It's time to lash out away from all that rich carby pasta and rice and move into the wonderful world of Indian flavours! I have Indian neighbours, all the way from downtown Bangalore. Often I have to close my balcony door to drive out the smell of South Indian spices drifting up from downstairs (not to mention the shrieks from their kid, but that's another story). This recipe is fairly easy to make. It is tasty and improves over time. High leftover potential too.
30 ml (2 tbspns) sunflower oil (olive oil is OK too)
2 onions, chopped
2 fresh green chillies, deseeded and finely sliced (greens one are mild)
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 ground coriander
125g (4 oz) unsalted cashew nuts, pureed in a food processor
salt n freshly ground black pepper
250g (8 oz) long grain rice (white or brown - I used white)
1/2 medium sized cauliflower, split into florets
125g (4 oz) okra, with ends cut off (see photo - you should be able to buy okra in a supermarket)
125g (4 oz) zucchini (courgettes), sliced
125g (4 oz) frozen peas
2 - 4 tbspns chopped fresh coriander
Method
1. Place coconut in a bowl and pour over 450ml (15 fl oz) boiling water. Stir and leave to melt completely.
2. While that is melting, warm oil in a saucepan over moderate heat, adding onion. Cover and cook until tender (5 - 7 mins).
3. Add chillies, garlic and spices, stir well and cook for a further 1 - 2 mins. Remove and set aside.
4. Stir pureed cashew nuts into the bowl with melted coconut. Add this mixture to the onion and spices in the pan. Season with salt n pepper. Cover and set aside again.
If you are after a more intense flavour or if you are pre-preparing it, you can now leave it for up to 24 hours. Cover it and keep in the fridge.
5. When you are ready to eat, cook the rice (I always just use a microwave).
6. Cook the veggies by pouring 1cm (1/2 in) boiling water into a largish saucepan. Add cauli and okra, cover and half-boil, half-steam for 1 min. Add zucchini (courgettes), cover and cook for another 3 mins. Drain the veggies.
7. Stir veggies into the creamy cashew nut mixture, along with frozen peas.
8. Warm entire mixture over a gentle heat. Add more salt and pepper, to taste.
9. Serve on rice, sprinkled with chopped coriander.
Ingredients
75g (3 oz) creamed coconut, sliced into flakes (Hard to find in the shops! Try a health food shop or food co-op as my local fresh food corporatised supermarket did not sell it. It comes in chunks.)30 ml (2 tbspns) sunflower oil (olive oil is OK too)
2 onions, chopped
2 fresh green chillies, deseeded and finely sliced (greens one are mild)
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 ground coriander
125g (4 oz) unsalted cashew nuts, pureed in a food processor
salt n freshly ground black pepper
250g (8 oz) long grain rice (white or brown - I used white)
1/2 medium sized cauliflower, split into florets
125g (4 oz) okra, with ends cut off (see photo - you should be able to buy okra in a supermarket)
125g (4 oz) frozen peas
2 - 4 tbspns chopped fresh coriander
Method
1. Place coconut in a bowl and pour over 450ml (15 fl oz) boiling water. Stir and leave to melt completely.
2. While that is melting, warm oil in a saucepan over moderate heat, adding onion. Cover and cook until tender (5 - 7 mins).
3. Add chillies, garlic and spices, stir well and cook for a further 1 - 2 mins. Remove and set aside.
4. Stir pureed cashew nuts into the bowl with melted coconut. Add this mixture to the onion and spices in the pan. Season with salt n pepper. Cover and set aside again.
If you are after a more intense flavour or if you are pre-preparing it, you can now leave it for up to 24 hours. Cover it and keep in the fridge.
5. When you are ready to eat, cook the rice (I always just use a microwave).
6. Cook the veggies by pouring 1cm (1/2 in) boiling water into a largish saucepan. Add cauli and okra, cover and half-boil, half-steam for 1 min. Add zucchini (courgettes), cover and cook for another 3 mins. Drain the veggies.
7. Stir veggies into the creamy cashew nut mixture, along with frozen peas.
8. Warm entire mixture over a gentle heat. Add more salt and pepper, to taste.
9. Serve on rice, sprinkled with chopped coriander.
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