You have seen the viral palak makhana everywhere. I wanted to try something different, so here is makhana in a rich tomato and cashew gravy.
The makhana is roasted in ghee until crisp and added right at the end, so it keeps a little crunch. I had it with tandoori roti.
Makhana Curry
Quick Details
Serves: 3
Time: about 35 minutes
Diet: Vegetarian
Serves: 3
Time: about 35 minutes
Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
For the gravy
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 3 onions medium, chopped
- 10 cashews
- 2 inch ginger
- 1 teaspoon hing
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
- 4 tomatoes chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- water for blending
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon raw mango powder
- 2 teaspoons garam masala
- 1 teaspoon kasuri methi crushed
- coriander chopped
For the makhana
- 3 tablespoons ghee
- 100 g makhana
Instructions
- Cook the base. Heat the oil in a pan. Add the onions, cashews and ginger, then the hing, turmeric, tomatoes and salt. Cook until the onions brown slightly.
- Roast the makhana. In another pan, heat 2 tablespoons of ghee. Add the makhana and 1 more tablespoon of ghee. Roast on medium heat for about 7 minutes. Keep aside.
- Blend. Cool the gravy base and blend with water in batches until smooth.
- Spice the gravy. Return to the pan. Add the Kashmiri chilli powder, red chilli powder, raw mango powder, garam masala, kasuri methi and coriander.
- Add the makhana. Add the roasted makhana and simmer for 5 minutes. Serve hot with roti.
Video
Tips for the Best Makhana Curry
- Cook the onions, tomatoes and cashews until the onions brown slightly before blending.
- Blend the gravy in batches with water until silky smooth.
- Roast the makhana on medium heat for about 7 minutes until crisp.
- Add the makhana just before serving if you want more crunch.
Storage
Keep the gravy in the fridge for up to 2 days. Roast fresh makhana when reheating.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will the makhana go soft?
It softens a little in the gravy. Add it just before serving to keep it crunchy.
What do I serve it with?
Tandoori roti, rotis or hot rice.
Make this for dinner and tell me which version you like better. Watch the recipe video on YouTube and follow @askdeepa_ on Instagram for more.
