Restaurant-Style Makhani Sauce (Butter Chicken Gravy Base)

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

The velvety tomato-cashew gravy that makes butter chicken taste like it came from a tandoori house. Whole spices bloom in ghee, tomatoes cook down until they're jammy and sweet, cashews replace half the cream, and a final flurry of crushed dried fenugreek leaf gives it that unmistakable restaurant perfume. Make a batch, keep it in the fridge or freezer, and dinner is 15 minutes away — pour it over seared chicken thighs, roasted cauliflower, paneer or chickpeas.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp ghee
• 1 tbsp neutral oil
• 4 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
• 1 black cardamom pod (optional, for smokiness)
• 1 cinnamon stick, 2-inch
• 4 whole cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp cumin seeds

• 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 8 garlic cloves, smashed
• 2 tbsp fresh ginger, roughly chopped
• 1 serrano or green chile, split lengthwise
• 1/2 cup raw cashews
• 1 28-oz can whole peeled tomatoes, preferably San Marzano
• 1 lb ripe Roma tomatoes, halved
• 1 tbsp Kashmiri red chile powder
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 2 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1 1/2 cups water, plus more as needed

• 4 tbsp unsalted butter, cold and cubed
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi)
• 1 tsp honey or sugar, to taste
• 1/2 tsp garam masala, for finishing
• 1 tsp lemon juice

Instructions

1. Char the fresh tomatoes: set the Roma tomato halves cut side up on a foil-lined sheet pan and broil 6 inches from the element for 10–12 minutes, until blistered and blackened in spots. Set aside with all their juices — this is the smoky backbone of the sauce and worth the extra pan.
2. In a wide heavy pot or Dutch oven, warm the ghee and oil over medium heat. Add the green cardamom, black cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaf and cumin seeds. Toast 60–90 seconds, swirling, until the cumin darkens a shade and the kitchen smells like a spice shop. Don't let them burn.
3. Add the sliced onion and a pinch of salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, for 10–12 minutes until soft, golden at the edges and considerably reduced. Add the garlic, ginger, chile and cashews and cook 3 minutes more until fragrant.
4. Stir in the Kashmiri chile powder, coriander, 1 tsp garam masala and turmeric. Cook 30–45 seconds only, stirring constantly, then immediately add the canned tomatoes (crushing them in your hand as they go), the charred Romas with their juices, 2 tsp salt and 1 1/2 cups water. Scrape the bottom of the pot clean.
5. Bring to a simmer, partially cover, and cook over medium-low for 30 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes or so and mashing the tomatoes against the pot. The sauce is ready when it's thick, brick-red, and a spoon dragged through the bottom leaves a trail that closes slowly. Some oil separating at the edges is a good sign.
6. Fish out and discard the cinnamon stick, bay leaf, cloves and both cardamom pods (the black one especially — it turns bitter if blended). Let the sauce cool 10 minutes.
7. Blend in batches in a standing blender on high for a full 60–90 seconds per batch, until absolutely silk-smooth — this long blend is what dissolves the cashews and gives the sauce its restaurant texture. For the plush version, pass it through a medium sieve back into the pot, pressing with a ladle.
8. Return the pot to low heat. Whisk in the cold butter a few cubes at a time so it emulsifies rather than melting into a slick, then stir in the cream. Crush the dried fenugreek leaves between your palms directly into the pot to release their aroma.
9. Taste and balance: add honey 1 teaspoon at a time if the tomatoes read sharp, the lemon juice for lift, more salt as needed, and the final 1/2 tsp garam masala. Simmer 2 minutes more — do not boil hard once the cream is in. You should have about 5 cups.
10. To cook a dish into it: sear 2 lb of bite-size chicken thighs (or paneer, cauliflower florets, or drained chickpeas) in a skillet until browned, add 3–4 cups of sauce plus a splash of water, and simmer 10–12 minutes until the chicken reaches 175°F and the sauce clings. Finish with a swirl of cream and cilantro.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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