Enjoy this rich and indulgent delicacy Khaju Masala with stuffed paratha on a snowy evening...
Contents:
- An Introduction of Khaju Masala
- A Brief Note On Cashew Nuts
- Ingredients & Directions
- Tips
- Recipe Excerpt
- Nutritional facts
Khaju Masala a quintessential Indian dish much know for its richness and grandeur, is indeed a luxurious dish from the North Indian cuisine, much adored for its creamy texture and unique flavor.
An Insight Into Khaju Masala:
When we take a sneak peek into the vast gastronomic history of India, we could see a huge amalgamation of various cuisines which blended the varied food cultures for centuries. When we pond over the origin of rich and exemplary cuisines, it takes us way back to the mughal period dated between 1500 to 1700 A.D. It was during this mughal period that the Indian cuisine took a trendsetting breakthrough where Indian cooking underwent a major transformation by adapting itself to the influences of Turkish and Persian cuisines. Mughal emperors were the connoisseurs of art, food and culture and thus encouraged the fusion of different food cultures which got its source and influence from the foreign countries. This led to the invention of innumerable exotic dishes where play of ingredients became a regular riot of flavors at the royal kitchens. Several astounding dishes and recipes were created which certainly withstood the test of time and in fact got molded and improvised with the passing centuries. In the after years, several recipes were invented with the inspiration and innovation acquired from the mughal cuisine which paved way for the creation for a host of amazing dishes.
Khaju Masala is one such luxurious dish that comes with a velvety texture and alluring flavor much known for its richness and grandeur. With cashew nut as its chief ingredient, this delicacy is chosen for parties or buffets and served at all iconic establishments and at restaurants all over the country. The combination of cashew gravy with kulcha or naan is inexplicable and it strikes a chord with kids and adults alike. Seemingly difficult, this nutty Khaju masala can be made within half an hour if you have all the ingredients ready at hand. As cashew nut is rich by itself you need not add any special ingredient in this recipe to make it more delectable. Moderate usage of regular Indian condiments like red chili, coriander and turmeric powders keep the khaju masala subtle, so that we enjoy the flavor of cashew to the fullest. Just a bite of onion kulcha with a spoon full of khaju masala accompanied by crunchy raw carrots, onion rings and cucumbers with a sip of chilled mint lime juice in between, tastes like heaven and if the ambience (of course in a nice weather) is perfect your palates are sure to go on a thrilly roller coaster ride.
Introduction of Cashew nut in India:
Cashew nut was first introduced in India by the Portuguese approximately five centuries ago and was cultivated first in Goa and from there it slowly spread to other parts of the county. Its taste and therapeutic properties were recognized in course of time and thereafter it became widely popular and its cultivation expanded during the 16th century. It was only during the 1960s the commercial cultivation of cashew began in India and gradually it attained an economic status due to the intensive export of cashew nuts to more than fifty countries other than USA, UK, UAE, Spain, France and Germany. From then on till now, India remains to be one of the highest exporters of cashew nuts to other countries and a major source of foreign exchange. India was the pioneer to promote cashew processing as an industry and it stands as the largest producer, processor and exporter of cashew nuts globally till date.
Try this astounding recipe of Khaju Masala and make you party remarkable.
Ingredients Required To Make Khaju Masala Recipe
How To Make Khaju Masala Recipe
Soak the measured quantities of cashew and onion in a cup of boiling water and let it set for about fifteen minutes approximately. When it cools down, plop the soaked ingredients into a blender and make a smooth puree out of it. Add water little by little as and when needed. Let the final outcome be luscious half white and creamy. Transfer it to a bowl and keep aside.
Heat a large pan and tip in a little ghee and when it is heated, throw in some cashews and roast for a while. When it turns golden brown, just take out the cashews using a slotted spoon and place it over a plate and keep aside. Now in the same pan add two or three tablespoons of oil and when it gets heated up, drop in a bay leaf, clove, cinnamon, cardamom and anise and lower the flame. Within seconds, it turns aromatic and now add the chopped ginger and garlic and saute well for a few seconds. To enhance the flavor, plop in a teaspoon of ginger garlic paste too and saute for a minute.
