28 February 2012

Crunchy Cashew Curry

Serving a meatless meal once a week helps to keep the grocery budget under control and it's something I've always done. It also adds variety and interest to meals.  If your family baulks at the 'V' word, don't use it. Leave "vegetarian" out of the name when they ask what's for dinner and let them enjoy the meal. In this case ignorance really is bliss for the diners and the cook.

Ingredients:
250g whole cashews
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, finely diced
1 tbsp coriander
Zest of one lemon
2 tbsp curry paste of choice
½ tsp turmeric
2 chilies, thinly sliced (or less if you like it less hot)
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 ½ tsp fresh ginger, grated
1 400ml can coconut milk

Method:
In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil and sauté the onion until golden. Add the coriander, curry leaves, lemon zest, turmeric, chilies, ginger and garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 7 to 8 minutes. Stir in the remaining ingredients and simmer for about 10 minutes, until mixture starts to thicken. Remove curry leaves and serve immediately over steamed rice and fresh naan.


Naan Bread

Naan is so easy to make, and so much cheaper than buying it. There's nothing quite like fresh naan with your curry.

Ingredients:
½ cup warm water
½ cup natural yoghurt
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups plain flour

Method:
Mix all ingredients into a dough and knead for 5 minutes. Transfer to a lightly greased bowl and cover with a damp tea towel; allow to rise for about 20 minutes.

Knead again and divide into small balls (approximately the size of a golf ball). Roll into thin, flat circles. Cover with a damp tea towel until ready to cook. To bake in the oven (for a crisp naan) butter a baking tray and lay the naan out. They don't spread so you'll get quite a few on a baking tray. Bake in a 200 C degree oven for 10 - 12 minutes, until they are golden brown.

To cook in a frying pan (for a softer, more bread-like naan) heat the pan over medium heat. Melt some butter and brush one side of each naan. Place the naan butter side down in the pan. Brush the tops with melted butter. Cook for approximately two minutes, turn and cook the other side for two minutes. They should be slightly puffed and golden.

Variations:
Garlic Naan:  Add 1 teaspoon garlic to melted butter before brushing
Sesame Naan: Sprinkle top with toasted sesame seeds before turning and cooking

1 comment:

  1. When I hear people say to use nuts in place of meat it always puzzles me because nuts can be more expensive then meat or about the same price.
    from our butchers we buy great mince for $10 for 2 kilos so if you used 250grams of mince the cost would be $1.25 or 500grams $2.50 surely that would be cheaper then 250 grams of cashews...
    Sherrie from Simpleliving :)

    ReplyDelete

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