Blended cashews give vegetarian curry creamy body without cream
Many recipes for Indian curries such as tikka masala and butter chicken call for copious amounts of butter, yogurt and cream to give them a rich, satisfying texture. For a lighter vegetarian interpretation of the takeout classic, meaty cremini mushrooms stand in for chicken and puréed cashews make up the base of the curry.
In this recipe from our book “Cook What You Have,” which draws on pantry staples to assemble easy, weeknight meals, we soften cashews in a bit of water, then blend them until smooth to make a purée that lends creamy texture without making the dish heavy.
The purée then is cooked with an aromatic mixture of onion, garlic, ginger, garam masala and paprika until it begins to brown, concentrating the flavours. Canned tomatoes and water are added to release any browned bits and ensure no flavor is left behind on the pan. Cremini mushrooms are simmered until tender and the sauce is creamy. If you have only white mushrooms on hand, they’ll work well, too.
For a pop of colour, stir 1/2 cup thawed frozen peas into the curry at the end of cooking. Warm naan or nutty brown rice are wonderful accompaniments.
TOMATO-MUSHROOM CURRY Start to finish 40 minutes Serving 4
■ 1/2 cup roasted salted cashews, plus 2 tablespoons chopped cashews, divided
■ 3 tablespoons grapeseed or other neutral oil
■ 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
■ 4 medium garlic cloves, minced
■ 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
■ 1 tablespoon garam masala
■ 2 teaspoons hot paprika OR 2 teaspoons sweet paprika plus 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
■ Kosher salt and ground black pepper
■ 14 1/2-ounce can crushed tomatoes
■ pound cremini OR white mushrooms, trimmed, halved if medium, quartered if large In a blender, combine the 1/2 cup cashews and 1/3 cup water; soak for about 10 minutes. Purée on high until smooth, scraping the jar as needed, one to two minutes; set aside.
In a 12-inch skillet over medium, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, six to nine minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, garam masala, paprika and 1/2 teaspoon pepper; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about one minute. Add the cashew purée and cook, stirring often, until browned and sticking to the bottom of the skillet, about two minutes.
Add the tomatoes and 3/4 cup water, scraping up the browned bits, then stir in the mushrooms and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Cover, reduce to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally and scraping along the bottom of the pan to prevent sticking, until the mushrooms are very tender and the sauce is creamy, 10 to 15 minutes.
Off heat, taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve sprinkled with the chopped cashews.