Points to remember
- Melt a small amount of butter and oil in a shallow pan over a low heat.
- Let the butter melt until it starts to sizzle.
- Add the finely chopped onions. Ensure the onions are coated in the oil and butter and allow to sizzle as it cooks.
- After about 12 minutes, the onions will become almost translucent.
Contents
How do you cook onions so they don’t tear in Curry?
Sautéing Onions – As described above, sautéed onions are cooked over a medium heat until they are soft and translucent, This should take around 10 minutes and they will need to be tossed and stirred almost continuously, Done correctly the onion will still have a firm texture and will have developed a sweet flavour, Sautéed onions are used in such curries as Bhuna’s and Dopiaza’s,
What are the best spices to add to an onion curry?
Spices – I strongly recommend using garlic and ginger along with spices as they add much flavor to this simple and delicious South Indian Kerala style onion curry. You can either use ginger garlic paste or use freshly crushed garlic and ginger for the preparation of this dish.
- Instead of freshly crushed garlic, you may also used garlic powder if you wish.
- The onion curry is somewhat spicy, and you can make this more spicy by adding more red chili powder or chopped green chilies, but this curry is already spicy with red chili powder, crushed ginger and black pepper powder.
- If you do not want the curry to be spicy or just mildly spicy, skip either red chili powder or black pepper powder or reduce the amounts or skip both, as you wish.
We also add spices like coriander powder, garam masala powder etc to make this dish more delicious. You can see the whole ingredient list in the recipe card.
Does onion curry need to be cooked with gravy?
Simple Onion Curry With Sauteed Onions – This onion curry recipe is very simple and basic and you can adjust the recipe to vary the spices used and also make this with gravy or without gravy as you like. Just make sure to saute the onions enough, as the curry will taste best with well sauteed onions (browning or caramelizing is the best but that is not necessary).
- This is vegetarian as well as vegan curry which you can easily prepare at home, and it is delicious too with very simple and easily accessible ingredients.
- This is an easy onion curry without tomatoes as well, and as I mentioned, you can make it with or without gravy as you like.
- This is a simple south Indian curry without tomatoes, which can be prepared so quickly and enjoyed as a simple side dish with chapathi, poori or bhatura.
This also makes great side dish with parathas including Kerala style malabar paratha (parotta). We use garam masala powder and ginger & garlic along with other spices to make this easy onion curry easy and delicious. This Indian style onion curry is so simple and easy to prepare yet delicious when served with chapatis as a side dish.
How to keep onions from sticking to the pan while cooking?
For Seasoning –
2 tablespoons coconut oil (use more if required) 1 teaspoon mustard seeds 1 string curry leaves (make sure no water in leaves) 5 dry red chilies broken
Peel and slice the onions evenly in long slices, keep this aside. To prepare the seasoning, heat oil in a pan (or use an iron skillet or a kadai for better results), and add mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds starts spluttering add curry leaves, broken dry red chilies fry for a few seconds. Add the sliced onions, ginger and garlic and salt, mix well, and saute the onions for few minutes until the onion starts browning or turns transparent in color. You don’t have to caramelize the onions, but the the flavor of the dish will increase if you saute it for more time. Once the onions are almost browned and cooked enough to your preference, add all the spices and mix everything well, let the onions get blended in the spices for about 2 to 3 minutes more. Mix the tamarind paste in the water (you can make it without gravy also, if you do not want gravy you may skip this step) and add this to the onions, mix well. If needed you may add even more water for gravy and mix well. Simmer the curry for about 2 to 3 minutes in low heat or until desired consistency (keep stirring in between as needed so it won’t burn at the bottom of the pan. Serve the delicious, hot onion curry with chapathi or poori as you wish!
If you want more gravy for the curry, you can always add little more water and simmer the curry to your preferred consistency. You can use an iron skillet or kadai to make it more delicious. Also the recipe is very flexible so you may adjust the spices based on your preferences.
- Adding tamarind is totally optional, but it will make the curry more delicious since we do not use any tomatoes in this curry for sourness.
- At any point, if you feel like the onions are sticking to the pan while preparing the curry, you may add little extra oil and fry the onions further or you may add little water and mix well so it won’t stick to the pan.
Calories: 199 kcal | Carbohydrates: 25 g | Protein: 4 g | Fat: 11 g | Saturated Fat: 8 g | Sodium: 24 mg | Potassium: 505 mg | Fiber: 5 g | Sugar: 12 g | Vitamin A: 838 IU | Vitamin C: 133 mg | Calcium: 56 mg | Iron: 2 mg You might like to see my post on tomato curry for chapathi recipe
How do you cook onions so they are soft and translucent?
Many good recipes often start with “Cook the onions until they are soft and translucent”. but why do we do this and what does this actually mean? Onions are a staple ingredient in most savoury recipes and are used across the world in different cultures.
This humble vegetable adds a mellow, sweet depth and our taste buds would notice if it was absent from a dish. Cooking onions is important for two main reasons. Firstly, it makes them easier to digest, as the high acidity of onion drops during the cooking process. Secondly, the sugars are released and broken down into smaller molecules that our tastebuds can detect – more cooking results in more sweetness.
The longer you keep them bubbling away on the hob – slow and steady – the better it will be for digestion and your finished dish. And this is why it’s important not to rush this process. The softened, translucent stage takes at least 10 minutes and, if a recipe is calling for caramelising, that takes closer to 45 minutes.
