This recipe is part of a series of sauce recipes. Preparing the sauce or the base that creates the foundation of the flavors for the finished dish is often the first step. Learn to cook a sauce and you can prepare a wide range of recipes with a variety of ingredients – meat, vegetables, paneer, potatoes, etc. The sauce is a canvas for your creative expression and I encourage you to deviate from the recipe and vary the selection and quantities of the spices you add to develop a unique recipe for your personal taste.
Mughlai sauce is a rich silky sauce with nuts and cream. Mughlai refers to the cuisine developed in India during the Mughal Empire rule in India, that reflects strong influences from Persian and Central Asian cuisines. Tandoori Chicken, Chicken Biryani and Shahi Paneer are some Mughlai dishes that you may be familiar with. What differentiates Mughlai sauce from Makhani sauce in Butter Chicken is the addition of Onions and Cashews.
Ingredients
3 tbsp Olive Oil
1 cup Red Onions
3 cups Tomatoes
2 Green Chilies (optional)
1/4 cup Cashew nuts
1 tsp Salt (to taste)
1 tbsp Ginger-garlic paste
1/2 cup Heavy Cream
Powdered Spices
1/2 tsp Kashmiri Red Chili Powder
1 tbsp Coriander Powder
1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
1/2 tsp Cumin Powder
1/2 tsp Dried Fenugreek Leaves (Kasuri Methi)
1 tbsp Chopped Cilantro
1/2 tsp Garam Masala Powder
Sugar (optional, add as needed)
Yield: About 2 cups
Cooking
Step 1
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan on medium heat. Add the Ginger-garlic paste, Green Chillies and Onions and cook for 2-3 minutes. The Onions are going to be softened and not browned.
Step 2
Add the Cashews and and mix well; cook for another 2-3 minutes.
Step 3
Add the tomatoes and about 3/4 tsp of salt and mix well.
Step 4
Add the powdered spices including Red Chili powder, Coriander powder, Cumin powder and Turmeric. DO NOT add the Garam Masala powder (if using) as yet.
Step 5
Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have completely softened and are mashed up; about 8-10 minutes. If the pan starts to dry up, you can add a little hot water.
Tomatoes are cooked
Step 6
Turn off the heat and let the sauce cool for a few minutes. Transfer it into a blender and puree.
Step 7
Add 1 tbsp Oil into a clean pan on medium heat and strain the puree into the pan. If using the same pan, rinse it out first. Shahi Paneer has a smooth sauce and you don’t want to re-introduce any of the coarse ingredients that may have been left behind in the pan. TIP: You can add butter along with a little bit of Oil to make the dish richer.
Step 8
Add the cream and mix.
Step 9
Sprinkle the Dried Fenugreek Leaves and Garam Masala and mix. Mughlai Sauce is ready.
Curry on!
Related Recipes
- 3 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 cup Red Onions
- 3 cups Tomatoes
- 2 Green Chilies (optional)
- ¼ cup Cashew nuts
- 1 tsp Salt (to taste)
- 1 tbsp Ginger-garlic paste
- ½ cup Heavy Cream
- ½ tsp Kashmiri Red Chili Powder
- 1 tbsp Coriander Powder
- ¼ tsp Turmeric Powder
- ½ tsp Cumin Powder
- ½ tsp Dried Fenugreek Leaves (Kasuri Methi)
- 1 tbsp Chopped Cilantro
- ½ tsp Garam Masala Powder
- Sugar (optional, add as needed)
- Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan on medium heat. Add the Ginger-garlic paste, Green Chillies and Onions and cook for 2-3 minutes. The Onions are going to be softened and not browned.
- Add the Cashews and and mix well; cook for another 2-3 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes and about ¾ tsp of salt and mix well.
- Add the powdered spices including Red Chili powder, Coriander powder, Cumin powder and Turmeric. DO NOT add the Garam Masala powder (if using) as yet.
- Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have completely softened and are mashed up; about 8-10 minutes. If the pan starts to dry up, you can add a little hot water.
- Turn off the heat and let the sauce cool for a few minutes. Transfer it into a blender and puree.
- Add 1 tbsp Oil into a clean pan on medium heat and strain the puree into the pan. If using the same pan, rinse it out first. Shahi Paneer has a smooth sauce and you don’t want to re-introduce any of the coarse ingredients that may have been left behind in the pan. TIP: You can add butter along with a little bit of Oil to make the dish richer.
- Add the cream and mix.
- Sprinkle the Dried Fenugreek Leaves and Garam Masala and mix. Mughlai Sauce is ready.
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