Kaju Masala

whole roasted cashews simmered in a glossy onion-and-tomato masala enriched with yet more ground cashews, a rich vegetarian curry of the North Indian restaurant table

Origin: India

From the journey of Cashew.

Kaju masala, or kaju curry, is the dish that puts the cashew at the very centre of the plate rather than scattered over it as a garnish. A North Indian restaurant favourite, it takes whole cashews, lightly fried or roasted to bring out their richness, and simmers them in a deeply savoury masala of onions, tomatoes, ginger, garlic, and warm spices, with a paste of ground cashews stirred in to thicken the gravy to a glossy, luxurious smoothness. The result is doubly cashew: the soft, sweet whole nuts giving bite, and the ground nuts giving body, in a rich, mildly spiced, faintly sweet sauce that is pure indulgence. It is a vegetarian dish of celebration and of the special-occasion menu, where the costliness of the cashew has always marked a dish out as generous, and it is eaten with naan, roti, or jeera rice to soak up the abundant gravy.

Ingredients

The Curry

200 g whole raw cashews
3 tbsp ghee or oil
80 ml single cream
salt and a pinch of sugar, to taste

The Masala

2 large onions, finely chopped
3 medium tomatoes, puréed
1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste

The Spices

1 tsp ground coriander
0.5 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder (mild)
0.5 tsp garam masala
1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi), crushed

To Serve

chopped coriander, to garnish

Method

Set aside about 40g of the cashews for a paste. Fry the remaining whole cashews gently in 1 tablespoon of the ghee until pale golden, then lift out and set aside.
Soak the reserved cashews in hot water for 15 minutes, then blend to a smooth paste with a little water.
In the same pan, fry the chopped onions in the remaining ghee until soft and golden. Add the ginger-garlic paste and cook for a minute, then the tomato purée, and cook down for 8 to 10 minutes until thick and the fat separates.
Stir in the ground coriander, turmeric, chilli powder, and salt, and fry for a minute. Add the cashew paste and enough water to make a creamy gravy, and simmer for 5 minutes.
Return the fried whole cashews to the pan, add the garam masala and crushed kasuri methi, and simmer for 5 minutes more. Stir in the cream and a pinch of sugar, and warm through.
Garnish with chopped coriander and serve hot with naan, roti, or jeera rice.

Notes

For a vegan version, use oil in place of ghee and a plant cream or extra cashew paste instead of dairy cream. Peas, paneer, or mushrooms are often added (kaju matar, kaju paneer). The dish should be rich, mild, and faintly sweet; keep the chilli gentle and let the cashew lead.

The Gastrographer

Name: Kaju Masala
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: India
Ingredients: 200 g whole raw cashews; 3 tbsp ghee or oil; 2 large onions, finely chopped; 3 medium tomatoes, puréed; 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste; 1 tsp ground coriander; 0.5 tsp ground turmeric; 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder (mild); 0.5 tsp garam masala; 1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi), crushed; 80 ml single cream; salt and a pinch of sugar, to taste; chopped coriander, to garnish

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Journey Point Map Key

Ingredient originTrade or transit route

Became a culinary stapleColonial / trade control