White (Hotel) Restaurant Style Gravy

Ingredients

• 70ml (1⁄4 cup) rapeseed (canola) oil, plus 2 tbsp
• 1kg (2lb 2oz) onions, roughly chopped
• 225g (9oz) melon seeds
• 225g (9oz) cashews
• 2 tbsp garlic and ginger paste
• 125ml (1⁄2 cup) single (light) cream
• 250ml (1 cup) natural yoghurt
• 4 green cardamom pods, lightly bruised
• 5cm (2in) cinnamon stick
• 6 green finger chillies, slit lengthwise down the centre (optional)
• 1 tsp black peppercorns or ground black pepper, to taste
• Salt, to taste

Steps

1. Heat the 70ml (1⁄4 cup) oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. When hot, add the chopped onions and fry for about 5 minutes to soften. Then stir in the melon seeds and cashews and continue frying over a medium heat to cook everything through.
2. You don’t want to brown the cashews and seeds but rather cook out the rawness for a few more minutes, so stir often. Stir in the garlic and ginger paste and fry for another 30 seconds. Turn off the heat and allow to cool.
3. Now transfer it all to a blender and add the cream and yoghurt.
4. Blend to a smooth paste and set aside. In the same pan, heat the 2 tablespoons of oil over a medium–high heat.
5. Stir in the whole spices and let them infuse their flavour into the oil. Then pour in the blended paste.
6. You don’t want to lose a drop so add a little water to your blender, swish it around and pour it all in. Add the green chillies, if using, and bring to a simmer and add ground pepper and salt to taste.
7. You can store this gravy in the fridge for up to 3 days.