Mushroom & Capsicum Curry Smothered in a Creamy Cashew Nut Gravy

ummm…actually Nom Nom Nom 🙂 oh yes it is 🙂 we have the lovely texture of the mushrooms and then the sweet creaminess of the cashews which so beautifully carries the aromatic spices.  Another wonderful curry taking top honours on my veggietable 🙂

Preparation:              10 minutes

Cooking time:            30-35 minutes

Serves:                       4

30ml olive oil

¼ tsp mustard seeds

1 sprig curry leaves

3-4 green chilli cut lengthwise

250g Button Mushrooms cut into quarters

1 small green capsicum chopped into squares

1 large tomato grated (½ cup)

1 ½ tsp salt

Gravy paste (see below)

1 – 1½ cups water

Fresh coriander to garnish

Ingredients for gravy paste

1 tbsp 15ml olive oil

1 cup onion finely chopped

1 sprig curry leaves

1 tbsp ginger finely chopped

1 tbsp garlic finely chopped

1 cardamom pod

2 cloves

¼ tsp fenugreek seeds

1 star anise

1 small piece cinnamon stick

½ cup (125ml)  cashew nuts

1 tbsp 15ml coriander powder

½ tbsp 7ml tbsp cumin powder

1 tsp 5ml garam masala

2 tbsp 30ml chilli powder or mix masala

½ tsp turmeric powder

1 cup 250ml water

Let’s cook 🙂

• Prepare vegetable as per ingredient list.
• Start by making the gravy. Heat oil in a pan.  Toss in onions, curry leaves, ginger, garlic, cardamom, cloves, star anise and cinnamon stick.  Cook until onions are soft and slightly light brown 3-5 minutes.
• Thereafter add cashews – fry for 30 seconds and then add balance of ingredients for gravy.  Sauté for a few seconds.
• Turn off heat and allow to cool down.  Remove star anise and cinnamon stick and grind into a smooth paste using a spice grinder or liquidiser.  Add water to mixture while grinding. This will form a nice thick paste.  Once done – keep aside.
• Now heat oil in a pot.  Add mustard seeds, curry leaves, chillies and the star anise and cinnamon.  Once seeds pop and leaves splatter toss in mushrooms and capsicum.  Cook for 5 minutes until mushroom starts to shrink.  Now add tomato and salt – cook for another 5 minutes.
• Thereafter add paste and water.  Bring to boil than lower heat and allow to simmer for 10 – 15 minutes.  Test for salt and adjust accordingly
• Garnish and serve with roti or rice.  I love it with suka roti…made with brown whole-wheat flour.