fat from cooking oil, and minimal protein. A typical serving provides vitamins A and C from tomatoes, along with anti-inflammatory compounds from spices, with a rough calorie range of 100-150 per half-cup serving depending on oil content.

Nutrition breakdown

Calories	120 kcal
Protein	2.5 g
Carbs	15 g
Fat	6 g
Fiber	3 g
Sugar	5 g
Sodium	800 mg
Vitamin C	15 mg
Vitamin A	80 mcg
Iron	2 mg
Calcium	40 mg
Potassium	350 mg
Magnesium	25 mg
Vitamin B6	0.2 mg
Manganese	0.4 mg

Per 1 cup (240 g) · estimated, varies by recipe

💡 What's interesting

What makes curry base unique is how it transforms simple ingredients into a flavor powerhouse through slow cooking—a technique called 'bhuno' that caramelizes and melds the aromatics. Nutritionally, the combination of spices like turmeric with black pepper enhances the bioavailability of curcumin, making it both delicious and functionally beneficial.