Cashewnut Curry (Kajuchi Usal)

Hi friends, 

Welcome to my blog! 

You will find traditional, exciting and innovative ways of cooking with the recipes I post. 

To start with, let's make something which suits best for this season!!

Cashewnut Curry (Kajuchi Usal)

Ingredients

1 cup raw cashews

1 medium potato diced into thin slices

For the masala: 

2 onions roughly chopped

1 green chilly

2-3 garlic cloves

1 inch ginger

3-4 strands of fresh coriander leaves

2 tbsp freshly grated coconut

1 tsp garam masala/malvani masala/kitchen king masala

1 tsp tamarind paste

3-4 tbsp oil

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp chilly powder

1 tsp jeera

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 pinch hing/asafoetida

salt to taste

Method:

1. Wash the cashews thoroughly. Put them in warm water. The skin will come off easily. Keep these peeled cashews aside. 

2. Deep fry the diced potatoes and keep them aside.

3. In a pan/kadai, heat 1 tbsp cooking oil. I use traditional groundnut oil. Saute the onion, chillies, garlic and ginger till onion becomes translucent. Add coconut and coriander leaves and keep stirring. Otherwise, the coconut may burn. Your masala is ready, once you see that the coconut turns slight golden brown. Let it cool. 

Tip: Do not grind the masala, when hot! It creates hot air inside the jar and the lid may just pop up. Also, it reduces the life of the rubber attachment of the jar. 

Grind the masala in a mixie to a fine paste. You may add a little water after your first churn! 

4. In a pan, heat oil. Add mustard seeds and jeera. Once they pop, add hing. Add turmeric powder and chilly powder.

5. Add the masala paste and saute till it leaves sides of the pan. Add garam masala and stir.

6. Add the cashews and potatoes and give it a stir. Let them soak in the masala for a minute. 

7. Add salt to taste. Dissolve the tamarind paste in little water so that it mixes well with the masala, and add. 

8. Add 1 cup water to make a thick gravy. Let it simmer for 5 minutes. 

Your kajuchi usal is ready to serve.