Srilankan Cashew Curry

• 1 cup whole coconut milk
• 1 - 2 tablespoons curry powder*
• 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
• 1/2 large red onion, chopped
• 1 medium garlic clove, chopped
• 1/3 cup water
• 4 ounces firm tofu, cut into small cubes (optional)
• 1 cup green beans, cut into 1-inch segments
• 1 1/2 cups cauliflower, cut into tiny florets
• 1/3 cup cashews, toasted
• a handful of cilantro, loosely chopped
Preparation
1. Bring half of the coconut milk to a simmer in a large skillet or pot over medium-high heat.
2. Whisk in the curry powder and salt, working out any clumps.
3. Now stir in the chopped red onion and garlic and cook for a minute. Stir in the remaining coconut milk and the water, and then the tofu.
4. Cook down the liquid for a couple minutes before adding the green beans and cauliflower.
5. Cover and simmer for just about one minute, maybe two - or just until the cauliflower and beans lose their raw edge and cook through a bit.
6. Remove the pot from heat and stir in the cashews. Taste and adjust the seasoning (salt / curry powder) if needed. Serve with a bit of cilantro topping each bowl.
*If you like more heat, add another red chile or two. In a dry skillet over medium heat toast 4 dried red chiles, 1 tablespoon coriander seeds, 1 tablespoon cumin seeds, 1 tablespoon fennel seeds, 1/2 teaspoon cardamom seeds, and 1/2 teaspoon whole cloves. Toast for just a minute or two or until the spices are deeply fragrant. Now use a spice grinder to grind the chiles into a powder first, remove them, then grind the spices - it usually takes a couple minutes in the grinder for each. Place in a small bowl and stir in a scant tablespoon of ground turmeric, and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon. Sift through a medium-fine sieve to weed out any clumps and your curry powder is ready to use. Makes a scant 1/3 cup.