Cashew Rice with Diced Potatoes

Although one might not think to serve rice and potatoes together due to their starch content, this recipe for cashew rice with potatoes from Yamuna Devi's Lord Krishna's Cuisine may cause you to reconsider that assumption. Ms. Devi says the starch content of the two foods is about the same, so combining them really only yields the same amount of starch as a portion of rice. And this dish uses a fresh garam masala made with coconut and dry toasted spices that elevates both ingredients. Top it off with some fried cashews and I'm in side dish heaven.

The fresh homemade coconut garam masala is really quite essential for this dish, but if you're pressed for time you can substitute 1 tablespoon of ready-made garam masala and 2 tablespoons of dried shredded unsweetened coconut ground to a powder. For a complete and satisfying vegetarian meal, serve with a legume dish, such as Indian-spiced black-eyed pea soup with corn and dill.

Cashew Rice with Diced Potatoes

Recipe by Lisa Turner Adapted from Lord Krishna's Cuisine: The Art of Indian Vegetarian Cooking Cuisine: Indian Published on March 19, 2008 Rice and potatoes with fried cashews and a fresh coconut and toasted spice garam masala — a delicous side dish Preparation: 15 minutes Cooking time: 35 minutes Print this recipe Coconut garam masala: 5 black peppercorns 6 whole cloves 2-inch piece cinnamon stick 1/2 tablespoon coriander seeds 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 1 tablespoon sesame seeds 2 tablespoons dried shredded unsweetened coconut Rice: 1 cup basmati rice 4 tablespoons ghee, butter or oil 1/2 cup raw cashews, broken into pieces 1/2-inch piece fresh ginger, minced or grated 1 to 2 fresh green chilies, seeded and minced 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 1/2 teaspoon brown mustard seeds small handful of fresh or dried curry leaves 1 large potato, cut into 1/2-inch cubes 1/2 teaspoon turmeric 1 teaspoon sea salt 3 tablespoons fresh or dried shredded unsweetened coconut for garnish small handful of fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish (optional) Instructions: Start by making the coconut garam masala. In a small heavy frying pan, toast the peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon stick, coriander seeds and cumin seeds over low heat for about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and break the cinnamon stick into small pieces. Grind together the toasted spices, sesame seeds and coconut in a coffee grinder or small food processor until you have a fine powder. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside. Thoroughly rinse the rice and soak for 30 to 40 minutes in 2 1/2 cups of water. Drain over a bowl, reserving the water, and let the rice dry in the strainer for 15 to 20 minutes, tossing occasionally. Heat 3 tablespoons of the ghee, butter or oil in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. When hot, toss in the cashew pieces and fry, stirring frequently, for 5 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Raise the heat under the saucepan to medium and add the ginger, green chilies, cumin seeds and brown mustard seeds. Stir for 30 to 60 seconds or until the mustard seeds turn gray and begin to pop. Add the curry leaves, stir once, and then add the potato. Stir for 6 to 8 minutes or until the potato is nicely browned. Now add the rice, turmeric and salt. Stir for 1 minute to coat the grains with oil and spices. Pour in the reserved rice soaking water and stir in the coconut garam masala and fried cashews. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the liquid is absorbed — about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Add the remaining tablespoon of ghee, butter or oil, and fluff with a fork. Serve hot garnished with coconut and parsley if desired. Makes 4 to 5 servings