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.
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.
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.
2. Then add 1 cup Kaju or 120 grams whole cashews.
3. Stir and saute the cashews till they become golden on low to medium-low heat.
4. Remove them on a plate and keep them aside.
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.
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.
Make Cashew Powder
7. When the tomatoes are simmering, take 18 to 20 cashews in a grinder or blender.
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.
9. Remove and keep the ground cashews aside.
Blend Cooked Tomatoes
10. Meanwhile, the tomatoes have softened. Switch off the heat and allow the tomatoes to become warm or cool down completely.
11. Discard the tej patta and add the tomatoes to the same grinder or blender jar in which we had ground the cashews.
12. Blend the tomatoes into a smooth puree. Keep aside.
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.
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.
15. Then add the cashew powder.
16. Stir and mix to combine.
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.
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.
19. Then add the prepared tomato puree.
20. Stir and mix very well.
21. Saute the tomato puree for about 4 minutes on a low to medium heat. Keep on stirring often.
22. Then add ½ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder or deghi mirch. Stir and mix very well.
23. Now add ⅔ to ¾ cup water or as required. Stir and mix again.
24. Add 1 to 2 slit green chilies.
25. Simmer the gravy for 3 to 4 minutes on a low to medium heat.
Make Kaju Curry
26. Then add the sautéed golden cashews. Stir. You can also keep a few cashews for garnish.
27. Season with salt as required.
28. Add ¼ to ½ teaspoon sugar. Stir and simmer the curry for a further 2 minutes.
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)
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.
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.
More popular Indian Curry Recipes
Please be sure to rate the recipe in the recipe card or leave a comment below if you have made it. For more vegetarian inspirations, Sign Up for my emails or follow me on Instagram, Youtube, Facebook, Pinterest or Twitter.
Kaju Curry | Kaju Masala
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)
This Kaju Masala post from the archives (April 2015) has been republished and updated on 22 October 2021.
Fantastic recipe.. I made it more like a mixed vegetable with cashews but was super good!! Thank you.
Hey!! Can we double the recipe?
Since it is a curry with many flavors, you will have to add the ingredients in approximation when doubling the recipe.
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.
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.
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!
thanks. for one person, you can easily add 3 to 4 paneer cubes – just an approximation. it can be more too. hope this helps.
Very nice recipe thanks, I added paneer as well as the sautéed cashews and it turned out very well.
thanks tom for the review and feedback. paneer can be added. even some boiled peas or sweet corn kernels can be added.
Hi is there anyway we can add onion to this? If yes, when can I add?
Thanks ????
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.
Awesome recipe! Tried it, came out very well. Thanks for sharing!!
Welcome Keerthana
Wow, so tasty. Adding powered cashew nut is the key here, which makes gravy thick and tasty.
Thanks for posting.
Welcome Tanmay. Thanks for sharing your positive feedback.
I like to your recipes.
thanks.