Vegetables in an indulgent cashew curry

I rarely look up recipes, tending instead to recreate a dish based on my knowledge and intuition. However, sometimes I just can’t seem to get it right so I search for the answer online or in books. This is how I came across one of my favourite ever recipes, “Dairy-free Malai Kofta With Creamy Cashew Curry” by Susannah Louise. While I highly recommend making this recipe exactly as it’s written (it’s seriously delicious), the sauce can be used in various other applications. I’ve changed the recipe around a little to suit my own needs and preferences but you’ll definitely be able to see the similarities.

Serves 5

Ingredients:

1 tbsp canola oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp of fresh ginger, finely grated or minced
1 fresh green chilli finely sliced
1/4 tsp chilli powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 can of diced tomatoes
1 tsp garam masala
2 tbsp cashew butter
200mls soy milk
1 tsp dried kasuri methi (fenugreek) leaves
5-6 cups of your favourite vegetables, if you want to replicate this exactly I used:
2 small potatoes
1/2 cup of sweet potato
1/2 cup pumpkin
100g Zucchini
1/4 of a large capsicum
1 carrot
1/2 cup of broccoli, florets and stem
100g mushrooms
1/2 cup of rehydrated dried Judas ear (aka black fungus)
100g tofu

Method:

1. Pour oil into a pan and heat it to a warm, but not frying temperature, add onion and sautee until onion is translucent and begins to brown. Add ginger and garlic and stir over heat for a few minutes.
2. Add the fresh green chilli and stir again for a minute
3. Add chilli powder and turmeric, stirring to ensure the onions are coated in the spices
4. Add tinned tomatoes, cover and allow to gently simmer for around 10 minutes
5. Add garam masala and cook for a further 5 minutes
6. Add the cashew butter and soy milk, stir thoroughly over heat for 5 minutes
7. Add kasuri methi leaves, stir and cook for another few minutes
8. Add the vegetables in order of which takes longest to cook, in my case potato, sweet potato, pumpkin, and tofu were first in and I left them to cook, covered for about 10 minutes in the gravy, then added the rest of the vegetables and left it to simmer, covered, until all vegetables were tender.
9. Serve! On a bed of basmati rice, or with a piece of home-made garlic and coriander naan is how I like to take it.

Eating one serve of this provides you with at least two serves of vegetables, helping you to get 5 serves a day!

Heard that turmeric can cure you of all sorts of ailments? Check out what I have to say over on nutrition tidbits!