Cashew Curry

Last night Tyler and I made a wonderful Cashew Curry dish. The key is to make your own curry powder. It is so easy and makes a world of difference – inspiring fresh, distinct flavors. I found most of my whole spices at the Indian grocery store, but you can find many in the ethnic section of your local grocery. You simply roast them over medium-high heat for a few minutes, or until fragrant, in a dry skillet and then grind them in a coffee/ spice grinder. We used dried red peppers, black peppercorns, fennel seeds, cardamom pods, cinnamon, turmeric, cloves, and coriander seeds. I found The Spice Merchant’s Daughter: Recipes and Simple Spice Blends for the American Kitchen by Christina Arokiasamy, at the library, which has a number of different curry blend ideas.

Here is the recipe for the Curry, adapted from 101 Cookbooks.com

photo credit :: Heidi Swanson

1 cup whole coconut milk
1 – 2 tablespoons curry powder
scant 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1/2 large red onion, chopped
1 medium garlic clove, chopped
1/3 cup water
4 ounces firm tofu, cut into small cubes
1 cup green beans, cut into 1-inch segments
1 1/2 cups cauliflower, cut into tiny florets
1/3 cup cashews, toasted
1/2 c. brown rice

First, saute the diced tofu in a bit of oil/ butter until browned. Set aside. Bring half of the coconut milk to a simmer in a large skillet or pot over medium-high heat. Whisk in the curry powder and salt, working out any clumps. Now stir in the chopped red onion and garlic and cook for a minute. Stir in the remaining coconut milk and the water. Cook down the liquid for a couple minutes before adding the green beans and cauliflower. Cover and simmer for just about one minute, maybe two – or just until the cauliflower and beans lose their raw edge and cook through a bit. Remove the pot from heat and stir in the cashews and tofu. Taste and adjust the seasoning (salt / curry powder) if needed.

Serve over brown rice and enjoy with a glass of white wine.

Serves Serves 2-3.