Kaju Curry | Kaju Masala
User Reviews
4.9
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Prep Time
30 mins
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Cook Time
30 mins
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Total Time
1 hr
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Servings
4
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Calories
336 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Indian
Kaju Curry | Kaju Masala
Description
This Kaju Curry begins by lightly sautéing cashews in butter or oil until golden but not browned, enhancing their nuttiness. The curry base involves simmering ripe, chopped tomatoes with a tej patta (Indian bay leaf) until softened. Separately, cashews are ground finely, releasing some fat, and blended with the cooled tomato mixture.
The combined tomato-cashew paste is cooked further with ginger garlic paste and slit green chilies, spiced with Kashmiri red chili powder and garam masala, producing a moderately spiced, creamy sauce. Butter, light cream, sugar, and crushed dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi) finish the gravy, offering rich texture and balanced sweetness to counter any tomato tang.
This curry pairs well with Indian breads or rice, serving as a main or side dish. Fresh coriander garnish brightens the finished presentation. The creaminess and mild heat complement the buttery cashews and body of the sauce, making it rich yet approachable.
Using ripe, sweet tomatoes is key to avoid excessive sourness; adjust sweetness or cream quantity if needed. The recipe may be challenging to scale due to precise spice balancing. Quality cashews in good condition ensure the best flavor and prevent off-tastes.
Ingredients
For sauteing cashews
- 1 cup cashews - 120 grams (kaju)
- 1 tablespoon butter or oil
For kaju masala curry
- 1.5 cups tomato or 3 large or 4 medium-sized ripe red tomatoes, chopped
- 1 tej patta (Indian bay leaf)
- ½ cup water
- 18 to 20 cashews
- 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste or 1 inch ginger + 3 to 4 garlic cloves - crushed to paste in a mortar-pestle
- 1 or 2 green chilies - slit
- ½ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder or deghi mirch
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- 2 to 3 tablespoon light cream or cooking cream or low fat cream or 1 to 2 tablespoons whipping cream
- ⅔ to ¾ cup water or add as required
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon sugar or add as per taste
- 1 teaspoon kasuri methi crushed (dried fenugreek leaves)
- 1 to 2 tablespoon Coriander leaves for garnish, chopped
- salt as required
Instructions
Sauteing cashews
- First heat 1 tablespoon butter or oil in a pan. Make sure that the butter does not brown. So melt the butter on a low heat.
- Then add 1 cup cashews (120 grams).
- Stir and saute the cashews till they become golden on low to medium heat. Remove them in a plate and keep aside.
Preparation for kaju curry
- In the same pan, add 1 tej patta and saute for a few seconds.
- Then add roughly chopped tomatoes and ½ cup water. About 4 medium or 3 large tomatoes. Stir well and simmer the mixture till the tomatoes soften.
- When the tomatoes are simmering, take 18 to 20 cashews in grinder or blender and powder very fine. If fat is released while grinding or blending the cashews, then its alright.
- Remove and keep the ground cashews aside.
- Meanwhile, the tomatoes have softened. Switch off the heat and allow the tomatoes to become warm or cool down completely.
- Discard the tej patta and add the tomatoes in the same grinder or blender jar in which we ground the cashews.
- Blend the tomatoes to a smooth puree. Keep aside.
Making kaju curry
- In the same pan in which we sauteed the cashews and cooked the tomatoes, melt 2 tablespoons of butter on low heat.
- Add ginger-garlic paste. Stir and saute for some seconds or till the raw aroma of ginger-garlic goes away.
- Add the cashew powder. Stir and mix very well.
- On a low heat, keep on stirring the cashew powder, so that it cooks uniformly.
- Stir till the color of the cashew powder changes to a pale light golden and you get a nice aroma.
- Then add the tomato puree. Stir and mix very well.
- Saute the tomato puree for about 4 minutes on a low to medium heat.
- Then add kashmiri red chili powder or deghi mirch. Stir very well.
- Then add ⅔ to ¾ cup water or as required. Stir and mix again.
- Add 1 to 2 slit green chilies.
- Simmer the curry for 3 to 4 minutes on a low to medium heat.
- Then add the sautéed golden cashews. Stir to combine.
- Season with salt as required. Simmer the curry for a further 2 minutes.
- Lastly add garam masala powder, light cream and crushed kasuri methi.
- Stir again till the entire cream is mixed well with the kaju curry. Switch off the heat.
- Garnish with coriander leaves and serve kaju masala curry with tandoori roti, naan, chapati. You can also serve it with jeera rice or veg pulao.
Notes
- Use ripe, sweet tomatoes or canned tomatoes to avoid sourness in the curry.
- If the gravy turns too sour, adjust with extra sugar or cream to balance flavors.
- Ensure cashews are fresh and not rancid to maintain the dish's quality.
- Adjust water quantity to reach your preferred curry consistency.
- If kasuri methi is unavailable, omit it without impacting the overall flavor significantly.
- Increase green chilies or red chili powder for more heat if desired.
- Scaling this recipe may be difficult due to specific ingredient proportions.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 336 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 336kcal | 17% |
| Carbohydrates | 17g | 6% |
| Protein | 8g | 16% |
| Fat | 28g | 43% |
| Saturated Fat | 10g | 50% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 4g | 24% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 12g | 60% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 31mg | 10% |
| Sodium | 424mg | 18% |
| Potassium | 405mg | 9% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 5g | 10% |
| Vitamin A | 886IU | 18% |
| Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) | 1mg | |
| Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) | 1mg | |
| Vitamin B3 (Niacin) | 1mg | |
| Vitamin B6 | 1mg | |
| Vitamin B12 | 1µg | 42% |
| Vitamin C | 12mg | 13% |
| Vitamin D | 1µg | 5% |
| Vitamin E | 1mg | |
| Vitamin K | 19µg | |
| Calcium | 32mg | 3% |
| Vitamin B9 (Folate) | 19µg | |
| Iron | 3mg | 17% |
| Magnesium | 122mg | 31% |
| Phosphorus | 253mg | |
| Zinc | 2mg |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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