Cashew Tomato Curry Recipe (Vegan Kaju Masala)
Today we are making a Cashew Tomato Curry Recipe (Vegan Kaju Masala Curry), right from the vibrant heart of India. The word kaju means cashew nuts in Hindi, and masala means spices. So it literally translates to a spiced cashew nut curry!
This kaju curry recipe uses velvety cashews with a medley of spices in a tomato-based creamy curry that will have all sorts of delicious aromas wafting through your kitchen! In addition, it’s all plant-based, using coconut as the fat for the ultimate creaminess, rather than a dairy-based ingredient like heavy cream.
Now, there are many different varieties of this dish, with slight variations in all of them. For example, this flavorful curry is a popular dish in Sri Lanka, also known as Kaju Maluwa. This dish uses Sri Lankan curry powder, curry leaves or a bay leaf, lime juice, a cinnamon stick, or even green peas! Today’s recipe doesn’t have all these components, but it has its own flair that you can customize to your liking by changing up the ingredients each time you make it.
Why You’ll Love This Cashew Tomato Curry Recipe
Full of Indian Spices: Immerse yourself in a blend of Indian spices with this rich curry! We’re not just talking about a sprinkle here and there – we’re diving deep into the flavor spectrum with the likes of aromatic garlic and ginger, soul-warming garam masala, earthy coriander powder, the fragrant notes of kasoori methi, and a symphony of more spices. As a result, this elevates the dish to a level of amazing that’s almost irresistible! Plus, it’s versatile to eat with any grain of your choosing, and as a quick lunch or main dish for dinner.
Above all, brace yourself for a flavor explosion that will have you reaching for seconds and thirds! I love making large batches of these 20-30 minute curry recipes, because I can also freeze them into ice cubes for later use.
Substitutions: Spices
Garlic & Ginger: Do not use a pre-made garlic-ginger paste, where the spices are mixed in advance with preservatives and stored. The taste is not the same as using the fresh variety of both of these spices.
Coriander Powder: This powder comes from dried coriander leaves. You can find whole dried seeds and grind them in a spice grinder, or use the pre-made powder.
Kasoori Methi: These are known as fenugreek leaves. They are leaves from the Fenugreek plant, which are dried for use in cooking.
Garam Masala: This is an Indian spice mix and you can find it at Indian grocery stores, just like the other spices used in this recipe. It’s made of a mix of cardamom, peppercorns, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon and more. You may also find it in the International aisle of general grocery stores. I like to use the MDH brand as linked above.
Substitutions: Other
Avocado Oil: Substitute with vegetable oil or olive oil. Avocado oil is great for cooking at higher heats due to its high smoke point as opposed to olive oil.
White Onion: Substitute with purple onion, but note that white onion is sweeter. If using purple onions, then stir-fry them for longer. Make sure to taste-test and ensure there is no bitterness in their flavor before adding the other ingredients.
Tomato: Substitute with a quarter cup of pasta sauce or tomato paste. Add more as needed to reach the desired taste. Although using a chopped tomato will add more than a quarter cup of volume, the packed flavor in a cup of the paste or sauce will be more pronounced.
Coconut Cream: You can find cans of pure coconut cream at the grocery store. The only ingredient should be coconut cream on the ingredient list. Substitute with pure cashew cream, either made at home or store-bought, where it’s only made of pure cashews.
Cashew Milk: Substitute with almond milk or coconut milk. Use an unsweetened variety of milk to avoid any extra sugar (and this recipe should not be sweet so sugar-free milk will work best).
Vegan Cashew Tomato Curry Recipe Notes
- Eat this easy cashew curry with fresh, warm garlic naan with vegan butter, or with a plate of long-grain Basmati cumin seeds rice (jeera rice)!
- Use the smallest hole grater you can find, to ensure that the garlic and ginger are almost like a paste before using.
More Recipes You’ll Love
If you make this Cashew Tomato Curry Recipe (Vegan Kaju Masala), then leave a comment and star rating! Don’t forget to tag your photos @peanut_palate on Instagram. Enjoy!
Cashew Tomato Curry Recipe (Vegan Kaju Masala)
Equipment
- 2 Skillets // one medium, one small
- Hand Blender
- Fine Hole Grater
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 10 medium whole raw cashews
- ¾ medium white onion diced
- ½ tsp fresh ginger finely grated
- 2 medium garlic cloves finely grated
- ⅛ + ¼ tsp coriander powder
- ⅛ tsp pink salt
- 1 tsp kasoori methi
- ¼ tsp garam masala
- ⅛ tsp turmeric powder
- ⅛ tsp red chili powder
- 1 medium tomato chopped
- 7 tbsp coconut cream
- 3 tbsp lukewarm water
- ⅓ cup cashew milk
- fresh cilantro chopped, for serving
- 2 tbsp raw cashews chopped, for serving
- extra avocado oil
Instructions
- To a large saucepan or skillet over medium heat, add the oil.
- Once the oil is hot, add in the whole cashews.
- Stir the cashews around until lightly browned. After that, add in the onion, ginger, garlic, and all spices up until before the tomato in the Ingredients list.
- Stir around for a minute, then stir in the tomato, cashew milk, coconut cream and coconut milk.
- Using a hand blender, blend the mixture together until it becomes creamy.
- Turn the heat to medium-low. Cover the skillet, stirring every few minutes, until the mixture has thickened to the desired consistency.
- Turn the heat off and set the skillet aside.
- In a small skillet over low heat, add in a small drizzle of oil. Once hot, add in the 2 tbsp of cashews. Stir them around until golden brown. Then turn off the heat.
- Add the curry to a bowl. Top with chopped cilantro and toasted cashews. Enjoy with warm naan or rice!
Notes
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Storage
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days.
