White (Hotel) Restaurant Style Gravy

This hotel style Indian white gravy is a good one! You can make it in less than 30 minutes too.

You are going to love this creamy and nutty white gravy. It is a curry in its own right. All you need to do is heat it up and add your protein of choice.

You can also add it in small amounts to other curries to give them a delicious creamy and nutty flavour even if the recipe does not call for it.

What is restaurant (hotel) style white gravy?

This is a base gravy that you prepare to add a creamy and nutty flavour to a curry. You can use it on its own to produce a curry such as white chicken curry or just add a little to another sauce for creaminess.

The white gravy is hugely popular in Indian restaurant (hotel) style cooking. The chefs make it in large batches so that they can cook up a curry in minutes that would normally take much longer.

Why is it called 'hotel' style white gravy?

In India, you will come across many restaurants with 'hotel' in their name. Some could be hotels too but very often it is just a word used for a restaurant.

So restaurant style and hotel style mean the same thing and both titles are used either on their own or together.

Ingredients

You’ll find the ingredients listed below, while the precise amounts are provided in the recipe card at the end of the page. For smooth cooking and the best outcome, it’s a good idea to have everything measured and prepared before you begin.

See recipe card for quantities.

rapeseed (canola) oil
onions, roughly chopped
melon seeds
cashews
garlic and ginger paste
single (light) cream
natural yoghurt
cardamom pods, lightly bruised
cinnamon stick
green finger chillies, slit lengthwise down the centre (optional)
black peppercorns or ground black pepper, to taste
Salt, to taste

See recipe card for quantities.

Why would you want to make this hotel style white gravy?

This is a recipe for those who like to batch cook. At restaurants in India, they have no choice but to make different gravies to add to their curries.

By preparing gravies like this white gravy and also this tomato and onion gravy, chefs can quickly throw together a masterpiece meal in minutes that would normally take much longer.

The different gravies are ready for service and you can add them to the pan on their own or mix them up some to create new and unique curries.

So if you're cooking for a crowd, these hotel style gravies make it possible for you to take requests and whip up an amazing curry in no time.

Step by step photos

Below, you’ll see step-by-step photographs to guide you through the recipe. At the bottom of the page, you’ll also find the full recipe card, which includes the complete list of ingredients and written instructions in an easy, printable format.

Step 1: Add the chopped onions and fry for about 5 minutes to soften.

Adding the cashews and melon seeds to the pan.

Step 2: Then stir in the melon seeds and cashews and continue frying over a medium heat to cook everything through. Stir often.

Frying the onion, cashews and melon seeds together in the pan.

Step 3: You don’t want to brown the cashews and seeds but rather cook out the rawness for a few more minutes. Stir in the garlic and ginger paste and fry for a further 30 seconds and then allow to cool.

Placing the onion mixture, cream and yoghurt in a blender.

Step 4: Now transfer it all to a blender and add the cream and yoghurt.

Step 5: Blend to a smooth paste and set aside.

Step 6: Heat the remaining oil and add the cinnamon stick and cardamom pods. Let these infuse into the oil for about a minute.

Adding the blended white gravy to the spice infused oil.

Step 7: Then pour in the blended paste. You don’t want to lose a drop so add a little water to your blender, swish it around and pour it all in.

Adding green chillies, salt and white pepper to the simmering sauce.

Step 8: Add the green chillies, if using, and bring to a simmer and add ground pepper and salt to taste

Step 9: Taste it again so that you are happy with the flavour.

How do you use restaurant style white gravy?

This gravy is ready to serve! You could just heat it up in a pan, add some cooked or raw chicken and heat or cook the chicken through. This will give you a white chicken curry like this one.

Remember to add only what you need for the amount of sauce you require. A large ladleful will be enough with a few pieces of chicken to serve one to two people. Add it all and a lot of chicken and you have enough to serve a crowd.

You can also add this white gravy in small amounts to other curries to give them a more creamy and nutty flavour as I recommend below.

Can you up or downscale this restaurant style white gravy?

Yes! This batch will make enough for about 3 to 4 curries that serve 4. That is approximate, however depending on how you use the white gravy.

If you use your white gravy on its own as in this white chicken curry, it will go a lot faster than if you just add it to other gravies to give them a nutty creaminess.

I use downscaled versions of this white gravy in my white chicken shahi korma and white chicken karahi recipes.

Storage

Fridge: Allow your dish to cool completely, then store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Flavours often develop even more after a night in the fridge.
Freezer: Portion and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge, then reheat gently on the hob or in the oven until piping hot.

Top Tip

Keep the heat gentle when simmering the onions and spices – this stops the gravy from caramelising too dark and keeps that clean, pale colour that’s perfect for kormas, pasandas, and other lighter curries.

FAQ

Why is it called “white” base gravy?

Because the onions and spices are cooked gently without browning, which creates a pale, mild sauce ideal for lighter curries.

Can I use this base for all curries?

Yes, but it works best in mild or medium dishes. For stronger curries (like Madras or Rogan Josh), many chefs prefer the darker, richer base.

Try adding a little restaurant style white gravy to any of the following curries to give them a creamier and nuttier flavour.

The following curries would not traditionally have white gravy added to them. That is part of the fun of getting to know how to prepare your own special recipes just like restaurant chefs do.

Just add some to taste and see what you think.

Other Base Sauce Recipes

Pairing

Rice

Naan

Dahls

Have you tried this recipe?

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Yield: 1 litre (4 cups))

White (Hotel) Restaurant Style Gravy

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

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

Instructions

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.
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.
Now transfer it all to a blender and add the cream and yoghurt.
Blend to a smooth paste and set aside. In the same pan, heat the 2 tablespoons of oil over a medium–high heat.
Stir in the whole spices and let them infuse their flavour into the oil. Then pour in the blended paste.
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.
You can store this gravy in the fridge for up to 3 days.