British Chip Shop Curry Sauce

The first time I tried a chip shop curry sauce was at the Mayfair Chippy in London back in June of 2022. It was a revelation. Before that, I've only had fish & chips paired with the traditional mushy peas, malt vinegar and occasionally tartar sauce. I presumed (wrongly) that the curry sauce was specific to the Mayfair Chippy, but it turns out that this is actually a thing in many a chip shop in the UK - you can even buy bottled versions on Amazon. The Brits love their curry and this is a tasty iteration. The following recipe is an amalgamation of several I found online. Check the curry powder you use for salt content - the Madras curry powder I used for this recipe already had salt in it, so I only had to add a scant 1/4 tsp. of kosher salt to make the sauce balanced. 

INGREDIENTS: 

2 tbsp. vegetable oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 small red apple, peeled, cored and finely chopped

2 tbsp. flour

2 tbsp. Madras curry powder (or other mild curry powder)

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups water

2 tsp. sugar

1-2 tsp. distilled white or apple cider vinegar

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1. Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a saucepan or medium skillet over medium heat. 

2. Add the chopped onion and apple and cook until the onion is softened and translucent, about 5-6 minutes. 

3. For the roux: add the flour and stir constantly with a spatula or wooden spoon for about 1 minute to cook out the raw flour taste. Add the curry powder and minced garlic and stir constantly for 15-20 seconds. 

4. Gradually add the water and stir constantly with a wire whisk to remove any lumps and until the sauce has thickened.

5. Serve as a dipping sauce for Fish & Chips.