Oh It's Delicious

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Khoya Kaju – Sweet Cashew Curry

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A restaurant style khoya kaju recipe. Fried cashews in a very rich and creamy white gravy made up of cashew nuts, onions and cream.

Khoya Kaju is a flavorful dish with fried cashew nuts in a very rich, creamy, sweet and mildly spiced curry. This curry has light notes and flavors of spices. It is totally different curry compared to other punjabi curries which are more on spicier side and has tomatoes in it. There is no use of tomatoes in this dish and no other dry spices except Cardamom powder and very little garam masala. The combination of creaminess and sweetness with cardamom powder is what makes this dish tastes delightful.

Use of khoya and cashewnut paste is what makes it more rich. You can get readily available khoya or make it at home. I have added recipe for instant khoya from milk powder in notes. You can also add cubes of paneer along with fried cashews to the dish. It goes really well with hot naans or kulchas.

 

Print Recipe

Khoya Kaju - Sweet Cashew Curry

Course: Main
Cuisine: Indian
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Priyanka

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup + 1/2 cup Cashew nuts
  • 1 medium yellow or white onion
  • 1 inch piece of ginger
  • 2 green chillies
  • 1 cup warm milk
  • 1/2 + 1 cup water
  • 1/4 cup khoya or mawa to make instant khoya check notes below
  • 1/4 cup chopped canned pineapple or canned cherries optional
  • 1 tsp cardamom powder
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 2 tbsp butter or ghee
  • 1/4 cup light or heavy cream
  • salt to taste

Instructions

To make Cashew paste

  • Soak 1/2 cup Cashews in warm milk. Let it sit for half an hour.
  • Blend it into a smooth paste.

To make Onion paste

  • Roughly dice onions, ginger and green chillies and boil them using 1/2 cup water in a saucepan for 5 minutes.
  • Cover it and let it cool for 10 minutes.
  • Blend it into a smooth paste.

To make Khoya Kaju

  • Heat ghee or butter in a pan. Saute 3/4 cup cashew nuts on low-medium flame till they turn little golden brown in color. Keep stirring cashews or they will burn on one side. 
  • Remove fried cashew nuts in a plate, draining butter or ghee.
  • In a the same pan, add prepared onion paste. Cook for 5-7 minutes on medium flame or till all the liquid is evaporated. Paste should turn dry. 
  • Add cashew paste, garam masala and cardamom powder to it. Cook it for 2 minutes, stirring constantly or cashew paste will stick to pan and turn brown at the bottom.
  • Add mawa or khoya to it and mix it thoroughly. 
  • Add 1 cup of water, sugar and salt to taste. Let it boil for 2-3 minutes. To adjust the consistency of gravy, add more water if required.
  • This is optional: you can add some canned pineapple or cherries to it.
  • Stir in fried cashew nuts keeping some for garnish. Turn of the gas and add light cream or heavy cream to it. 
  • Garnish it with remaining fried cashews. 
  • Serve hot with Naan, Roti or Kulcha.

Notes

To make instant khoya or mawa (1/4 cup)
  • Heat 1 tsp ghee in a nonstick pan. Add 1/4 cup milk powder and 1/2 cup milk. Cook the mixture until it forms into a thick paste consistency. 
  • Turn of the gas and remove khoya in a plate.