Today’s recipe is a delicious side dish that goes really well with any kind of Indian Bread. Veg Makhanwala – a creamy, rich and delicious restaurant style mixed vegetable curry. This curry is the proof that you don’t need any exotic ingredients to make restaurant style gravies at home. Making a makhani or makhanwala gravy is very simple at home, with just onions and tomatoes as the base of the gravy. Instead of using paneer, mushroom or eggs, I used mixed vegetables in the makhana gravy and it turned out amazing – all thanks to the homemade butter.
I have previously shared the recipe of Restaurant Style Mixed Veg Gravy, which uses no cream or nuts or coconut. This recipe of Veg Makhanwala is the exact contrast to it – it is rich, calorie-laden and is just as much delicious too. You can’t deny the fact that adding a dollop of fresh cream and cashew milk adds so much richness and creaminess to the gravy and instantaneously, makes it so very good too. I am usually careful with what we eat on a regular basis. Our weekly meals are filled simple, comforting fare – fresh vegetables and dal and sambar/rasam with homemade curd. Over weekends, I like to indulge my family by making one restaurant style meal and I don’t mind it at all. Portion control is the key, for good health. Not giving up good food altogether.
Anyway, I digress. In this recipe of Veg Makhanwala, I roasted the vegetables in a small amount of butter before adding them to the makhani gravy base. The gravy base itself is made with roasted onions, tomatoes – it is then slow cooked in butter with rest of the spices. It takes a beautiful deep red color, from the use of Kashmiri chilli powder and the rest of the spice powders lend a delicious fragrance! I don’t like my vegetables to be soggy or mushy, except in vegetable kurma and that’s why I pan fried them separately. To make this gravy richer, you can also add paneer. If you are watching your calories, you can also skip butter, cashews and cream – it might not be as creamy, but it will surely still be delicious. I served it with Ghee laden Phulkas and needless to say, the family loved it immensely.
📖 Recipe
In a thick bottomed pan, heat 1 teaspoon oil. Add chopped onions and tomatoes along with ginger garlic paste. Keep it covered and cook for 5-6 mins on medium flame.
Once they are caramelized, switch off the heat and let it cool down completely.
Make a smooth paste out of it and keep it aside.
In another pan, heat 1 teaspoon of butter and add chopped mixed vegetables. Fry on medium heat for 2-3 mins first.
Now add green peas and continue cooking for another 4-5 mins. Once the vegetables are more than half cooked, remove them from heat and set aside.
Now heat 1 tablespoon butter and 2 teaspoon of oil. Add shahi jeera, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, bay leaf and let them splutter.
Add finely chopped onions and fry them on low heat until translucent.
Now the prepared gravy paste and cook for 5-6 mins.
As the oil begins to ooze out of the sides add cumin powder, turmeric powder, Kashmiri chilli powder, coriander powder and garam masala powder.
Cook for a few more minutes and add the roasted veggies.
Mix well, add ¼ cup of water if the gravy is dry. Add sugar and salt. Cook for another 4-5 mins.
Add crushed kasoor methi and mix it well.
Meanwhile grind soaked cashews with just enough water.
Add it to the gravy and cook for a minute.
Next add fresh cream. Mix well. Remove from heat.
Serve hot with Ghee Phulkas!
Adjust spices as per preference. Make this gravy a little runnier or keep it thick, as you prefer.
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