Chicken Curry with Cashews...

Over the past few days, I've begun to think that you can add cashews to just about anything. Crushed up in salads or on top of vegetables, it seems to be such a versatile addition that adds a bit of crunch to any dish. So when I saw this recipe for Chicken Curry with Cashews, I was sold.

I made a few adjustments to the recipe (mainly because it served 4-6 and I wanted it to serve 2-4), but I'm very pleased with the way it turned out. Careful, this version has a bit of a kick.


Chicken Curry with Cashews
Adapted from January 2005 Gourmet

Ingredients:

• 1/2 stick unsalted butter (1/4 cup)
• 1 large red onion (finely chopped)
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 2 tablespoons curry powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• 3 or 4 skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 tomato (diced)
• 1/4 cup cashews (finely chopped)

Heat butter in a saucepan over low heat until melted. Stir in onions, garlic and ginger. Cook 2 minutes. Add curry powder, salt, cumin and cayenne. Cook 2 minutes. Add chicken and cook, stirring, 3 minutes. Add tomato and bring to a simmer. Then cover and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked (about 25 minutes). Serve over white rice with finely chopped cashews sprinkled over.

And finally because I'm devoting this post to cashews, did you know...
- Cashews are in the same family as poison ivy and poison sumac. We can eat them though because it's found in the shell oil and not the nut itself.
- Although when it comes to cooking, a cashew is a nut, in the botanical sense it is actually a seed.
- There is such thing as a cashew apple. It's an accessory fruit that's pear-shaped and yellow.

Yep, when it comes to cashews, I guess I'm a little bit nuts.