Yellow Gravy (Mughlai Base)
A golden-yellow Mughlai base — deep-fried onions blended with cashew, melon-seed paste and curd, cooked down with whole spices. Keeps 15 days refrigerated. Use as the launchpad for matar paneer, kofta, biryani gravies and more.
Per serving
Ingredients
- 3 largeOnion, sliced (for frying)
- 4–5Green chillies
- 7–8Cashews
- 30 gYoghurt (curd)
- 1 tbspMelon seeds (magaj)
- 1/2 tbspGinger-garlic paste
- 1/4 tspRed chilli powder
- 1/2 tspTurmeric powder
- 2 tspCoriander powder
- 1 tspCumin powder
- 25 mlOil
- 2Bay leaves
- 1Black cardamom
- 1 pieceCinnamon stick
- 7–8Black peppercorns
- 3Green cardamom
- to tasteSalt
Method
- 1
Deep-fry the sliced onions in oil until evenly dark golden brown (birista). Drain and cool.
- 2
Separately, boil the cashews and melon seeds in water for 5 minutes. Drain, rinse, blend to a smooth white paste with a little water.
- 3
In a blender, combine the fried onions, green chillies, curd, red chilli powder, turmeric, coriander powder, 1/2 tsp cumin powder, 3 green cardamoms, 1 cinnamon piece and 7–8 peppercorns. Blend to a smooth fine paste.
- 4
In a pan, heat oil. Add bay leaves, black cardamom and the ginger-garlic paste. Sauté 30 seconds.
- 5
Pour in the fried-onion paste. Cook 5–7 minutes on medium, stirring, until the oil separates and the gravy darkens. Add the remaining 1/2 tsp cumin powder.
- 6
Stir in the cashew-melon-seed paste. Cook another 3 minutes till glossy and oil-separated. Salt to taste.
- 7
Cool and refrigerate in a clean jar. Keeps 15 days; freezes 3 months.