WHAT’S COOKING

 

I had a hunkering for Indian food that was vegetarian. I came across this recipe of Cauliflower, Cashew, Pea and Coconut Curry that sounded delicious and it was. I was glad I tried it. I used Serrano Chile for heat. You can remove the seeds and veins if you prefer less heat and roughly chopped the chile. This recipe also calls for extra Chile powder which I did use as I love spicy food. However if you prefer a milder curry do not use the chile powder. Overall this was a very satisfying Indian vegetarian dish that I will keep in my file for use in the future. Give it a try and let me know what you think.

Cauliflower, Cashew, Pea, and Coconut Curry

1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 green Chile (such as serrano), roughly chopped
Kosher salt, pinch of sugar and ground black pepper
4 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 large onions, finely chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 teaspoon ground coriander
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon Chile powder, optional
1 large head cauliflower (about 1 1/4 lbs) broken into bite size florets
1 can (14 ounce) unsweetened coconut milk
3/4 cup unsalted cashews
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 small bunch cilantro, leaves chopped for serving
1 lemon wedge for serving
Cooked basmati rice for serving

Method

Place the ginger, garlic and green chile in a mortar and pestle with a pinch of salt. Mash until a paste forms and set aside. Alternately, finely chop the ginger, garlic and green chile together, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, then mash into a coarse paste using the flat portion of your chef’s knife.

In a large skillet with a lid, heat 3 tablespoons oil over medium. Cook the onions until golden, about 8-10 minutes. Add the ginger paste and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes.

Stir in the tomato paste, coriander, cumin, chile powder( if using) and 1 1/4 teaspoons salt. Stir in the cauliflower and coconut milk and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook until the cauliflower is tender, 10 to 12 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a small skillet over medium. Fry the cashews, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool.

Add the peas and garam masala to the cauliflower mixture and cook, stirring, 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt.

Top the curry with the cashews, cilantro and a squeeze of lemon just before serving. Serve with a big steaming bowl of basmati rice.

Serves 4