Cashew Curry

A few years ago, I was at a t-shirt release party for my friend Chamindika Wanduragala (www.chamindika.com). Chamun is an amazing visual artist, a stellar clothing designer, and a wonderful cook. She has also saved my ass financially on a couple of occasions.

I walked into her party and asked her what was on the menu for eats. She said cashew curry, and I did my best not to turn up my nose too far. I mean...really....for real....for real for real? Cashew curry...I was doubtful.

But, my Mama taught me to never turned my nose up at food unless I try it first. So I scooped a bit of basmati rice on my plate and then planted some cashews on top of it. I took a bite...and I didn't move from that damn spot for about an hour. I have a problem with portion control, and Lord have mercy I overate that night yes I did.

It's been a couple of years since I've had the curry, and I moved away from Minneapolis, so I figured that if I wanted it, I would have to figure out how to cook it myself. I tried to summon Chamun's recipe, but she has had a baby and is not so much the Facebook addict that I am. So I scanned various cashew curry recipes and settled on one that seemed closest to the Sri Lankan delight that Chamun whipped up for us.

I changed very little to this recipe, so this is not an original creation of mine, but it is damn good.

Cashew Curry Sri Lankan Style As Interpreted by a Negro From the Midwest

16 oz roasted Cashews
3 Cups thin Coconut milk (or water)
1 medium Onion, sliced
2 fresh green Chilies, sliced
2 cloves Garlic, crushed
5 cm Cinnamon stick
3 tbs Vegetable oil
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
2 tbs Raw Curry powder (see recipe for raw curry powder)
1 tbs crushed red pepper
1 Cup thick Coconut milk or fresh milk

METHOD :
- Place the cashews in a bowl, add boiling water, close with lid and
soak for about 4 hours or overnight.
- Drain the water from cashews and add salt, turmeric, raw curry
powder, goraka and mix well until cashews are well coated.
- Heat the oil in a medium saucepan then add onions, green chilies,
crushed garlic, cinnamon and fry until onions are soft and golden
brown.
- Add the cashews and keep stirring until well coated with oil and
onions.
- Add thin coconut milk (or water), close with lid and cook on slow
heat until cashews are soft and cooked.
- Add the thick coconut milk (or fresh milk) and bring to a boil on
slow heat.
- Turn off heat. Adjust salt to taste.

Here is my interpretation of the above, which is from the original recipe that I found at http://paradisaya.tripod.com/recipes/cashewc.txt.

First of all, do soak the cashews overnight.

Second of all use the coconut milk at the end along with two cups more water, bring to a boil and then turn the heat down low, and simmer covered for FOUR HOURS at minimum.

Then turn off heat, serve with brown rice, and enjoy.

Let me tell you....David LOVED LOVED LOVED this recipe.

This recipe will easily feed a crew of 6-8 for about $15. Also, it is a completely vegan recipe.

Basil Jasmine Rice with Garlic/Pepper Tofu

Last night David and I had our 2nd (his 3rd) annual pumpkin carving party. It was good times and great fun with amazing people. As usual, we fed our guests good food that was good for them (except, perhaps, for the pumpkin chocolate bread....it was DELICIOUS but perhaps not the best for you).

This recipe takes a little more prep time, but it is worth it.

Here's the dish that I served up for the kiddies:

Basil Jasmine Rice with Garlic/Pepper Tofu

2 Cups Jasmine Rice
4 Garlic Cloves minced
3 bunches Green Onion diced
3 cups Fresh Basil minced
2 Jalapenos minced
1 Red Bell Pepper diced
2 cups fresh Green Beans
4 cups Snow Peas
1/2 cup Cilantro minced
1/2 cup Red Onion minced
1/4 Soy Sauce
2 packages Garlic/Pepper Tofu (or plain tofu if you can't find the flavored version)
1/4 cup Peanut Oil

First of all you want to prepare your rice a couple hours a ahead of time. Cook the jasmine rice using the directions on the bag. I use about 1/2 cup less water than recommended. The rice will be fully cooked but it will also be a little more firm, which is better for later on in the recipe. Once the rice is cooked put it in the refrigerator for a couple of hours or until it is cooled.

