Makhani Gravy: the star of many beloved Indian dishes - an Indian mother sauce. From the ever-popular butter chicken (or murg makhani) to paneer makhani, vegetable makhani, mushroom makhani, and even dal makhani, these dishes all share a common foundation: makhani gravy. This buttery, tomato-based sauce is wonderfully creamy and rich, just like butter, which is how it got its name! The word "Makhani" comes from "Makkhan," a Punjabi/ Hindi word for butter, and simply means "buttery." Let's discover how to make this amazing gravy at home!
Jump to:
- Debjani's Note
- Ingredients to cook Makhani Gravy
- Instructions - how to cook perfect makhani gravy at home
- Top tip
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Recipe Card
- Substitution
- Equipment
- Storage
- What can you make using the makhani gravy
- Related Recipes
- North-Indian Recipes to try
- Have you tried the Makhani Gravy recipe from Debjanir Rannaghar!
- Here's the Makhani Gravy recipe Pin for your Pinterest Board
Debjani's Note
While makhani dishes are often thought of as restaurant fare, due to their overnight cooking or use of tandoor-cooked ingredients like chicken or lentils, a delicious homemade version is surprisingly simple to make.
This Recipe post isn't about a specific makhani dish, but the gravy itself! Make a batch of this versatile "mother sauce," store it for a few days, and then quickly whip up your favorite makhani creations. You can even use it as a base for exciting fusion recipes.
Makhani gravy has universal appeal. After all, butter chicken is arguably India's most famous culinary export!
I've already shared my butter chicken recipe on both my blog and YouTube channel.
This is a mother gravy, after all, so it's incredibly versatile. Making it ahead of time means you'll be ready to whip up lots of delicious dishes!
Ingredients to cook Makhani Gravy
Here are the ingredients you'll need to make the makhani gravy.
- Onion
- Tomato
- Ginger
- Garlic
- Butter
- Fresh cream
- Cashew nuts
- Kasoori Methi
- Salt
- Kashmiri Red Chili Powder
- Turmeric Powder
- Cinnamon stick
- Green Cardamom
- Cloves
- Black Pepper
- Keora Water
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions - how to cook perfect makhani gravy at home
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First, cut onions and tomatoes into four pieces or halves.
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In a pan, melt about 4 tablespoons of butter.
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Toss in the tomatoes, followed by the onion, 3 inches of ginger, 6 cloves of garlic, and 20 cashew nuts. Sprinkle in ½ teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of Kashmiri red chili powder. Cook over medium heat, stirring everything together nicely.
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Next, add 4 green cardamom pods, 1 cinnamon stick, 6 cloves, and 6 black peppercorns.
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Pour in 2 cups of water, cover the pan, and let it cook for about 15 minutes, or until the onions and tomatoes are soft.
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Once they're soft, stir in 1 tablespoon of butter.
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Turn off the heat and allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.
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Transfer the cooled mixture to a blender and blend until it's perfectly smooth.
Then, using a strainer, strain the mixture to remove any bits. -
Now, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a pan.
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Add ½ teaspoon of Kashmiri red chili powder and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Watch as a beautiful color develops!
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Mix this in the makhani base thoroughly.
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Stir in 150ml of fresh cream until it's fully combined.
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Add 1 teaspoon of sugar and stir. Sprinkle in 2 teaspoons of crushed dried fenugreek leaves.
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Heat the mixture until it simmers, then finish with a delicate touch of ¼ teaspoon of Keora water.
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Your makhani gravy is ready!
Top tip
One thing to keep in mind: you might find the gravy's flavor a bit simple on its own, depth of flavor-wise. Remember, this recipe is just for the gravy itself. The rich, savory depth comes from the tandoor-cooked or grilled chicken, lentils, or paneer that you'll add to it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Makhani Gravy is a rich and creamy tomato-based sauce from India, often considered a foundational "mother sauce."
The classics include butter chicken, paneer makhani (Indian cheese in butter sauce), vegetable makhani, mushroom makhani, and dal makhani (lentils in butter sauce). But don't stop there! It's also fantastic for creating all sorts of exciting fusion dishes.
Absolutely, if you're sticking to the traditional recipe. The name "makhani" actually comes from "makkhan," which means "buttery" in Punjabi and Hindi. So, butter is key to achieving that signature rich flavor.
