Recipe: Achari Curry Sauce

1. Fire-roast the jalapenos over the range-top burner until the skins are blistered and charred. Place the jalapenos in a small stainless steel bowl and cover with film. Cool down for 30 minutes. Cut the stem off the peppers and discard. Split the jalapenos in half lengthwise. Remove the seeds and core and discard. Lay the jalapenos halves flat, skin side up. Using a paring knife, scrape the blistered skins in rows to remove the charred exterior and wipe your paring knife clean with a paper towel. This will keep your work surface clean. Small dice the jalapenos and reserve. The finished yield needed for this recipe is 4 oz.

2. Place the oil in a nonreactive rondeau. When it starts to shimmer, add the tandoori seasoning, chili powder and turmeric and stir quickly with a wooden spoon or spatula for 20 seconds to allow the spices to release their natural oils. Do not burn the seasoning.

3. Stir in the jalapenos, onions, tomatoes, garlic and ginger and sweat down until the onions are translucent. Allow this mixture to really stew down with a little bit of salt.

4. Add the chicken base and caramelize it into the stewed vegetables.

5. Add the water, lime juice, lime zest and coconut milk. Continuously stir over high heat with a spatula or a wooden spoon to ensure that the chicken base is fully incorporated. Also, ensure there isn’t anything scorching at the bottom of the rondeau.

6. Bring this mixture to a simmer and reduce slightly. Stir in the cream to finish and allow it to homogenize with the sauce.

7. Pull the rondeau off the heat to puree. Note: You can start with an immersion blender in the pot before transferring to a blender.

8. In small batches, place the sauce in a blender and puree until smooth. Pour the puree into a nonreactive storage container and repeat the process until you have pureed all the contents of the rondeau. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper (or honey if needed) to prevent any excessive spicy heat or bitter notes. If the viscosity is too thin and doesn’t nappe off the back of a spoon, return the mixture to a sauce pot and reduce to your desired consistency. Inversely, add a bit of water if the mixture is too thick. You can either whisk this into the storage container holding the sauce or use your immersion blender to fully incorporate the water to your desired texture.

9. Once cooled, cover in a nonreactive storage container and refrigerate until needed. Reheat portions as desired.