Curry of cabbage, coconut and cashew nuts

I've got a major weakness for south Indian food. I first had tastes of it I was growing up round, but it was living in London in my 20s which really got me addicted. For a year or so I had the pleasure of living around the corner from a marvellous south Indian restaurant, where I ate as often as I could afford. And had takeaways when I couldn't. It helped that the restaurant is pink!
Just eating in the restaurant wasn't enough, so in 2004 I went to south Indian myself. I'd always wanted to go to India, since I was in primary school and my friends would go there to visit family in the summer holidays. I made a decision to opt for south India for two reasons

1. the food
2. the lack of fabric.

The lack of fabric is relative - there was plenty to enjoy, but I knew that had I gone to areas of India very much associated with fabric production, I would have gone mad and felt the need to buy a million metres of fabric. Kerala and the surrounding states in the southern tip of India aren't so renowned for fabric, so I knew I was safe(r). I still managed to buy plenty, most of it in a fever-induced frenzy on Christmas day in Chennai (Madras). I was not well, quite possibly delirious and bought all sorts of rubbish!

Anyway, the point was the food. I have taken many liberties with this dish, with my guide being this book. It still has the essence of my sensory memories of India.

Chop 2 medium-sized onions and fry in a generous helping of olive oil. You could use ghee, I don't. To this add an inch or so of freshly-grated ginger, about 4 crushed cloves of garlic and two fine, hot chillies, chopped up small. Fry this all on a medium heat, making sure the garlic doesn't burn. When that looks about done, take out a couple of spoonfuls to use in dhal or rice. Add some mustard seeds - about 2tsps, and the same of ground cumin and ground coriander seed. I also added a bit of garam masala. Cook gently, stirring all the time so the spices don't burn or stick. Add a bit more oil if needed.

Then add lots of shredded cabbage. White cabbage works well, but I used spring greens today - they just stay crisper. Keep stir-frying and add a big handful of broken cashew nuts and a similar amount of grated fresh coconut*.

Add a cup or so of water and cover, letting it simmer for 10 minutes or so, depending on the toughness of your cabbage. Take off the lid and turn up the heat to dry it out.

This evening I had this with tomato rice. Usually I'd have dhal, but I've run out of orange lentils! If you leave out the cashew nuts, this is also nice with boiled eggs.

* I get fresh coconut in my organic box in the winter and spend a happy hour or two disassembling it and chucking the white flesh in the food processor. Chop til its fine, like dessicated then store in a plastic box in the freezer all year round. You can just crumble off what you need from the box.