A Vegetarian Recipe for Roasted Cashew Nut

This Lenten season, Tresa Francis takes us into her Kerala Syrian Christian kitchen, which sees a variety of vegetarian dishes, elegant and simply cooked. Much of it features seasonal produce, and is prepared to satiate a meat-forward community as they abstain from fish and meat for 40 days. Find her other recipes here and here. 

A part of Lent was always celebrated in either of my grandparents' houses, which is why these dishes hold so many memories for me. Cashew Vevichathu was a lenten favourite. We had cashew trees, and as children, we would pluck the fruit and nuts. The nuts were roasted over coal and later made into this dish.

Recipe for Cashew Vevichathu

Ingredients

2 onions, finely sliced
1 inch piece ginger, finely chopped
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp pepper powder
A pinch turmeric powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 sprig curry leaves
200 gm raw cashewnuts
Salt, as per taste

Method

Heat coconut oil in a wok. Add crushed ginger, garlic, and sliced onions. Sauté until golden brown.
Add chilli powder, coriander powder, pepper powder, turmeric, and garam masala. Sauté until the raw smell disappears. Add a little water and cook until the onions soften.
Add the cashews and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat and garnish with fried curry leaves.
Serve warm with rice or chapati.

Tresa Francis, a former lawyer turned chef 10 years ago, successfully transitioned into the culinary world with her restaurant, Coracle at BIC, while continuing to run her catering service, Travancore Tasties. Her cooking tells a story—rooted in the Syrian Christian cuisine of her ancestors and the vibrant Malabar flavours of her Kerala upbringing.

Images credit: Saina Jaypal

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