There are several versions of this Indian dish, and it seems the differences are somewhat dependent on the locality of the recipe. It’s a very flavorful dish, and mild enough for everyone’s palate. In fact, it goes well with a spicy curry by offsetting its heat.
The version I made is based on what I thought was the best list of ingredients, based on my preferences. Note that this is vegan if you use oil instead of ghee, though ghee makes it much more flavorful.
What you’ll need:
- 2-3T oil or ghee
- 0.5t cumin seeds
- 1 or 2 cardamom pods
- 2 whole cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2-3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
- 1 green chili (use whichever level of heat works for you), split lengthwise and seeded
- 10-20 cashew nuts
- 2 small onions, chopped
- 2.25 cups chopped tomatoes (use fresh ones, for the love of god)
- 0.25t turmeric
- Salt, to taste
- 2.5 cups cooked rice (basmati seems most appropriate, given that this is an Indian dish)
What to do:
Heat the oil or ghee in a large fry pan over medium, then add the cumin seeds, cardamom pods, cloves, cinnamon and crushed garlic. Sauté for a few seconds, then add the green chili. Fry until slightly browned.
Next, add the cashews and sauté until they are golden brown. Now, add the chopped onions and cook until they are transparent.
Then add the chopped tomatoes, salt and turmeric and sauté until the tomatoes have shed their water and become thick and mushy. Keep cooking until almost all of the water evaporates.
When the tomatoes are no longer watery, remove from heat and thoroughly mix in the rice.
Serve as a side dish or with naan as a vegan meal.
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