Kaju Curry: A Dish To Celebrate Occasions, Is A Must-Try

A creamy kaju butter masala and a thick, tangy, sweet, and aromatic gravy mixed with cashews, tomatoes, cream, and spices make up the delectable dish known as kaju curry. Cashews are referred to as kaju in Hindi. Cashews are used excessively in this kaju masala dish since they are added twice during the cooking process. For a delicious and satisfying lunch or dinner, serve with roti, naan, paratha, or steaming rice. 

In Rajasthan, kaju curry recipe is the most popular and in-demand food to relish.The curry made with kaju is thick, creamy, and slightly sweet. Kids would enjoy it because it is moderately spicy and not hot. The recipe calls for both whole and powdered cashews. The tomato-based gravy is similar of the Paneer Butter Masala gravy. Although garlic is included, a no-onion, no-garlic variation is simply made. Due to its richness, this kaju curry recipe is a fantastic choice for a weekend lunch or for parties.Kaju masala is good with chapatis, naan, and tandoori rotis. Additionally, you can serve it with veg pulao or jeera rice.  So, here is the recipe. 

Ingredients:  

For Sauteing 

1 cup cashews – 120 grams (kaju) 

1 tbsp Butter or oil 

For curry 

1.5 cups chopped tomatoes or 3 large or 4 medium-sized ripe red tomatoes 

1 bay leaf

½ cup water 

18 to 20 cashews 

1 tsp 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 tsp kashmiri red chili powder or deghi mirch 

½ tsp Garam Masala 

2 to 3 tbsp light cream or cooking cream or low fat cream or 1 to 2 tbsp whipping cream 

⅔ to ¾ cup water or add as required 

2 tbsp Butter 

¼ to ½ tsp sugar or add as per taste 

1 tsp kasuri methi crushed (dried fenugreek leaves) 

1 to 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves for garnish 

salt as required 

Method: 

First, heat a pan with a tablespoon of butter or oil. Make sure the butter doesn't turn a brown in  colour. So, heat the butter gently. Add 1 cup cashews after that. The cashews should be stirred and sauteed on low to medium heat until they turn brown. Put them on a plate and set them away. Sauté 1 tej patta in the same pan for a brief period of time. Then include 1/2 cup water and roughly diced tomatoes. approximately 3 large or 4 medium tomatoes. Stir thoroughly and cook the mixture until the tomatoes are tender. Take 18 to 20 cashews and process them into a fine powder in a grinder or blender while the tomatoes are boiling. It's okay if fat is released while the cashews are being ground or blended. The ground cashews should be removed and set aside. The tomatoes have softerened in the meantime. Remove the tomatoes from the heat and let them warm up or completely cool. In the same grinder or blender jar that we used to grind the cashews, discard the tej patta and add the tomatoes. Smoothly puree the tomatoes in a blender. Set apart. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter over low heat in the same pan that you used to cook the tomatoes and sauté the cashews. Include ginger-garlic paste. For a few seconds or until the raw ginger-garlic fragrance has vanished, stir and sauté. Pour in the cashew powder. Clearly combine and stir. Maintain constant stirring over low heat to ensure even cooking of the cashew powder. Stir until the cashew powder turns a light pale yellow colour and releases a pleasant fragrance. The tomato puree is then added. Mix and stir thoroughly. On a low to medium heat, saute the tomato puree for about 4 minutes. Then add deghi mirch, a type of red chilli powder from Kashmir. Mix thoroughly. Next, add 2 to 3 cups of water, or as needed. Mix and stir once more. Add one or two sliced green chilies. Using a low to medium heat, simmer the curry for 3 to 4 minutes. Next, incorporate the golden cashews that have been sautéing. Mix by stirring. As needed, salt the food. For a further 2 minutes, simmer the curry. As needed, salt the food. For a further 2 minutes, simmer the curry.Re-stir the mixture until the cream has completely incorporated with the kaju curry. Turn off the heat.Serve the kaju masala curry with naan, chapati, and coriander leaves as a garnish. You can also serve it with veg pulao or jeera rice.