Kumara, Cashew & Cauliflower Curry with Kashmiri Rice

Vegan / Gluten-Free / Serves 6 

Nutty, creamy and full of texture, this curry is perfect for the cooling autumn evenings. Toasting and grinding your own spices gives a far superior flavour. Whole spices also keep better in the pantry. The Kashmiri rice is not just delicious it is more nutritious with the addition of coconut and raisins to the fibre-rich brown rice.

Ingredients and method

Soak together, for a minimum of three hours:

• 200g raw cashew nuts
• 300ml water

Gather your ingredients and prepare the following:

• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1 fresh chilli, sliced (optional)
• 1 red kumara, scrubbed and diced
• ¼ cauliflower, cut into small florets

Toast the spices in a dry heavy-based pan. Measure in:

• 1 tsp cumin seed
• ½ tsp fenugreek seed
• 1 tsp cardamom seed
• 1 T fennel seed
• 1 T coriander seed
• 1 cinnamon quill

Toast the seeds over a high heat, shaking the pan often, until just starting to vapor, then take off the heat. Cool slightly and grind in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle.

Curry

Add to a large pot:

• 1 tsp yellow mustard seeds

Toast in the dry pot until just starting to pop. Now add:

• 2 T coconut oil or ghee

Melt the oil, then add the onion and chilli.

Fry for 30 seconds, then add the ground spices and kumara. Fry for another 30 seconds, then add the soaked cashew nuts and the soaking water, plus:

• 1 x 400 g tin chopped tomatoes, then fill the can with 400ml water and add to the pan
• 1 x 400 ml can coconut cream, then fill the can with 400ml water and add to the pan
• 1 T ground turmeric
• 8 curry leaves
• 1 T coconut or rice vinegar
• 1 tsp sweet soy sauce

Bring to the boil then turn down to a gentle simmer for 45 minutes, stirring a couple of times. To finish add your prepared cauliflower to the curry and:

• 4 T ground almonds
• 1 tsp cracked pepper
• 1 tsp salt

Stir through.

Rice

Measure the following amount of rice into a sieve and rinse under cold water:

• 1 c brown basmati rice

Tip the rice into a pot and add:

• 2 T raisins
• 1 pinch saffron (optional)
• ½ tsp salt
• 650ml water

Cover with the lid and bring to the boil.

Turn it down to a simmer immediately and stir with a fork. Replace the lid and simmer until you can't see the water anymore.

Stir again gently and add:

• 4 T threaded or desiccated coconut

Replace the lid and remove from the heat to steam for 10 minutes; then give it a final, gently stir with a fork while it sits.

Serve the curry and rice with poppadoms and your favourite chutney or pickle.