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REFRIGERATION

Food storage

How to store gravies and masala bases

Restaurant kitchens in India run on base gravies: makhani, onion-tomato masala, kadhai, white cashew and yellow gravies that are made in bulk and finished to order. These bases save time but are thick and often rich in dairy, nuts and oil, so they cool slowly and spoil if handled carelessly. A good base gravy system needs fast cooling, clean portioning, and cold storage at 0 to +4 °C, with freezing at −18 °C or colder for larger batches. Dairy-heavy bases such as makhani and white gravy need the most care.

  • Chilled0 to +4 °C (after rapid cooling)
  • Frozen−18 °C or colder

Do

  • Cool bases in shallow gastronorm trays or wide containers, stirring occasionally, before chilling.
  • Add cream and butter at the finishing stage where possible, rather than to the whole bulk batch.
  • Portion bases into containers sized for one service or one station.
  • Freeze bases flat in bags or containers for quick thawing and even reheating.
  • Thaw frozen bases in the fridge, not on the counter.
  • Keep the station's working quantity in a refrigerated drawer or undercounter fridge beside the line.
  • Label each container with the base name, date and time of making.

Avoid

  • Do not leave a deep pot of base gravy on the stove overnight.
  • Do not pour today's base onto yesterday's in the same container.
  • Do not use a ladle from raw meat prep in the gravy container.
  • Do not keep bases beside the tandoor for convenience.
  • Do not refreeze base that has been thawed.

In Indian conditions

Indian restaurant kitchens often prepare base gravies once a day or even every two to three days. In hot kitchens, a pot of makhani can stay warm for hours after cooking, which is risky. Cloud kitchens that depend on bases should invest in adequate refrigeration and freezer space, and plan cooling as part of the process. During power cuts, bases in a closed freezer keep better than bases in a fridge that is opened often. An undercounter unit at the curry station keeps the base close and the main reach-in closed.

General good practice for commercial kitchens and shops. Where your FSSAI licence conditions or food-safety plan set stricter limits, follow those.