Mushroom and Cashew Curry, Chetna’s Healthy Indian Vegetarian. Photography by Nassima Rothacker.
Chetna Makan‘s bestselling cookbooks combine her creative flavour twists with a love of simple Indian home cooking. Taking inspiration from the eclectic mix of vegetarian and vegan dishes found in Indian cuisine, these tempting recipes celebrate plant-based food at its best – delicious, vibrant, varied and nutritious. Nothing complicated; just beautiful food for everyone – and so healthy that you can enjoy it every day.
With over 80 delicious recipes that vegetarians and even the most dedicated of meat-eaters can enjoy. Chetna shows just how creative you can be with even the most humble of vegetables. This book is packed with flavour and innovative ideas whilst being easy and accessible for home cooks.
Recipes include Garlic and tamarind soup, Gram flour stuffed chillies, Cheese and potato chapatti sandwich, Mushroom and Cashew Curry, Courgette kofta curry, Beetroot and sweet potato korma, and Masala paneer.
Chetna’s Healthy Indian: Vegetarian: Everyday Veg and Vegan Feasts Effortlessly Good for You is available at Amazon.com and Indigo.ca.
Mushroom and Cashew Curry
The combination of mushrooms and cashew nuts might sound unusual but I promise this could easily become your favourite veg curry. Gram flour slightly thickens the mixture while also adding flavour. Enjoy with rice, chapatti or naan.
SERVES 4
2 tablespoons sunflower oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
10–12 raw cashew nuts, roughly chopped
2 onions, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, grated
1 teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon chilli powder
½ teaspoon garam masala
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
2 tablespoons gram flour (besan)
100g (31⁄2oz) natural yogurt
250ml (9fl oz) water
3 tomatoes, finely chopped
400g (14oz) chestnut mushrooms, thinly sliced
20g (3⁄4oz) fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped
3⁄4 teaspoon salt
1⁄4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Heat the oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds. Once they start to sizzle, add the cashews and onions and cook on a low heat for 12–15 minutes, until deep golden brown. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
Add the ground coriander, chilli powder, garam masala, turmeric and flour and cook on a low heat for 1 minute, until the flour is fragrant and slightly roasted.
In a small bowl, mix the yogurt with 50ml (2fl oz) of the water. Slowly add this to the pan, stirring continuously to avoid the mixture splitting. Add the tomatoes, then cover and cook on a low heat for 10 minutes, until they are completely soft.
Add the mushrooms, coriander leaves, salt and pepper, plus the remaining 200ml (7fl oz) of water. Give it a stir, then cover and cook for 10–15 minutes, until the mushrooms are tender and the curry has thickened slightly. Serve warm.
This can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 2–3 days. Reheat before serving.
Recipe reprinted with permission from Hachette Book Group.
I am a big fan of Indian Food especially the use of spices and eccentric ingredients. I have been cooking Indian cuisine at home during quarantine. Thank you for sharing this recipe, will definitely try it.