On Real Health this week, I made a delectable vegan curry. It’s a North Indian treat, and it’s unbelievably creamy with the cashew gravy. It takes about 15 minutes to prep the ingredients, and another half hour to make the curry.

Here’s a link to the youtube video

I use two mixed masala’s: Garam masala and a mixed masala. South african’s usually call masala ‘curry powder’, but there is a lot more to it than that 🙂

Garam masala is an aromatic blend of spices used extensively in Indian cuisine. This all-purpose seasoning adds warmth and slight peppery heat to a curry. it usually contains coriander, black pepper, cumin, cardamom, clove, cinnamon and crushed bay leaf.

Mixed masala really differs family to family.  My fabulous mum makes the most amazing masala. I swear I can’t eat a curry without it. It’s a blend of 13 spices.. of which are a secret. You can also buy many varieties in spice shops, or bump some off your nearest indian friend!

Cooking utensils required: 

• Frying pan
• Medium sized pot
• Liquidiser

Let’s start with the gravy preparation. It can be prepared before hand and left aside until you fry the veggies later.

Ingredients for the gravy:

• 12 ml grape seed oil (maintains stability in high heat)
• 2 teaspoon mustard seed
• 1 sprig of curry leaf
• 1 cup of finely chopped onion (I just threw this in a liquidiser)
• 1 tablespoon of ginger garlic paste
• 1 green cardamom pod
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 2 cloves
• 1 star anise
• 1 tsp fenugreek seeds
• 1 tablespoon crushed cumin and coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 tablespoon of mixed masala
• 1/2 teaspoon of tumeric
• 125g of raw unsalted cashew nuts
• 1 cup of warm water

Method:

• Heat the oil in the frying pan on medium heat, add the mustard seed. When they start popping, add the curry leaf and the chopped onion.
• Let the onion fry until a light caramel brown.
• Add the balance of the spices: 1 green cardamom pod (bruise the pod and leave it slightly open, 2 cinnamon sticks, 2 cloves, 1 star anise, 1 tsp fenugreek seeds, 1 tablespoon crushed cumin and coriander seeds, 1 teaspoon garam masala, 1 tablespoon of mixed masala, 1/2 teaspoon of tumeric powder, 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste. Stir for 2 minutes.
• Add the cashew nut, let this cook for another 5 minutes.
• Remove the cinnamon stick, star anise and cardamom pod and place aside. We will add it in the curry later.
• Let the ingredients cool down. Transfer the rest of the ingredients into your liquidiser, add the warm water, and whiz it up until it’s as smooth as you can get it. You can add more water for thining it out.
• Place aside for use later. Let’s make the veggies.

Ingredients for vegetable mix:

• 2 tablespoons of grape seed oil
• 1- 2 slivered fresh chilli (red or green)
• 250g mushrooms (I used a mix of exotic mushrooms- Shimeiji, oyster and enoki- and normal white button mushrooms)
• 1 cup of cubed red capsicum
• 1 cup of chopped green beans
• 1/2 cup liquidised tomato
• 1.5 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup of warm water
• Fresh Coriander for garnish

Method:

• Add oil to the medium sized pot on a medium heat.
• Add the chilli, fry for 2 minutes, and add the mushroom, capsicum and green beans. Let the mushrooms fry down, and the capsicum and green beans cook until there’s a slight crisp.
• Add the tomato, and salt and cook for a further 5-10 minutes
• Add the cashew nut paste and water and cook on low heat for another 10-15 minutes. Now its ready to eat!
• Garnish with coriander leaves.
• I served it with earthy brown and wild rice. You can serve it with rye roti, or brown basmati rice.