Kaju Masala (No Onion No Garlic) / Cashew Curry

This Kaju Masala curry is super creamy, rich, packed with flavors, and hard to resist! The delicious curry is made with ghee-roasted cashews in tomato-cashew gravy with Indian spices and herbs.

Cashew Curry is made without onion and garlic but is loaded with flavors. This recipe will give you a homemade but restaurant-style dish with essential ingredients and with less effort.

Jump to:

• What is Kaju Masala?
• About Kaju Masala
• Why You Will Love This Curry
• Ingredients and Substitutions
• How To Make Kaju Masala
• Serving Suggestions
• Helpful Tips
• Frequently Asked Questions
• More No Onion No Garlic Curries
• Recipe Card

What is Kaju Masala?

Kaju Masala is an Indian curry but is made without paneer or vegetables. In this recipe, whole raw cashews are shallow fried in ghee and then added to tomato-based gravy. This curry is heavily rich, creamy, and packed with flavors.

About Kaju Masala

Kaju Masala is very popular in India, and you can find this dish on most Punjabi restaurant menus. However, the cashew curry in the restaurant is heavily loaded with fat and cream.

But, when we make it at home, we can control the amount of fat and cream and still get the delicious, creamy, and rich Kaju Masala!

I used cashews and melon seeds to make a creamy white paste in this recipe. I crushed the tomatoes in a food processor for tomato gravy to give the curry a chunky texture. But, if you want a smooth sauce for this curry, blend the tomatoes to make a fine puree.

This cashew curry is made without onion and garlic. So, if you are looking for a restaurant-style Kaju Masala with No Onion and No Garlic, you have come to the right place.

Even without onions, getting a Kaju Curry with thick and creamy gravy masala is possible. The curry is made with whole cashews, but you still need to use cashews for the gravy. Do not shy about it; the white paste will add the necessary creaminess to this curry.

I added finely chopped celery to make the masala chunkier, but it is optional, and you can skip celery. The rest of the ingredients are pantry staples and readily available.

Why You Will Love This Curry

• Kaju Masala is super creamy, rich, and tempting.
• It is made without onion and garlic but packed with flavors.
• Cashew Curry is perfect for special occasions or family celebrations.
• The recipe is easy with pantry staple ingredients.
• It is homemade but absolutely restaurant-style.
• This Kaju Curry is best served with Paratha, Naan, or Roti.

Ingredients and Substitutions

White Paste

1. Cashews: To make the white paste creamy and rich, we must use cashews. For the white paste, there is no need to use whole cashews. If you have broken cashews, use them as a cost-effective option.
2. Melon Seeds: Melon seeds provide creaminess and thickness without adding too many calories. But, if you do not have melon seeds, you can add blanched almonds. Or, simply add 7-8 more cashews. The other way to make the white paste thick is to add a medium stalk of celery (roughly chopped) to the blender with soaked cashews.
3. Milk: I like to use milk to blend cashews and melon seeds. It keeps the white paste creamy and rich. But you can use water instead of milk. If you like to add yogurt, use 2-3 tablespoon of yogurt instead of milk to blend the cashews and melon seeds.

Roasted Cashews

1. Ghee: Ghee makes the curry flavorful and tempting. So, I shallow-fried the cashews in 2 tablespoon of ghee and then made the gravy in the remaining ghee. If you want to use less ghee, you can roast the cashews in one tablespoon of ghee as well. To make the vegan curry, you will need to skip ghee. Continue reading the post to find out how to make the vegan Kaju Masala.
2. Cashews: We need to roast the cashews in ghee for the curry. For this, use raw whole cashews. But instead of roasting in the ghee, you can use store-bought unsalted and roasted cashews. Or, roast the cashews in a pan on the stovetop until they are lightly golden and crunchy. You can also use an air fryer or oven to roast the cashews.

Kaju Masala

1. Oil: After frying the cashews, if you have enough ghee in the pan and if you do not want to add oil, you can skip it. Or, instead of oil, you can add more ghee for more flavor.
2. Whole Spices and Seeds: I added cinnamon, whole green cardamom, bay leaf, and cumin seeds. But if you like to add more whole spices, you can add 2-3 cloves, 1 black cardamom, and 1 star anise.
3. Ginger: Adding finely chopped ginger gives a rustic feel to the curry. But if you wish, you can add grated ginger or ginger paste.
4. Celery: I like to add celery for the chunkier and thicker gravy. But adding celery is optional, and you can skip it.
5. Tomatoes: The gravy of this Kaju Masala is not velvety smooth like a Makhani gravy. But rather, it has a chunky texture and rustic look. And that comes from the crushed tomatoes. I crushed the tomatoes in the food processor and recommend you do the same. But if you do not have a food processor, grate the tomatoes. Or, blend them in quick pulses until you get crushed tomatoes with a chunky texture.
6. Ground Spices: We need turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, and cumin powder. I added garam masala, but that is optional, and you can add it only if you prefer it.
7. Kasoori Methi: Kasoori methi adds delicious flavor to the curry. Try not to skip it.
8. Coriander leaves: Add fresh and finely chopped coriander leaves.
9. Cream: You can add light cream or heavy cream to the curry. Instead of cream, you can also add cashew cream.