Dice the onion, add a pinch of salt and give it a mix. This will draw out some of the moisture and make it easier to soften. Add a good glug of oil and chunk of butter. You can do one or the other, but we find a mix of both gets the best results. Start them cooking over a medium heat. Once sizzling, turn the heat down to low and put a lid on. Allow them to cook slowly over the gentle heat, stirring every few minutes. A dd a splash of water if it’s sticking to the pan or browning. After 10 minutes, take the lid off, turn the heat back up to medium and cook for a further minute or two.
A final top tip? If the onion smells especially strong or you find the flavour of onions overpowering, give them a quick rinse under cold water before cooking to make them milder. See more Curry Cooking Tips below: Top Tips for Making a Better Homemade Curry How to Cook a Healthy Curry in 30 Minutes or Less
How to keep onions from sticking to the pan while cooking?
For Seasoning –
2 tablespoons coconut oil (use more if required) 1 teaspoon mustard seeds 1 string curry leaves (make sure no water in leaves) 5 dry red chilies broken
Peel and slice the onions evenly in long slices, keep this aside. To prepare the seasoning, heat oil in a pan (or use an iron skillet or a kadai for better results), and add mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds starts spluttering add curry leaves, broken dry red chilies fry for a few seconds. Add the sliced onions, ginger and garlic and salt, mix well, and saute the onions for few minutes until the onion starts browning or turns transparent in color. You don’t have to caramelize the onions, but the the flavor of the dish will increase if you saute it for more time. Once the onions are almost browned and cooked enough to your preference, add all the spices and mix everything well, let the onions get blended in the spices for about 2 to 3 minutes more. Mix the tamarind paste in the water (you can make it without gravy also, if you do not want gravy you may skip this step) and add this to the onions, mix well. If needed you may add even more water for gravy and mix well. Simmer the curry for about 2 to 3 minutes in low heat or until desired consistency (keep stirring in between as needed so it won’t burn at the bottom of the pan. Serve the delicious, hot onion curry with chapathi or poori as you wish!
If you want more gravy for the curry, you can always add little more water and simmer the curry to your preferred consistency. You can use an iron skillet or kadai to make it more delicious. Also the recipe is very flexible so you may adjust the spices based on your preferences.
Adding tamarind is totally optional, but it will make the curry more delicious since we do not use any tomatoes in this curry for sourness. At any point, if you feel like the onions are sticking to the pan while preparing the curry, you may add little extra oil and fry the onions further or you may add little water and mix well so it won’t stick to the pan.
Calories: 199 kcal | Carbohydrates: 25 g | Protein: 4 g | Fat: 11 g | Saturated Fat: 8 g | Sodium: 24 mg | Potassium: 505 mg | Fiber: 5 g | Sugar: 12 g | Vitamin A: 838 IU | Vitamin C: 133 mg | Calcium: 56 mg | Iron: 2 mg You might like to see my post on tomato curry for chapathi recipe
Do caramelized onions go well with curry roux?
Caramelized onions – This is a pretty recent discovery for me. I always add onions to curry (despite not being a huge fan of onions myself haha) and I always thought that frying them until softened is enough. That is until I tried adding “caramelized onions” and it was a game changer! Whether you have Japanese curry roux or not, caramelized onions will add a rich, gravy like taste to your curry as well as improve the colour.
- Timing: 40 mins
- Amount: 1.5 – 2 onions
- Recommended: Someone who wants depth of flavour
- Effect: Richer more gravy like taste, deepens the brown colour
How do you make caramelized onions taste better?
For Seasoning –
2 tablespoons coconut oil (use more if required) 1 teaspoon mustard seeds 1 string curry leaves (make sure no water in leaves) 5 dry red chilies broken
Peel and slice the onions evenly in long slices, keep this aside. To prepare the seasoning, heat oil in a pan (or use an iron skillet or a kadai for better results), and add mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds starts spluttering add curry leaves, broken dry red chilies fry for a few seconds. Add the sliced onions, ginger and garlic and salt, mix well, and saute the onions for few minutes until the onion starts browning or turns transparent in color. You don’t have to caramelize the onions, but the the flavor of the dish will increase if you saute it for more time. Once the onions are almost browned and cooked enough to your preference, add all the spices and mix everything well, let the onions get blended in the spices for about 2 to 3 minutes more. Mix the tamarind paste in the water (you can make it without gravy also, if you do not want gravy you may skip this step) and add this to the onions, mix well. If needed you may add even more water for gravy and mix well. Simmer the curry for about 2 to 3 minutes in low heat or until desired consistency (keep stirring in between as needed so it won’t burn at the bottom of the pan. Serve the delicious, hot onion curry with chapathi or poori as you wish!
If you want more gravy for the curry, you can always add little more water and simmer the curry to your preferred consistency. You can use an iron skillet or kadai to make it more delicious. Also the recipe is very flexible so you may adjust the spices based on your preferences.
Adding tamarind is totally optional, but it will make the curry more delicious since we do not use any tomatoes in this curry for sourness. At any point, if you feel like the onions are sticking to the pan while preparing the curry, you may add little extra oil and fry the onions further or you may add little water and mix well so it won’t stick to the pan.
Calories: 199 kcal | Carbohydrates: 25 g | Protein: 4 g | Fat: 11 g | Saturated Fat: 8 g | Sodium: 24 mg | Potassium: 505 mg | Fiber: 5 g | Sugar: 12 g | Vitamin A: 838 IU | Vitamin C: 133 mg | Calcium: 56 mg | Iron: 2 mg You might like to see my post on tomato curry for chapathi recipe