Special occasions and joyous celebrations deserve to be marked with something truly memorable—like this rich and indulgent restaurant-style Kaju Curry. Made with a velvety, buttery gravy and loaded with the nutty crunch of whole cashews, this Kaju Butter Masala is the perfect centerpiece for any festive spread. Whether you’re celebrating a birthday, anniversary, festival, or simply hosting a lavish dinner at home, this luxurious curry brings the same bold flavors and creamy texture you’d expect from a high-end eatery.
Prepared with aromatic spices, a silky tomato-cashew base, and a generous dash of butter and cream, this dish not only satisfies the taste buds but also adds a touch of grandeur to your table. Recreate the magic of your favorite restaurant right in your own kitchen—and make every celebration extra special with this irresistible kaju curry masterpiece
Two kinds of restaurant style Kaju Curry
- This kaju masala recipe – Kaju Masala is a rich and flavorful North Indian curry made primarily with cashew nuts, making it an indulgent vegetarian dish perfect for special occasions or festive meals. This forms the body of the luscious sauce, which is further enriched with aromatic Indian spices like cumin, coriander, turmeric, and garam masala. A generous addition of heavy cream and butter elevates the dish, giving it a velvety texture and mildly sweet undertone that pairs beautifully with the buttery crunch of roasted cashews. The result is a restaurant-style curry that bursts with complex flavors and is best enjoyed with naan, paratha, or jeera rice.
- Khoya kaju – Khoya Kaju, on the other hand, is a royal delicacy featuring whole cashews cooked in a luxurious white gravy made from khoya (also known as mawa), yogurt, and a mix of whole spices. This curry is richer and slightly sweeter compared to kaju masala. The use of khoya gives the sauce a thick, creamy consistency, while yogurt adds a mild tang. Whole spices such as green cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon infuse the dish with a deep aroma, making Khoya Kaju a favorite in festive thalis and traditional Indian banquets.
What gives the Kaju Curry rich and creamy texture?
- First, sauce is cooked in the butter (of course the title of the dish is kaju butter masala).
- Second, the expansion of overwhelming cream (malai) at the end.
Step-by-Step Photo Instructions.
1) Begin by warming 1 tablespoon of oil painting in a heavy- bottomed skillet or visage over medium heat. Once the oil painting is hot, add the cashew nuts.
2) Stir the cashews continuously, icing they cook unevenly on all sides. rally them until they turn a rich, golden brown and release a nutty aroma. Be conservative not to burn them. Once they’re impeccably roasted, transfer them to a separate plate and set away to cool.
3) In the same skillet, add another tablespoon of oil painting and let it toast up over medium honey. Add the finely diced onions, along with lately grated gusto and slit green chilies.
4) Saute them till onion gets to be translucent and let it cool down a bit.
5) Allow the sautéed admixture to cool for a many twinkles. Once it’s no longer hot, transfer it to a blender or food processor and grind into a smooth, lump-free paste, adding a splash of water if necessary to help the blending.
6) Meanwhile, prepare a smooth puree from fresh, ripe tomatoes. Note For demonstration purposes, I had made the tomato puree before and set it away in a coliseum. still, if you’re making it in real- time, you can blend the tomatoes while the onion paste is cooking on the cookstove.
7) In the same visage used before, heat 1 teaspoon of oil painting along with 1 teaspoon of adulation over medium heat. The addition of oil painting prevents the adulation from burning, helping to maintain a balanced flavor without bitterness.
8) Once the butter begins to dissolve, include cove leaf, cloves and cinnamon adhere. Saute till you get a pleasant smell of the entire flavors, around 30 seconds.
9) Now, add the preliminarily set onion paste to the visage. Stir everything together completely so the paste is well combined with the invested oil painting and adulation admixture. Sprinkle a pinch of swab at this stage to help the onions cook briskly and consolidate their flavor.
10) Continue to cook the onion paste, stirring sometimes, until all the humidity has faded. The paste will cake and start to pull down from the sides of the visage. This process generally takes around 7 to 8 twinkles and ensures a rich base for the curry.
