How to make Basic Punjabi White Gravy(base gravy)
Prep time: 5-10 mins
Cook time: 20 mins
Serves: 4- 5 people
Ingredients:
1 ½ onion
2 cloves garlic
½ piece ginger
2 green chillies(jalapenos)
1 cinnamon
2 black pepper
2 cardamom(elaichi)
100 gm cashewnuts
50 gm melon seeds(magaz seeds)
½ tbsp cornflour
½ cup water
1 tbsp oil
½ tbsp butter
1 bay leaves(tejpatta)
2 cloves(lavang)
½ tsp cumin(jeera)
Pinch turmeric(haldi)
100 gm khoya(mava)
1 tbsp sugar
¼ cup curd
½ tbsp salt
Cilantro(coriander) for garnishing
Method:
1. Take a small pan and mix onions, garlic, ginger, green chillies, cinnamon, pepper, cardamom and add ¼ cup water and boil for 2 mins. Grind it into a smooth paste.
2. Soak cashewnuts and melon seeds in water before half an hour. Then boil it and make into a smooth paste and then add little water and cornflour.
3. Take another pan and heat oil and butter in it.
4. When oil gets heated add bay leaves, cloves, cumin.
5. Now add the onion and whole masala paste which we have prepared.
6. Add a pinch of turmeric and fry the paste for 3-4 mins.
7. Add grated mava/khoya to the paste and cook it for 3-4 mins or till oil starts separating.
8. At the end add cashewnut and melon paste, sugar, curd and salt and boil it for 4-5 mins.
9. Garnish it with cilantro.
Your white gravy is ready to be used for a variety of Punjabi dishes such as Shahi Paneer, Navratna Korma, Malai Kofta and many more delicacies.
Tips:
- 1. To use this gravy, first heat oil or butter in a pan, then cook the ingredients which are specified in the punjabi dish and then add this white gravy, little salt and cook for 2-3 mins.
- 2. If curd is not available, then it can also be substituted with ½ tsp dry mango powder(amchur).
- 3. Using cornflour is optional. It is used to thicken the gravy.
- 4. Soaking cashewnuts and melon seeds is not compulsory, they can be made into a paste even without soaking.
- 5. Do not cook the cahewnut paste for more time as it may make the gravy bitter.
- 6. This gravy can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 days and can be freezed in the freezer for 1 week.
