Introduction
This gravy is a perfect blend of the spices with blanched onions, tomatoes and cashew. You can make alterations to this gravy as you wish but the method is the basic.
Instructions
You can add butter instead of oil.
If you want you can also add 1star anise along with the garam masala.
Some foundation ingredients that can be used in this gravy- mushroom, soya, paneer, chicken, mutton and fish, pulses
Ingredients
Ingredients for blanching
2 big sized onions (chopped)
6 medium sized tomatoes (chopped) 25 g cashewnuts
Other ingredients
4 tbsp oil
Whole garam masala
6 peppercorns
4 cloves
2 cardamoms
2(1 inch) cinnamons
2 Indian bay leaves (Tej patta) 2 tsp ginger & garlic paste
2 tsps red chili powder 1/8 tsp turmeric powder 1 tsp coriander powder 1 tsp kasuri methi
1 cup cream
½ teaspoon sugar 1 tablespoon butter
1 tsp salt or salt to taste
Method
The method basically involves 3 processes
- Blanching b)Grinding
c) Preparation of the makhni gravy
Blanching
Take 400 ml of water in a pan and add the ingredients to be blanched (onions, tomatoes and cashewnuts) in it.
Heat it and allow it to start boiling. Keep boiling it for 10- 15 minutes on slow medium flame. Switch off the flame and allow it to cool.
Grinding
Separate the solid from the water using a strainer. First, grind the cashew in a mixie and then add the other ingredients. It is not necessary to add water as the onions and tomatoes itself release water.
Preparation of the Makhni gravy
Take a kadai or a heavy thick bottomed pan or a cast-iron skillet and heat it. Add 2 tbsps of oil and allow the oil to get heated for 2 minutes.
Then add the whole garam masala (peppercorn, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaf). Allow the flavour of the spices to blend with the oil for 2 minutes. Remove the whole garam masala from the oil.
Then add the paste of blanched onions, tomatoes and cashew nuts. Sauté till you get a thick consistency. Closed the lid while cooking so that it does not splatter.
Add ginger and garlic paste and sauté till the raw smell of garlic goes away
Then add CTC (red chilli powder, turmeric powder , coriander powder)and mix well. Close it with a lid and keep stirring occasionally so that the masala does not get stuck to the bottom
