Ingredient of the Week: Cashew Nuts

Nuts are a relatively cheap – and healthy – source of protein and fibre. Cashews are rich in mono-unsatured fat and are full of B vitamins, magnesium, phosphorus, selenium, and potassium. I often roast cashews and add them to a Thai vegetable curry or throw them into a soup. Or eat them raw instead of five bags of cheese and onion King.

This vegan recipe is from The Frugal Cookbook; you can win a copy by entering our competition. It’s pretty simple and cheap, using mostly store cupboard ingredients.

Spicy Cashew and Mushroom Rice

Ingredients

• 75g cashews
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 an onion, peeled and sliced, or 1/2 a bunch of spring onions
• 1/4 tsp chili powder or 1/2 tsp dried red chilli flakes
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 250g button mushrooms, washed and sliced
• 2 fresh tomatoes, skinned and diced*
• A handful of fresh coriander leaves
• 1/2 mug coriander rice
• 2 tablespoons olive or sunflower oil

Instructions

• Heat the oil and add the cashews for a minute, until beginning to brown
• Remove from the pan and leave the oil
• Add the cumin seeds
• When they start to sizzle, add the onion and fry for 2-3 minutes
• Stir in the chilli flakes or powder with the salt, ground coriander, sliced mushrooms, chopped tomatoes, and fresh coriander
• Cook for 30 seconds, return to the pan, add rice, stir and cook for 30 seconds
• Pour in about 2/3 of a mug of boiling water
• Bring to the boil, turn down the heat, and cook until the liquid is absorbed – if it’s drying up add more water
• Turn off heat and let stand for five minutes
• Serve with a chutney or simple onion raita: 3 tablespoons of plain yogurt mixed with 1 tablespoon finely grated onion, salt and pepper.

*To skin tomatoes, put them in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Remove from the water and slip off the skin, halve it and squeeze out the seeds.