11) Now add the ground spices — turmeric powder, coriander powder, and red chili powder — along with crushed kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves). To bring out their full aroma and flavor, gently crush the methi leaves between your palms before adding. This releases the natural oils and enhances the dish’s depth.
12) Blend well and cook for a minute.
13) Next, pour in the freshly prepared tomato puree. Make sure to stir immediately after adding it to prevent any sticking to the bottom of the pan.
14) As the mixture heats up and begins to come to a boil, you’ll notice it starts to splutter. To avoid making a mess and to ensure safety, cover the pan partially—leave it half open. This allows the steam to escape while containing the splashes.
15) Continue cooking the mixture until you see oil separating and gently floating on the sides of the masala. This indicates that the moisture from the tomatoes has evaporated and the masala is well-cooked and flavorful.
16) Pour in enough water to accomplish a smooth, gravy-like consistency—adjust the amount based on how thick or runny you want your curry to be. Stir the mixture thoroughly to combine, then allow it to simmer gently on low-medium heat for about 5 minutes. This helps all the spices meld together beautifully. Once the sauce has slightly thickened and flavors have deepened, gently fold in the roasted cashews. Let everything simmer together for another couple of minutes so the nuts absorb some of the rich, spicy essence.
17) Next, slowly pour in the heavy cream, which gives the curry its signature luscious texture and a rich, velvety finish.
18) Stir everything together until the cream is fully integrated into the sauce. At this point, taste the curry and adjust the seasoning if needed—add more salt or chili powder depending on your preference for saltiness and heat.
19) At last, include parcels of chopped cilantro.
20) Give it one last gentle mix to combine the cilantro evenly. Serve hot with butter naan, jeera rice, or parathas, and enjoy this indulgent, restaurant-style kaju curry in the comfort of your home.
Make in your kitchen and let me know how you like it in the comments below.
Serving Ideas:
- This rich and creamy kaju curry pairs beautifully with freshly made parathas, garlic naan, or a steaming bowl of jeera rice—each complementing the flavors of the dish in its own way. The flaky texture of paratha, the buttery aroma of garlic naan, and the subtle spice of cumin-infused rice all help soak up the luscious curry, enhancing the dining experience.
- To create a balanced and satisfying meal, serve the dish alongside sliced onions topped with a dash of lemon juice and a pinch of salt for a refreshing crunch. Additionally, a chilled glass of salted lassi adds a cool and soothing contrast, cleansing the palate and rounding off the meal with a traditional Indian touch.
Expert Tips:
- Always make sure to use only high-quality, fresh cashew nuts when preparing this dish. The entire flavor profile of the curry is deeply influenced by the taste and texture of the cashews. If you happen to use old, stale, or rancid nuts, it can completely ruin the overall experience, no matter how perfect the rest of the preparation is. It’s a good habit to taste a few cashews before adding them to the gravy—if they taste bitter or have a musty odor, it’s a clear sign that they’ve gone bad and should be discarded. Using premium, fresh nuts will ensure a rich, buttery flavor and a delightful crunch that enhances the dish beautifully.
- Don’t underestimate the magic of freshly chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves added at the final stage of cooking. Not only does it infuse the curry with a fresh, aromatic flavor, but it also imparts a vibrant green hue that makes the dish visually appealing and appetizing. The fresh herbs act as a natural garnish and bring balance to the richness of the creamy curry. Skipping this step might leave the dish tasting slightly flat or overly rich, so for both flavor and presentation, be generous with the coriander.
- For a creative twist or to make the curry more substantial, consider reducing the quantity of cashew nuts slightly and replacing them with cubes of paneer (Indian cottage cheese). This variation gives rise to a delicious version called Kaju Paneer Masala, which combines the richness of cashews with the soft, milky flavor of paneer. The addition of paneer not only makes the dish heartier but also adds a lovely contrast in texture, making it ideal for festive meals or special occasion