Imagine this: You had a long day at the office but still managed to prepare shahi paneer and roti for your dinner. Just as you were about to serve yourself with this delightful combo, you noticed that the curry turned out to be watery and bland. There is nothing worse than having runny gravies in your dishes, especially if you prepared them with the hopes of making restaurant-style dishes at home. However, this is a pretty common but manageable problem. If you are someone who struggles with water consistency in their gravies, then fret not. We have compiled a list of 5 ways through which you can thicken your watery gravy.
Also Read: How To Make An All-In-One Gravy: Fit For All Kinds Of Indian Curries
Cashew paste adds a nutty flavour to your gravy.
Photo Credit: iStock
Here Are 5 Ways To Thicken Watery Gravy
1. Cashew Paste
One of the easiest ways to thicken watery gravies is to simply add cashew nut paste to it. Adding cashew nut paste to your gravies would not just thicken them but also add a wonderfully creamy taste to the whole dish. To make cashew nut paste, all you have to do is soak 8-10 cashews in warm water for 30 minutes. Then blend them into a smooth paste in a mixer jar. This trick is often used in Kormas to make them delightfully rich in flavour.
2. Khus Khus
A popular thickening agent in Indian gravies, khus khus or poppy seed paste can help with the consistency of your dish. This seed paste can be used as a standalone agent or ground with other spices. However, poppy seeds need to be soaked first before grinding them. Khus khus adds a special nutty flavour to your curries, most popularly used in the Bengali dish, Alu Posto.
3. Besan
The classic thickening agent, adding besan to your curries and gravies is a well-known Indian kitchen trick. This is something that all Kadhi lovers would relate to. All you have to do is mix besan with water and make a smooth slurry of it. When you add this mixture to your gravy, stir and let it cook on a simmer for a while. The result would be marvellous. Your gravy would be thick and have a warm, earthy taste as well.
Besan slurry can thicken your runny gravy.
Photo Credit: iStock
4. Tomato Puree
If your gravy is runny, why not just add some tomato puree to it? This is one trick that is used by all chefs to create a rich and yummy curry base. Adding tomato puree to your dish would add a tangy flavour to it. To make this, take a pan and add chopped tomatoes along with some oil, salt, minced garlic, and onions. Cover with a lid and let it cook for 10 minutes or until the tomatoes are mushy. After the paste has cooled down, blend it in a mixer to get a smooth consistency. Add this mixture to your gravy!
5. Khoya
Not just in halwa, but you can also add khoya to your gravies to thicken them. Khoya or mawa is like crumbly bits of milk that melt in your curries to add a rich taste to it. So not only is it a thickening agent but also enhances the flavour of your dish. Khoya is especially used in rich dishes like paneer or koftas since it adds a delightfully sweet flavour to it.
Also Read: Watch: How To Make No-Onion, No-Garlic Gravy For All Indian Curries
Can you suggest any other thickening agents for your runny gravies? Let us know in the comments below!