How to make Basic Punjabi Red Gravy (Base Gravy)
Prep time: 10-15 mins
Cooking time: 20-25 mins
Serves: 4-5 people
Ingredients:
2 tbsp oil
3 cloves (lavang)
2 black pepper
2 cinnamon
2 cardamom (elaichi)
2-3 bay leaves (tej patta)
1 tsp jeera (cumin)
3 cloves garlic
50 gm khoya/ mava
100 gm cashewnut paste
2 onions
3 tomatoes
1 tbsp sambhar masala
1 tbsp pav bhaji masala
1 ½ tbsp dhania jeera powder
1 tbsp red chilly powder
½ tsp turmeric powder
¼ tsp garam masala powder
2 tsp salt
½ tsp sugar
1 cup water
Coriander for garnishing
Method:
1. Soak cashew nuts in water for half an hour and make a smooth thick paste from it.
2. Chop tomatoes and make puree. Sieve the puree.
3. Crush garlic cloves.
4. Heat oil in a pan and add cloves, black pepper, cinnamon, cardamom, bay leaves, jeera. Cook these spices for 3-4 mins.
5. Add crushed garlic and chopped onions and cook till the oninons turn golden brown. Add sambhar masala, pavbhaji masala, garam masala, turmeric, red chilly powder and dhania jeera powder and cook for 3-4 mins. Sprinkle some water so the masala doesn’t burn.
6. After masala’s get cooked, add khoya and tomato puree and cook for 4-5 mins.
7. Then add cahewnut paste and cook for 5 mins. Then add salt and sugar and mix it properly.
8. Add 1 cup water and boil for 5 mins and garnish with coriander and use it.
9. The gravy can be used to make a variety of Punjabi dishes such as veg kolhapuri, makhanwala, veg kadai, paneer butter masala, stuffed capsicum and many more mouth watering dishes.
Tips:
- 1. This gravy can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 days and can be freezed in the freezer for 1 week.
- 2. If khoya or mava is not available, then 1 tbsp melon seeds can be soaked with cashewnuts and made into a paste.
- 3. While adding garam masala powders and other powders, sprinkle some water in the pan so that the masalas don’t burn.Dont cook the cashewnut paste for too long as it will make the gravy bitter.
To use this gravy, simply remove it from the fridge and add it to the sauté vegetables just like how we add tomato puree in Punjabi dishes.
