For Indian Cooking Master gravy is the fundamental. So, let us see some important Master gravies.
However, before that, it is essential to know some terms used in cooking.
Cooking terms
Sauté
To cook food in a minimal amount of fat and moderately high heat till it turns light brown.
Blanching
The scalding of a vegetable or fruit in boiling water for a period of time and abruptly cooling with iced water to prevent further cooking.
Tempering
The roasting of certain ingredients in oil such that it enhances the flavour.
Garnishing
To decorate a food or drink by adding another ingredient so that it gives an appealing look.
Bake
To cook food by dry heat without direct exposure to a flame, typically in an oven. Here heat is applied evenly on all sides.
Barbecue
To cook meat, fish, or any other food slowly on a rack over an open fire or on a special appliance.
Steaming
To cook food in a consistent way using the heat from the steam generated from boiling water.
Purée
To mash or grind food until completely smooth.
Marinate
To soak in a sauce or flavoured liquid for a long period of time, usually meat, poultry or fish.
Stew
A dish of meat and vegetables cooked slowly in liquid in a closed dish or pan.
Types of Masala
Whole garam masala
It is a combination of peppercorns, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaf. The ingredients in a garam masala may vary according to the region.
Garam masala
It is a finely ground combination of peppercorns, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaf. The ingredients in a garam masala may vary according to the region.
Chettinad masala
It is a finely ground combination of cardamom, cinnamon stick, cloves, whole black peppercorns, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, dry red chilies.
Kadai masala
It is a coarsely ground combination of roasted coriander seeds, cumin seeds, black peppercorns, fennel seeds, green cardamoms, black cardamoms, cloves, dry Kashmiri red chilies and bay leaves.
Foundation ingredient
Either one of these ingredients are added to the gravy. eg -mushroom, soya, paneer, chicken, mutton and fish.
Oil used
cooking oil / butter / ghee
Abbreviations used
CTC – Red chili powder, turmeric powder and coriander powder
MRC – mustard seeds, red chilies, curry leaves
tsp – teaspoon
tbsp – tablespoon.
A tablespoon is three times bigger than a teaspoon.
For Indian Cooking, Master gravies are the fundamental. The quantity is increased if we are cooking for more people and decreased if we are cooking for less people, but otherwise the ingredients and method remains the same.
You can also add the foundation ingredient after the gravy is cooked but here, I am adding the foundation ingredient while it is cooking. The master gravy can be prepared in large quantities, stored and used whenever necessary.
The cooking time varies for each foundation ingredient. The approximate cooking time of each foundation ingredient in a gravy is as given below.
| Foundation Ingredient | Cooking time | |
| Non Vegetarian (400 g) |
||
| Fish | 10 minutes | |
| Chicken | ||
| Breast (with bone) | 30 to 40 minutes | |
| Breast (boneless) | 20 to 30 minutes | |
| Leg or thighs | 40 to 50 minutes | |
| Mutton | 60 to 90 minutes | |
| Vegetarian (250 g) |
||
| Mushrooms (white-readily available in market) | 4 to 5 minutes | |
| Paneer | 5 minutes | |
| Vegetables | 15 to 20 minutes | |
| Pulses using pressure cooker (soaked for 8 to 12 hours) | 20 minutes or 4 to 5 whistles |
The time for cooking of fish depends on the type and thickness of the fish. Similarly, the cooking time of chicken and mutton varies with the tenderness. For country chicken, the cooking time is longer.
Vegetables cook faster but the cooking time also varies from one vegetable to another.
So, let us see some important Master gravies.
The basic master gravies are-
- Reddish Brown Gravy
- Makhni Gravy (red)
- Shahi Gravy
Reddish Brown Gravy
Introduction
This basic gravy is a perfect blend of the spices with onions and tomatoes. You can make alterations to this gravy as you wish but the method given here is the basic.
Instructions
You can add more oil if required. For richer taste you can also add ghee.
If you want 1 Star Anise can be included with the garam masala.
Cream can also be added to make it richer. Add 100 ml cream after you add the blended mixture to the gravy.
