Name: Kolhapuri Kaju Masala
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: ¾ cup Cashews, whole cashews, lightly fried in ghee/oil; 1 Onion, finely chopped, browned heavily for the paste; ½ Tomato, chopped; ⅛ cup Dried Coconut, grated and dry roasted until dark brown; ½ tbsp Poppy Seeds, khus khus, dry roasted; ½ tbsp Sesame Seeds, dry roasted; 1 tbsp Kanda Lasun Masala, the heart of the dish, adjust to heat preference; ½ tbsp Ginger-Garlic Paste; 2 tbsp Cooking Oil, Kolhapuri curries are famous for 'Tarri' (floating oil); ¾ cup Water, hot; ½ tsp Salt; 1 tbsp Coriander Leaves, chopped for garnish

45 mintotal

Prep 15 min · Cook 30 min

Serves: 2
Difficulty: Medium
Spice: Spicy

Add to your week

Method

Make the Vatan (Paste): In a small pan, dry roast the grated dry coconut, poppy seeds, and sesame seeds until they turn a dark golden brown. Blend this with the browned onions and tomatoes into a very fine, smooth paste using a minimal splash of water.
Heat a portion of the oil in a pan and shallow fry the whole cashews until they are perfectly golden and crunchy. Remove and keep them aside carefully.
In a heavy kadhai, heat the remaining oil. Add the ginger-garlic paste and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
1 min
Pour the prepared Vatan (coconut-onion paste) into the hot oil. Roast this masala patiently on medium heat for 8-10 minutes. The paste will darken gracefully and release oil from the edges.
8–10 min
Add the Kanda Lasun Masala. Stir vigorously for 2 minutes. Watch the color of the gravy instantly transform to a fiery, deep red.
2 min
Pour in the measured hot water and add salt to taste. Bring the gravy to a rolling boil, then lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 5-7 minutes. A thick layer of red oil ('Tarri') should float to the top.
5–7 min
Just 2 minutes before serving, drop the fried cashews into the simmering gravy. Do not boil them for long, or they will lose their crunch and turn soggy.
2 min
Turn off the heat, garnish freshly with chopped coriander, and present the dish.

How to tell it's done

Crunchy, buttery cashews submerged in a robust, deeply roasted, fiery red, and thick coconut-based gravy.

Getting it right

Tip

Kanda Lasun Masala is an intensely spicy, garlic-heavy Maharashtrian spice blend. It negates the need for any other dry spice powders in this recipe. Using hot water to make the gravy ensures the oil separates perfectly to form the iconic 'Tarri'.

What to serve it with

A premium festive dish meant for special guests. Best enjoyed with soft Chapatis, Tandoori Roti, or Jeera Rice.

North Indian Turai Ki Sabzi

Turai ki sabzi cooks ridge gourd down in its own water with onion and tomato, needing no extra liquid.

30 minvegan

Odia Buta Dali

Odia buta dali is a mild chana dal finished with panch phoran, ginger and roasted cumin for an everyday rice meal.

2 hr 50 minvegetarian

Odia Chatu Besara

Chatu besara cooks mushrooms with potato in ground mustard, the Odia way of dressing almost any vegetable.

50 minvegetarian

Odia Chhena Tarkari

Chhena tarkari is an Odia curry of fresh chhena and potato cooked in mustard oil.

55 minvegetarian

Odia Habisa Dal

Odia habisa dal is a simple temple-style mung dal with raw banana, elephant foot yam, ginger, cumin and ghee.

50 minvegetarian

Odia Santula

Santula is an Odia dish of mixed vegetables boiled and lightly tempered, cooked with very little oil.

35 minvegetarian

Ingredients