Cashew & Chickpea Balti

When it comes to curries, the humble balti is perhaps the best when you don’t have all day to let something simmer. Filled with healthful spices, this one also comes complete with lots of fiber as well as healthy proteins and fats, with most of its calories coming from the nuts themselves, and the haricot paste base makes for a deliciously creamy curry without having to add anything unhealthy.

You will need

• 1 cup cashews, soaked in warm water for at least 5 minutes, and drained (if allergic, omit)
• 1 can chickpeas (keep the water)
• 1 can haricot beans (keep the water)
• 1 can crushed tomatoes
• 2 medium (or 3 small) red onions, sliced
• red or green chilis, quantity per your preference re heat, chopped
• ½ bulb garlic, crushed
• ½ oz fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp garam masala
• 1 tbsp ground coriander
• 1 tbsp black pepper, coarse ground
• 2 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp mustard seeds (if allergic, omit)
• 1 tsp sweet cinnamon
• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• ½ tsp MSG or 1 tsp low-sodium salt
• Avocado oil, for frying (extra virgin olive-oil, or cold-pressed coconut oil, are fine alternatives)
• Garnish: handful fresh cilantro, chopped (or parsley, if you have the “cilantro tastes like soap” gene)

Method

(we suggest you read everything at least once before doing anything)

1) Heat a little oil in a large sauté pan (we’re going to need space to work; a large wok is traditional but a sauté pan is convenient), and add the garlic, ginger, mustard seeds, and coriander seeds, stirring for about 2 minutes, then add the onions and chilis, stirring for another 3 minutes. The onions and chilis won’t be fully cooked yet, but that’s fine, we just needed to get them started.

2) Add the crushed tomatoes, stirring them in, and when they get to temperature, turn the heat down to a simmer.

3) Add the chickpeas to the pan, but separately put the chickpea water into a high-speed blender.

4) Add the haricot beans, including the water they came in, to the high-speed blender, as well as the tomato paste and the remaining spices (including the MSG or salt), and blend on high until smooth. Add the curry paste (that’s what you’ve just made in the blender) to the pan, and stir in well.

5) Add the cashews, stirring in well. Taste, and adjust any spices if necessary for your liking. If the onions still aren’t fully cooked, let them simmer until they are, but it shouldn’t take long.

10almonds tip: if perchance you made it too spicy, you can add a little lime juice and the acidity will counteract the heat. Adding lemon juice, lime juice, or some kind of vinegar (depending on what works with the flavor profile of your recipe) is a good last resort to have up your sleeve for fixing a dish that got too spicy.

6) Add the garnish, and serve—we recommend serving it with our Tasty Versatile Rice, but any carb is fine.

Enjoy!

Want to learn more?

For those interested in some of the science of what we have going on today:

• Why You Should Diversify Your Nuts!
• Three Daily Servings of Beans?
• Cashew Nuts vs Coconut – Which is Healthier?
• What Matters Most For Your Heart?
• Our Top 5 Spices: How Much Is Enough For Benefits? ← we hit 5/5 again today!

Take care!