Some foundation ingredients that can be used in this gravy are –
mushroom, soya (meal maker), paneer, chicken, mutton, cauliflower
Ingredients
Whole garam masala (without grinding)
6 peppercorns
4 cloves
2 cardamoms
2 cinnamons (1 inch)
2 Indian bay leaves (Tej patta)
4 tbsps oil
4 onions medium sized (chopped)
3 tomatoes medium sized (chopped )
1inch ginger /1 tsp ginger
1pod garlic /1tsp garlic
1green chilly (slit)
½ tsp garam masala
1 tsp red chilli powder
¼ tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp coriander powder
1 tsp salt or salt to taste
Method
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.
Add whole garam masala (peppercorn, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaf) and allow the flavour of the spices to blend with the oil for a minute.
Immediately add and sauté onions and green chilly in a medium flame till the onions turns golden brown.
Add ginger and garlic paste and stir till the raw smell of the onions goes. Then add tomatoes and sauté.
Sauté till you get a mushy paste as shown in the below picture.
Now add CTC (red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder) and garam masala. Mix well and cook for 10 minutes. Keep stirring frequently on low flame so that the masala does not stick to the kadai/pan/skillet.
Cool the masala. Remove the bay leaf and blend in a mixie. First grind without adding water then add water gradually till you get a smooth paste. You can add upto 100ml of water for grinding. Keep the ground masala aside.
Now take another kadai or a heavy thick bottomed pan or a cast-iron skillet and heat it. Add 2 tablespoons of oil and allow the oil to get heated.
Add the Foundation ingredient to the pan and stir for 5 minutes in medium flame.
Now add the ground mixture to the foundation ingredient in the kadai/pan/skillet. Sprinkle salt to taste.
Then add a cup of water.
Mix well and close the lid. Cook for 20 minutes or till the oil separates.
Note: The cooking time depends on the foundation ingredients used. You can refer to the table for the details.
Makhni Gravy (red)
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
a)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
Add kasuri methi after crushing in the hand.
Now add cream and sugar.
Now, take another pan and heat it. Add 2 tbsp of oil and allow the oil to heat for 2 minutes.
Add the Foundation ingredient to the pan and mix well.
Now add the previously ground masala to the pan having foundation ingredient. Sprinkle some salt to taste and add a cup of water.
Mix well and cook for 20 minutes or till the oil separates. Closed the lid while cooking so that it does not splatter.
Add 1 tbsp of butter.
Note: The cooking time depends on the foundation ingredients used. You can refer to the cooking table for the details.
Shahi Gravy
Introduction
It’s an awesome blend of spices with onions and green chilies. Many alterations can be given to this gravy but here the basic recipe is given.
Instructions
Cashew nuts can be blanched and made into a paste. Even onions, green chillies, ginger and garlic can be made into a paste and added separately. But here I have added everything together without blanching to make it simple for the beginners.
Some foundation ingredients that can be used in this gravy are- chicken, mutton, paneer
Ingredients
Whole garam masala
4 cloves
2 cardamoms
2 cinnamon (1 inch)
2 bay leaves
1 tsp cumin seeds
5 tbsp butter/oil
3 big onions
5 green chillies
25 g cashew nuts
1 pod garlic
1-inch ginger
100 ml curds
100 ml cream
½ tsp poppy seeds
2-3 strands of saffron dissolved in 1 tsp of water
½ tsp salt or salt to taste
Method
Take a kadai or a heavy thick bottomed pan or a cast-iron skillet and heat it. Add 2 tbsps butter/oil and allow it to get heated
Add whole garam masala (cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaf, cumin seeds). Allow the flavour of the spices to blend with the oil for 2 minutes
Then add onions and green chillies and stir fry for few minutes
Then add ginger and garlic. Stir fry for few minutes.
Now add cashew nuts and poppy seeds and sauté till the onions become translucent.
Cool it and grind it in a mixie after removing the bay leaves. Randomly select ginger, garlic, and cashew and grind them. Then add the other ingredients. Do not add water initially. Then keep adding water little by little.
Take another pan and heat it. Add 2 tbsp of butter/oil. Allow the butter/oil to heat for 2 minutes. Transfer the ground masala to the heated pan. Keep heating and stirring it in low flame until the moisture goes.
Then add cream and curd. Add the saffron and keep stirring. Sprinkle some salt to taste.
Add the Foundation ingredient to the pan and mix well.
Cook for about 20 minutes or till the oil separates. Closed the lid while cooking so that it does not splatter.
Note: The cooking time depends on the foundation ingredients used. You can refer to the cooking table for the details.
