The Essential Ingredients of Authentic North Indian Curry

What goes into a real North Indian curry?

Authentic North Indian curries are built on a foundation of whole and ground spices, slow-cooked aromatics, and rich bases. At Masala & More in Malmö, we cook our curries the way they are made in home kitchens across Punjab and Delhi. Here are the ingredients that matter most.

The aromatic base: onion, garlic, ginger and tomato

Nearly every North Indian curry starts with onions slowly browned in oil or ghee, followed by fresh garlic and ginger paste. Tomatoes are then cooked down until the oil separates - a step called bhuna that concentrates flavour and gives curries their deep colour and body.

The essential spices

The core spice box (masala dabba) of North Indian cooking includes cumin seeds, coriander powder, turmeric, red chilli powder, and garam masala - a warming blend of cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and black pepper added at the end of cooking. Whole spices like bay leaf, black cardamom and cinnamon stick are often bloomed in hot oil first to release their aroma.

Richness: ghee, cream, yoghurt and cashews

Dishes like butter chicken and shahi paneer get their silky texture from ghee (clarified butter), cream, or a cashew paste. Yoghurt is used both as a marinade for tandoori dishes and to add tang to gravies. Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) crushed over the finished dish is the secret touch that makes restaurant curries taste complete.

Taste authentic North Indian curry in Malmö

If you want to taste these ingredients in action rather than cook them yourself, Masala & More serves authentic North Indian curries in Malmö, Sweden - available to dine in or as takeaway, and for catering across Skåne.