Recipe Card
Makhani Gravy Recipe | How to make Restaurant-style Makhani Gravy to cook Makhani dishes
Ingredients
- 4 Onions
- 5 Tomatoes
- 3- inches Ginger
- 6 cloves Garlic
- 20 Cashew nuts
- 2 teaspoon Kasoori Methi
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri Red Chili Powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Sugar
- 4 Green Cardamom
- 1 Cinnamon stick
- 6 Cloves
- 6 Black Pepper
- 5 tablespoon Butter
- 150 ml Fresh Cream
- 5 Drops Keora Water
Instructions
- Cut the onions and cut the tomatoes in halves or cut those into four pieces each.
- Put about 4 tablespoons of butter in a pan and let it melt.
- Put in the tomatoes, then the onion, 3 inches of ginger, 6 garlic cloves, and 20 cashews.
- Now, put in ½ a teaspoon of salt.
- Also, put in 1 teaspoon of Kashmiri red pepper powder.
- Cook on medium heat, and mix it up well.
- Next, put in 4 green cardamoms, 1 cinnamon stick, 6 cloves, and 6 black peppercorns.
- Pour in 2 cups of water, put the lid on the pan, and cook for 15 minutes.
- You can cook it longer or shorter, depending on how long it takes for the onion and tomatoes to get soft.
- When they are soft, put in 1 tablespoon of butter.
- Mix, turn off the heat, and let it cool until it is not hot anymore.
- Put the mixture in a blender and blend until it is smooth.
- Use a strainer to remove any lumps from the mixture.
- Now, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a pan.
- Put in ½ a teaspoon of Kashmiri red pepper powder and ¼ a teaspoon of salt.
- You will see a great color is developing in the pot.
- Mix the makhani mix in well.
- Add 150ml of fresh cream and mix it all together.
- Put in 1 teaspoon of sugar and mix.
- Add 2 teaspoons of crushed dry fenugreek leaves.
- Heat until it gently boils, then add ¼ a teaspoon of Keora water.
- Makhani Gravy is done!
Notes
Substitution
Butter - If you need to replace the butter, vegetable oil can be used, especially if you have an allergy or can't eat butter. Keep in mind that white or unsalted butter is ideal for making makhani, as it allows you to easily control the butter flavor while cooking. Cashew nuts - For those with cashew allergies, almonds can be substituted, although the taste will be a little different. Unfortunately, coconut milk won't give you the authentic butter chicken flavor if you are considering substituting cream. Red Chili Powder - When it comes to red chili powder, both Degi Mirch and Kashmiri red chili powder work well in this recipe. The chili powder's main purpose is to give the gravy a beautiful color.Equipment
To make the best Makhani Gravy, having the right tools is key. A traditional or non-stick pan is perfect for cooking the gravy. Also, a good mixer grinder or blender is essential to achieve that signature buttery smoothness. Remember, a perfectly smooth texture is what truly defines a great Makhani Gravy.Storage
You can store your homemade makhani gravy in the fridge for 3 to 5 days in a sealed container, or in the freezer for 2 to 3 months, or even longer. However, if you plan on storing the gravy for more than a day or two, it's best to leave out the cream during cooking. Store the gravy in an airtight container in the coldest part of your refrigerator.Nutrition
What can you make using the makhani gravy
Related Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
North-Indian Recipes to try
- Dahi Wale Aloo | Vrat Ki Dahi Aloo Sabzi
- Instant Chicken Pulao Recipe | Chicken Pulao in Pressure Cooker
- Dhaba Style Chicken Curry
- Nalli Nihari | Mutton Nihari Recipe | Gosht Nihari
- Halwai Style Balushahi!
- Palak Paneer aka Saag Paneer
Have you tried the Makhani Gravy recipe from Debjanir Rannaghar!
Please inform me of your experience, and feel free to send a photo to [email protected]. Additionally, you can find me on various social media platforms such as Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Pinterest, Google News, X, and Thread. Don't forget to use the hashtag #debjanirrannaghar when sharing your attempts at my recipes or if you have any questions or recipe requests.
Here's the Makhani Gravy recipe Pin for your Pinterest Board
About Debjani Chatterjee Alam
I am Debjani Chatterjee Alam. A CSR specialist by profession and a food writer, food blogger, and food photographer as well. I live in Kolkata along with my Husband Mehebub who is an architect by profession, my daughter Pasta, and also my dog daughters Coffee and Luchi.
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