Gravy Lazawab(Poppy Seed Based Gravy)

As it is said that how a person is dressed makes the first impression, how the person speaks makes the second impression and the last impression is made by the behavior. The same is true for food also. The first look and smell will make the first impression of food on the person. And in Vegetables / Chicken / Paneer (Cottage Cheese) with gravy, the texture and color of gravy is the big deciding factor. The taste of the Vegetables ,Chicken or Paneer (Cottage Cheese) can be changed by simply changing the gravy.

Preparation Time: 10 min.

Cooking time: 30 min.

Servings: Sufficient for 1/2 kg vegetables/ chicken/ paneer (Cottage Cheese)

Ingredients Required For White Gravy:

• 100gm.Onions( cut to long pieces.)
• 25 gm. Garlic-Ginger paste.
• 2 Tea spoon paste of Poppy seeds.
• 2 Tea spoons of Sesame seeds paste.
• White pepper powder to taste. 
• 50 ml. Cream.(4 Tea spoon of fresh Malai )
• Salt to taste.
• 2 Bay leaves.
• 3-4 Cloves.
• 2cm. Piece of Cinnamon.
• 1 Pinch of Nutmeg Powder.
• 10-15 ml. Cooking oil.
• 200ml. water.

Direction For Preparing White Gravy:

• Take a thick bottom wok and 8-10 ml. oil in it and heat.
• When smoking hot add cinnamon stick, cloves, bay leaves and cook for 1 min.
• Low the heat and add onions and cook on low flame till completely transparent.
• Add ginger-garlic paste and cook for 2-3 min. on low flame.
• Allow it to cool .
• Remove Bay leaves, cinnamon stick and grind to paste ( if required add very little water).
• Add the remaining oil in wok and heat.
• Add sesame paste and cook for 1min.
• Add poppy seeds paste and cook for 2-3 min.
• Add the cooked paste of onion, garlic, ginger and cook for 4-5min.
• Add white pepper powder and cook for 1min.
• Add nutmeg powder and cook for 1min.
• Add 100-150-ml. of water, salt and cook for 4-5min.
• Add cream, cook for 1 min. and remove from heat.
• Cover and leave for 4-5min. The gravy will become thick, creamy and yummy!!!  

 Sauteed  Vegetables / Chicken / Paneer (Cottage Cheese) added to this gravy and cooked for  5 mins. and further allowed to stand covered for 5-10 mins. makes the perfect Veg/ Non-Veg dish

Tip(s):

• Always take a thick bottom wok this will ensure that onions are properly cooked without turning red / brown.
• Those who do not take onion/garlic the amount of poppy seeds paste can be increased to 5-6 spoons.
• Make sure the poppy seed and sesame seed paste is cooked properly.
• The color of the paste of poppy seeds and sesame seeds will change to little transparent when cooked.
• Do not add too much water as it will change the texture and taste of gravy.
• Soak the poppy / sesame seeds for 30min. before making paste.
• The gravy will taste little sweetish so if you want you can add dry mango powder according to the taste.
• To add color to the prepared dish season it with fried whole red chili, cherry and sprig of coriander.

 Oops!!! my son is not going to like the last sentence. He does not like coriander. But it can always be replaced by Kasoori Methi (dry methi).