Next prepare your tofu. Use the directions for preparing your tofu here.

In a large wok heat your peanut oil. You can use olive oil, but peanut oil is better for high heat cooking. Once the oil is hot add to it the garlic, green onions, basil, cilantro, red onions and soy sauce. Cook for about 2 minutes.

Add the remaining vegetables to the wok. Cook for 5 minutes stirring frequently to mix the flavors together.

Then add to the tofu to the mixture. Cook for another 5 minutes.

Lastly add the jasmine rice. Cook for ten minutes stirring frequently to make sure the rice is mixed well with the rest of the ingredients.

Remove from dish from heat and serve it up!

This dish will comfortably serve four to six people and have them stuffed to the gills. The entire cost of this meal is roughly $10-$15 depending on the season and the cost of the vegetables and tofu in your area.

Brandon's Shut Yo Mouth Hot Sauce

WARNING THIS HOT SAUCE IS NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART!

I am not responsible for what happens during preperation, at the moment of consumption, or the moment of excretion when your booty hole swells up and starts singing.

But damn this shit is good.

I love spicy food. I mean I LOVE spicy food. I like my tongue to be on that razor sharp edge between love and pain, hurt and heaven. When it comes to spicy food, I am way into S/M. Now, I have, a couple of times, surpassed my comfort zone and had to use my safety word. I will never again try to be bold enough to eat West Indian or Sri Lankan food like a native. Those two cuisines had me callin' on foreign gods and sprouting sweat fountains out of the back of my head. But short of those types of fires...I like it HOT HOT HOOOOOOTTTTTTT!

When I was a kid, I remember visitng my Pinoy relatives in Texas. My step-Grandmother had a hot sauce she made by soaking hot peppers in vinegar. Then, she would sprinkle the vinegar over rice and meat at the table...like a Pillipino version of tabasco sauce. But waaayyyyy better.

I took it up a notch. This is my version of that recipe. BTW, this sauce is completely vegan, so there is equal opportunity for both carnivores and herbivores to thoroughly cleanse out the lining of their colons.

Brandon's Shut Yo Mouth Hot Sauce

6 Habanero Peppers
25 Serrano Chiles
20 Finger Peppers
40oz white vinegar
6 garlic cloves
1 tbsp raw sugar
1/4 cup salt
2 tbsp garlic salt
1 large mason jar or jar with a sealable lid

First things first, if you are not used to working with peppers this hot you should think about wearing gloves when handling the peppers. Once you start cutting into the peppers, if you are not wearing gloves, do NOT rub your eyes or scratch any sensitive parts of your anatomy. I barely scratched my upper lip while making this last batch and it tingled uncomfortably for an hour. In the past, I have made the mistakes of scratching the family jewels...and let's just say I thought about becoming a eunuch.

First of all, pour the salts and sugar into the bottom of your jar.

Then, begin slicing your peppers. Start at the tip of each pepper and cut small circular pieces from the tip to the stem. Once your peppers are all sliced, alternate the various types of peppers and put them into the jar. Once all the peppers are in and you have admired the bright red, orange, yellow, and green of the quasi deadly concoction, add to the jar the white vinegar.

Finally, peel your garlic cloves, smash the garlic with the flat of your knife and cut into large pieces. Add the garlic to the jar.

Then, with a large wooden spoon, stir the contents of the jar together until thoroughly mixed.

Seal the jar and sit on a shelf for a week. You can let it sit for a longer or shorter amount of time at your discretion. The longer you allow the hot sauce to sit, the hotter it will be.

After a week, leaving the peppers in the jar, scoop out some of the vinegar mixture to use to spice your food when cooking it or afterwards to give it that final spicy edge.

This will make quit a bit of hot sauce. You can easily pour the larger bottle into smaller bottles for ease of use or for gifts. To make a ginormous jar of the hot sauce (which should last you a good six months to a year)...the total cost is $10-$11.

PS Here is a great article from the Smithsonian Magazine that I received from my college alum Lee Dunham Sessions...thanks Lee.