At this stage, add the finely chopped onion and when it becomes translucent, squirt in the tomatoes and wait for it to get mushy. Sprinkle the required salt and add the measured quantities of red chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and garam masala and splash in a little water to mix everything together. When the raw smell of the spice powders go off, add two to three cups of water and alter the flame to high mode. when it comes to a boil, just plop in the cashew paste along with a quarter cup of water and simmer the flame. Here, you drop in the roasted cashews and stir in. Finally, add a little kasuri methi and mix altogether. Check the consistency of the cashew masala and dilute if it is too thick. Now, pop the lid on and let it get cooked for about ten minutes approximately.
After a while, just open the lid and ensure that the oil has started to separate at the sides and after a minute or two, when the whole masala turns aromatic, just turn off the stove. Garnish with some coriander leaves, fresh cream and ghee. Serve it hot for paratha or naan roti with some lemon wedges and onion rings.
Tips:
* Be liberal about the usage of cashews as it should be the predominating flavor of the masala . You can either use whole cashews or broken ones to make this khaju masala. Indulging in high calorie food once in a while is understandable.
* If you would like it to be absolutely subtle and creamy you can minimize the quantity of red chili powder.
* When you make the cashew puree, ensure that you make it absolutely fine and smooth as it is an important nuance to be followed to get a perfect buttery finish. Half the work is done if you get the soaking and blending right.
* While adding the coriander leaves add it at two stages. First add a portion while dropping in the roasted cashews and then add the rest when you turn off the stove. First one is to seep in the flavor of fresh coriander and the second one is for garnishing the Khaju Masala.
* Khaju Masala goes well with any type of roti like kulcha or butter naan and for rice varieties like fried rice, ghee rice or jeera rice, peas pulav etc.,
* We use kashmiri mirch to make khaju masala as it gives the desired flavor and color to the gravy.
* In case, if you do not have fresh cream ready at hand, you can use full fat milk.
Ingredients
Directions
Soak the measured quantities of cashew and onion in a cup of boiling water and let it set for about fifteen minutes approximately. When it cools down, plop the soaked ingredients into a blender and make a smooth puree out of it. Add water little by little as and when needed. Let the final outcome be luscious half white and creamy. Transfer it to a bowl and keep aside.
Heat a large pan and tip in a little ghee and when it is heated, throw in some cashews and roast for a while. When it turns golden brown, just take out the cashews using a slotted spoon and place it over a plate and keep aside. Now in the same pan add two or three tablespoons of oil and when it gets heated up, drop in a bay leaf, clove, cinnamon, cardamom and anise and lower the flame. Within seconds, it turns aromatic and now add the chopped ginger and garlic and saute well for a few seconds. To enhance the flavor, plop in a teaspoon of ginger garlic paste too and saute for a minute.
At this stage, add the finely chopped onion and when it becomes translucent, squirt in the tomatoes and wait for it to get mushy. Sprinkle the required salt and add the measured quantities of red chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and garam masala and splash in a little water to mix everything together. When the raw smell of the spice powders go off, add two to three cups of water and alter the flame to high mode. when it comes to a boil, just plop in the cashew paste along with a quarter cup of water and simmer the flame. Here, you drop in the roasted cashews and stir in. Finally, add a little kasuri methi and mix altogether. Check the consistency of the cashew masala and dilute if it is too thick. Now, pop the lid on and let it get cooked for about ten minutes approximately.
After a while, just open the lid and ensure that the oil has started to separate at the sides and after a minute or two, when the whole masala turns aromatic, just turn off the stove. Garnish with some coriander leaves, fresh cream and ghee. Serve it hot for paratha or naan roti with some lemon wedges and onion rings.