How To Make Kaju Masala

Making The White Paste

• Soak cashews and melon seeds in hot water for 15 minutes.

• Then drain the water and transfer soaked cashews and melon seeds into a blender jar.

• Add milk and blend the mixture into a fine paste.
• Add a little more milk if required for the blending.
• Instead of milk, you can use water to make the paste.
• Set it aside.

Frying The Cashews

• Heat ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan or Kadai and add cashews.
• Fry the cashews on low-medium heat until golden brown.

• Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cashews into a bowl or plate.
• Set them aside.

Making The Kaju Masala

• After frying the cashews, there will still be ghee in the pan.
• So, heat the same pan and add a tablespoon of oil.
• Add bay leaf, cinnamon stick, and green cardamom.
• Saute for a few seconds or until aromatic.

• Then, add cumin seeds and allow them to sizzle.

• Now, add ginger and asafoetida, stir well, and saute for a few seconds.

• Add chopped celery and cook on medium heat for two minutes.
• If you do not have celery, you can skip it and continue with the next step.

• Then, add crushed tomatoes and stir well.
• Instead of crushed tomatoes, you can use finely chopped tomatoes or tomato puree.

• Cook the tomato mixture and allow it to simmer for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

• Add salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder, cumin powder, and coriander powder.
• Mix well and continue cooking for 8-10 minutes on medium-low heat, stirring often.

• Now add white paste to the tomato gravy and stir well.
• Cover the pan with a lid and cook the gravy on low-medium heat for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

• The gravy will become thick and release fat from the sides.

• Add fried cashews and ½ cup of water and mix well.
• You can add more water to adjust the consistency of your preference.
• Continue cooking the Kaju Masala for 2-3 minutes.

• Add garam masala, Kasoori methi, coriander leaves, and cream, and stir well.
• Cook for a minute, turn off the heat, and transfer to a serving bowl.

Serving Suggestions

• Sprinkle some Kasoori Methi and drizzle some cream on top of the curry before serving.
• You can also sprinkle garam masala or ground cardamom on top.
• Serve this deliciously creamy curry with Naan, Paratha, or Roti.
• You can serve it with this Whole Wheat Kulcha (No Yeast) / Kulcha On Tawa.
• Kaju Masala pairs well with Jeera Rice (Restaurant Style) / Indian Cumin Rice as well.

Helpful Tips

• White Paste: Kaju Masala is a rich and creamy curry. Hence, we need to use cashews for the gravy as well. So, do not shy away from using ¼ cashews for the white paste.
• Melon Seeds: Add blanched almonds if you do not have melon seeds. Or, add one large celery stalk with cashews to make the paste.
• Cashews: We fry the raw cashews in the ghee in this recipe. But you can also use store-bought unsalted and roasted cashews. Then, skip the step of frying the cashews and start with the next step. Also, instead of frying them in the ghee, you can dry roast the raw cashews in a pan on the stovetop. Or, use an air fryer or oven to roast the cashews. 
• Tomatoes: I have crushed the tomatoes in the food processor for the chunky gravy. But if you like smooth gravy for Kaju Masala, blend the tomatoes into a fine puree.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Use Store-Bought Roasted Cashews?

Yes, absolutely! In fact, it will save some time; however, use unsalted and roasted cashews. Or, if you do not wish to roast cashews in ghee, dry roast them on the stovetop or in the oven.

Can I Skip Celery?

Yes, adding celery is optional, and you can skip it. Also, there is no need to add any other element in place of celery!

How To Make Vegan Kaju Masala?

It is easy to customize this recipe to a vegan dish. For blending the cashews and melon seeds, use dairy-free milk or water instead of milk. Dry roast the cashews in the pan on low heat until golden brown. Or, to roast the cashews, use a tablespoon of oil instead of ghee. I added cream to the curry, but you can add cashew cream or coconut cream. However, you can also skip adding any cream.

More No Onion No Garlic Curries

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• Green Chana Masala / Hare Chane Ki Sabji
• Palak Corn (No Onion No Garlic) / Spinach and Corn Curry

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