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Veg Makhanwala
4.8 from 78 votes

Veg Makhanwala

Veg Makhanwala brings together steamed or sautéed mixed vegetables like cauliflower, potato, French beans, carrots, and peas in a spiced butter-based gravy enriched with cream, cashew paste, and aromatic spices such as garam masala and kasuri methi. The tomato-cashew ginger garlic paste provides a smooth, creamy foundation for the sauce, which simmers to meld the complex flavors and coat the vegetables.

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
40 mins
Total Time
1 hr 10 mins
Servings: 3
Calories: 222 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

veggies for veg makhanwala
  • 100 grams cauliflower chopped into medium florets or about ¾ cup chopped medium cauliflower florets
  • 100 grams potato or 1 medium potato, diced or cubed or cut into batons or ⅓ to ½ cup chopped potatoes
  • 8 to 10 french beans chopped
  • 80 to 100 grams carrot or 2 medium carrots, chopped or cut into batons or ⅓ to ½ cup chopped carrots
  • ⅓ cup pea - fresh or frozen
for ground paste
  • 200 grams tomato chopped or about 1.25 cup chopped tomatoes, ripe, red
  • 2 tablespoon cashews or 20 to 22 cashews
  • ½ inch ginger - chopped
  • 3 to 4 garlic - chopped
for veg makhanwala gravy
  • 2 tablespoon butter
  • 1 tej patta indian bay leaf, small to medium
  • ¼ to ½ teaspoon garam masala
  • 1 green chili - slit
  • ½ teaspoon kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves)
  • ½ inch ginger julienne (optional)
  • ⅛ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • ½ teaspoon red chili powder
  • 2 to 3 tablespoon cream low fat
  • 1.25 to 1.5 cups water
  • ½ teaspoon sugar or as required
  • salt as required
  • Coriander leaves optional, few, for garnish
  • ½ inch ginger julienne (optional)

Instructions

prepping and cooking the veggies
    Cup of Yum
  1. First heat 1/3 cup water and soak 20 to 22 cashews in hot water for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes drain the cashews.
  2. Meanwhile while the cashews are soaking, rinse & chop the veggies. You can also cut the veggies in batons. Add about 2 to 2.5 cups of chopped mix vegetables like cauliflower, carrots, french beans, potatoes, capsicum and peas. You can also add mushrooms. If adding mushrooms then better to saute them instead of steaming them.
  3. Now you can steam or fry/saute the veggies. for steaming, steam then in a pressure cooker, electric rice cooker or a pan. Just add about 2 to 3 cups water in the cooker (pressure or electric). Place the chopped vegetables in the pan/steamer pan and keep in the cooker. While pressure cooking, cook for 2 whistles.
  4. For sauteing veggies, heat 3 tbsp oil in a pan. Add the veggies in batches to the pan.
  5. Saute the veggies, till they are browned from the edges. Remove them on a plate and keep aside. Add more oil if required while sauteing.
preparing the ground paste
  1. In a grinder or blender jar, add 1.25 cups of chopped tomatoes, soaked cashews, ginger and garlic (½ inch ginger & 3 to 4 garlic, chopped).
  2. Without adding any water make a smooth paste in the grinder or blender. There should be no small pieces of cashews in the paste.
making veg makhanwala gravy
  1. Heat 2 tbsp butter in a pan. Add tej patta or bay leaf and saute for a few seconds.
  2. Add the tomato cashew paste.
  3. Keep on stirring and sauteing the paste on a low flame.
  4. Saute and stir till you see fat leaving the sides and on the surface. The entire sauteing of the tomato-cashew paste takes about 9 to 10 minutes on a low flame.
  5. Add ¼ tsp turmeric powder & ½ tsp red chili powder. Stir and saute for a minute.
  6. Add 1.25 to 1.5 cups water. Stir very well.
  7. Add 1 slit green chili. The green chilies give a bit of heat to the gravy. You can also skip the green chilies.
  8. Bring the gravy to simmer on a low to medium flame for 6 to 8 minutes. You should see some fat floating on top. The gravy will also thicken.
  9. Add the steamed or fried veggies. Stir gently.
  10. Add ½ tsp sugar or as required. Add salt.
  11. Add ½ tsp kasuri methi/dry fenugreek leaves. Crush and then add the kasuri methi.
  12. Stir and then add 2 to 3 tbsp low fat cream.
  13. Stir so that the cream mixes very well with the gravy. Switch off the flame.
  14. Lastly sprinkle some ¼ tsp garam masala powder. If using homemade garam masala, then add ¼ tsp and if using store brought, then add ½ tsp. You can even add ginger julienne at this step or garnish with them later.
  15. Stir again and veg makhanwala is ready to be served.
  16. Serve vegetable makhanwala hot or warm with rotis or parathas or naan or tadoori roti or rumali roti.
  17. While serving you can garnish with coriander leaves or ginger julienne.

Notes

  • Soak cashews in hot water for 30 minutes to soften before blending into the tomato paste.
  • Vegetables can be steamed or sautéed depending on preference, affecting texture and flavor.
  • Heavy cream can replace low-fat cream for a richer gravy, or be omitted entirely with some change in taste.
  • Optional additions include grated paneer or cheese added at serving for extra richness.

Nutrition Information

Calories 222kcal (11%) Carbohydrates 21g (7%) Protein 5g (10%) Fat 14g (22%) Saturated Fat 7g (35%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g (6%) Monounsaturated Fat 5g (25%) Trans Fat 1g (50%) Cholesterol 31mg (10%) Sodium 489mg (20%) Potassium 635mg (14%) Fiber 5g (20%) Sugar 7g (14%) Vitamin A 5680IU (114%) Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 1mg Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 1mg Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 2mg Vitamin B6 1mg Vitamin B12 1µg (42%) Vitamin C 45mg (50%) Vitamin D 1µg (5%) Vitamin E 1mg Vitamin K 25µg Calcium 58mg (6%) Vitamin B9 (Folate) 58µg Iron 2mg (11%) Magnesium 55mg (14%) Phosphorus 136mg Zinc 1mg

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 3 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 222

% Daily Value*

Calories 222kcal 11%
Carbohydrates 21g 7%
Protein 5g 10%
Fat 14g 22%
Saturated Fat 7g 35%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g 6%
Monounsaturated Fat 5g 25%
Trans Fat 1g 50%
Cholesterol 31mg 10%
Sodium 489mg 20%
Potassium 635mg 14%
Fiber 5g 20%
Sugar 7g 14%
Vitamin A 5680IU 114%
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 1mg
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 1mg
Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 2mg
Vitamin B6 1mg
Vitamin B12 1µg 42%
Vitamin C 45mg 50%
Vitamin D 1µg 5%
Vitamin E 1mg
Vitamin K 25µg
Calcium 58mg 6%
Vitamin B9 (Folate) 58µg
Iron 2mg 11%
Magnesium 55mg 14%
Phosphorus 136mg
Zinc 1mg

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.