Kaju Curry | Kaju Masala

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Kaju curry is a restaurant style delicious recipe of a creamy kaju butter masala with a rich, tangy, sweet flavorful gravy made with cashews, tomatoes, cream and spices. Kaju is the Hindi word for cashews. This recipe of kaju masala has an overload of cashews as they are added twice during the cooking process. Serve with roti, naan, paratha or steamed rice for a sumptuous and filling lunch or dinner.

kaju masala served in a white bowl with tandoori roti

About Kaju Curry

When and as time permits, I do prepare recipes requested by readers. This recipe of kaju curry was requested by a few blog readers. So here is the recipe.

The kaju masala curry is rich, creamy and on the sweeter side. It is also mild and not spicy, so good for kids. Whole cashews as well as powdered cashews are added in the recipe.

The gravy is tomato based one and is similar to the Paneer Butter Masala gravy I make. Garlic is added, but you can easily skip garlic and make a no onion no garlic version.

This kaju curry recipe being rich, makes for a good party dish or for a weekend meal. You can serve kaju masala with tandoori rotis, naan, chapatis. You can also serve it with jeera rice or veg pulao.

Step-by-Step Guide

How to make Kaju Curry

Sauté Cashews (Kaju)

1. First heat 1 tablespoon butter or oil in a pan or kadai. Make sure that the butter does not brown. So melt the butter on a low heat.

butter in a pan

2. Then add 1 cup Kaju or 120 grams whole cashews.

cashews added to pan

3. Stir and saute the cashews till they become golden on low to medium-low heat.

sauteing kaju till golden

4. Remove them on a plate and keep them aside.

kaju removed in plate

Cook Tomatoes

5. In the same pan there will be some butter remaining. Add 1 tej patta (Indian bay leaf) and saute for a few seconds on low heat.

tejpatta added to pan

6. Then add 1.5 cups roughly chopped tomatoes and ½ cup water. About 4 medium or 3 large sized tomatoes. Stir and mix well and simmer the mixture on a medium to high heat till the tomatoes soften. You can also cover the pan and cook the tomatoes.

tomatoes added to pan

Make Cashew Powder

7. When the tomatoes are simmering, take 18 to 20 cashews in a grinder or blender.

grinding kaju in a grinder jar

8. Powder them to a very fine texture. If fat is released while grinding or blending cashews, then it is alright. Scrape the sides and powder them finely.

grounded kaju

9. Remove and keep the ground cashews aside.

grounded cashew powder in a bowl

Blend Cooked Tomatoes

10. Meanwhile, the tomatoes have softened. Switch off the heat and allow the tomatoes to become warm or cool down completely.

sauteing tomatoes in the pan

11. Discard the tej patta and add the tomatoes to the same grinder or blender jar in which we had ground the cashews.

tomato mixture added to grinder jar

12. Blend the tomatoes into a smooth puree. Keep aside.

tomato puree made

Make Kaju Masala Gravy

13. In the same pan in which we sauteed the cashews and cooked the tomatoes, heat 2 tablespoons of butter on low heat.

butter added to pan

14. Add 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste (1 inch ginger + 3 to 4 garlic crushed to paste in a mortar-pestle).

Stir and saute for some seconds or till the raw aroma of ginger-garlic goes away.

ginger garlic paste added to pan

15. Then add the cashew powder.

cashew powder added

16. Stir and mix to combine.

stir and mix kaju powder with butter

17. On a low heat, keep on stirring the cashew powder, so that it cooks uniformly. You have to stir continuously, otherwise the cashew powder sticks to the pan and can get burned or too browned.

cooking kaju powder on low heat

18. Stir till the color of the cashew powder changes to a pale light golden and you get a nice aroma. However don’t brown the cashew powder.

cooking kaju powder till pale light golden

19. Then add the prepared tomato puree.

tomato puree added

20. Stir and mix very well.

stir and mix

21. Saute the tomato puree for about 4 minutes on a low to medium heat. Keep on stirring often.

sauteing tomato puree curry

22. Then add ½ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder or deghi mirch. Stir and mix very well.

red chilli powder added

23. Now add ⅔ to ¾ cup water or as required. Stir and mix again.

water added to curry

24. Add 1 to 2 slit green chilies.

green chillies added to curry

25. Simmer the gravy for 3 to 4 minutes on a low to medium heat.

simmer kaju masala curry

Make Kaju Curry

26. Then add the sautéed golden cashews. Stir. You can also keep a few cashews for garnish.

kaju added to kaju curry

27. Season with salt as required.

salt added

28. Add ¼ to ½ teaspoon sugar. Stir and simmer the curry for a further 2 minutes.

sugar added and simmering kaju curry

29. Lastly add the following ingredients:

  • ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons low fat cream or light cream or cooking cream or 1 to 2 tablespoons whipping cream
  • 1 teaspoon kasuri methi, crushed (dried fenugreek leaves)
garam masala powder and cream added to kaju curry

30. Stir again till the entire cream is mixed well with the kaju masala curry. Switch off the flame. Check the seasoning and add more salt or sugar if required.

stir kaju masala curry

31. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve kaju masala with tandoori roti, naan, phulka or paratha. You can also serve it with cumin rice or veg pulao or steamed basmati rice or saffron rice or ghee rice.

The leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container and used within a day.

kaju masala served in a white bowl with tandoori roti


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kaju masala recipe, kaju curry recipe, kaju butter masala recipe

Kaju Curry | Kaju Masala

Kaju curry is a restaurant style delicious recipe of a creamy kaju butter masala with a rich, tangy, sweet flavorful gravy made with cashews, tomatoes, cream and spices
4.86 from 34 votes
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Cuisine North Indian, Punjabi
Course Main Course
Diet Vegetarian
Difficulty Level Moderate
Servings 4
Units

Ingredients

For sauteing cashews

  • 1 cup cashews – 120 grams (kaju)
  • 1 tablespoon Butter or oil

For kaju masala curry

  • 1.5 cups chopped tomatoes or 3 large or 4 medium-sized ripe red tomatoes
  • 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 chopped coriander leaves for garnish
  • 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 tomatoes that are ripe and sweet. Avoid making this dish with tangy or sour tomatoes. You can also use canned tomatoes to make this dish.
  • If in case the gravy taste very sour then add some more sugar or you can add some more cream to balance the tanginess.
  • Cashews should be in their shelf period. Make sure they are not rancid as this will spoil the dish. Use best quality cashews as they are one of the main ingredients in this recipe.
  • You can add more or less water to get the consistency you prefer.
  • If you don’t dry fenugreek leaves then skip adding it.
  • For a spicier taster you can increase the amount of green chilies or add a bit more of the Kashmiri red chili powder.
  • The recipe will be difficult to scale as it is.

Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)

Nutrition Facts
Kaju Curry | Kaju Masala
Amount Per Serving
Calories 336 Calories from Fat 252
% Daily Value*
Fat 28g43%
Saturated Fat 10g63%
Trans Fat 1g
Polyunsaturated Fat 4g
Monounsaturated Fat 12g
Cholesterol 31mg10%
Sodium 424mg18%
Potassium 405mg12%
Carbohydrates 17g6%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 8g16%
Vitamin A 886IU18%
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 1mg67%
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 1mg59%
Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 1mg5%
Vitamin B6 1mg50%
Vitamin B12 1µg17%
Vitamin C 12mg15%
Vitamin D 1µg7%
Vitamin E 1mg7%
Vitamin K 19µg18%
Calcium 32mg3%
Vitamin B9 (Folate) 19µg5%
Iron 3mg17%
Magnesium 122mg31%
Phosphorus 253mg25%
Zinc 2mg13%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

This Kaju Masala post from the archives (April 2015) has been republished and updated on 22 October 2021.

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76 Comments

  1. Fantastic recipe.. I made it more like a mixed vegetable with cashews but was super good!! Thank you.5 stars

    1. Since it is a curry with many flavors, you will have to add the ingredients in approximation when doubling the recipe.

  2. Dear Dassana,

    this… was fantastic!

    I cheated outrageously, I have to admit: I used cashew butter and a can of tomatoes plus a tiny bit of honey instead of grinding my own – but that is also due to the fact that my real blender is still in storage, it’s winter here and I came home after working for 11 hours…

    Thank you so much – this was exactly what was needed on a cold winter night.5 stars

    1. thank you naurael for sharing this feedback and also for the variations you made. i am glad that the recipe worked well with the variations. welcome and happy cooking.

  3. How much paneer should be added per person? I’ll try this recipe for 10 people today, so wanted an estimate for the quantity. I love your recipes!

    1. thanks. for one person, you can easily add 3 to 4 paneer cubes – just an approximation. it can be more too. hope this helps.

  4. Very nice recipe thanks, I added paneer as well as the sautéed cashews and it turned out very well.5 stars

    1. thanks tom for the review and feedback. paneer can be added. even some boiled peas or sweet corn kernels can be added.

    1. ranjini, you can add onions. in the 14th step, before adding ginger-garlic paste, add onions in the melted butter and saute till translucent. then add ginger-garlic paste and continue with the recipe.

  5. Wow, so tasty. Adding powered cashew nut is the key here, which makes gravy thick and tasty.
    Thanks for posting.5 stars

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