Dinner

Magical dried fruit & nut curry

The first fruit curry I tried was from one of Camellia Panjabi’s recipe books and it was a magical experience – not at all as odd as I thought it would be. This is my version and it’s a stand out if you’re looking to expand your repertoire of vegetarian meals.
Magical dried fruit & nut curryTodd Eyre
6
1H

Ingredients

Method

1.In a food processor, blend half the cashew nuts, onions, ginger, garlic, chillies, coriander powder, cumin and paprika with a little water to make a paste.
2.Heat the oil in a large saucepan with the bay leaves, cinnamon stick and cardamom.
3.Add the paste and fry, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until deep brown and fragrant. This takes about 20 minutes, so be patient – much of the taste and colour of the dish rely on the onions being well cooked.
4.Add the tomatoes and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
5.Add 1 cup of the water, yoghurt, salt and pepper, then simmer for 15-20 minutes until it thickens. Add more water if you need to.
6.Meanwhile, in another pan, heat the second measure of oil and fry the nuts, apricots and raisins for 5-7 minutes. Add the garam masala during the last minute of cooking.
7.Add the fruit/nut mixture to the curry sauce and cook for a further 10 minutes until the nuts are tender. Taste and season with salt and pepper if required. Transfer to a serving dish.
8.Drizzle with extra yoghurt, garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve with cooked basmati rice.

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