Swap the cream and butter with cashew paste for a light weeknight meal of tikka masala-inspired tomato mushroom curry
This image released by Milk Street shows a recipe for tomato mushroom curry. (Milk Street via AP)
Many recipes for restaurant-style Indian curries such as tikka masala and butter chicken call for copious amounts of butter, yogurt and cream to give them a rich, satisfying texture. For a lighter vegetarian interpretation of the takeout classic, meaty cremini mushrooms stand in for chicken and pureed cashews make up the base of the curry.
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In this recipe from Christopher Kimball’s book Cook What You Have, which draws on pantry staples to assemble easy, weeknight meals, the author softens cashews in a bit of water, then blends them until smooth to make a puree that lends a creamy texture without making the dish heavy.
The puree then is cooked with an aromatic mixture of onion, garlic, ginger, garam masala and paprika until it begins to brown, concentrating the flavors. Canned tomatoes and water are added to release any browned bits and ensure no flavor is left behind on the pan. Cremini mushrooms are simmered until tender and the sauce is creamy. If you have only white mushrooms on hand, they’ll work well, too.
