This recipe is extremely forgiving and truly the most work is preparing the vegetables and about 20 minutes of stirring time

You can vary the spices to your own like and add whatever is growing in your garden as long as the vegetables aren't watery this is also good with roasted potatoes if paneer isn't readily available

I like to get all the spices measured out on a dinner plate before I start cooking because it is so much easier than running back and forth

Tonight when I was making the cashew paste I got some of it in my right eye don't do that

A friend reading here once told me that wala means prepared with butter and that bit of information has stayed with me for years

I forgot how delicious this was

I went back for seconds tonight

Kashmir Wala

INGREDIENTS

Vegetables and stuff

¾ cup or so of steamed cauliflower chopped into medium florets

1 small package of paneer cut into cubes

2 medium carrots or so chopped or cut into batons

⅓ cup peas or so

1 handful of sultanas

½ cup chunks of pineapple

Ground paste

1.25 cup chopped tomatoes drained of their juice

2 tbsp raw cashews (20 to 22 cashews or so)

½ inch ginger grated more if you love ginger like I do

3 to 4 cloves of garlic chopped

Gravy

2 tbsp butter

1 small to medium bay leaf

¼ to ½ tsp garam masala powder (I used ½ tsp)

1 green chili slit (I used a jalapeño because it was in my refrigerator)

½ tsp dry fenugreek leaves

½ inch ginger julienned for garnish 

⅛ tsp turmeric powder

½ tsp red chili powder

½ tsp curry powder

2 to 3 tbsp cream

1.25 to 1.5 cups water (I used 1.5 but I put in a lot more vegetables because I had them)

2 tbs sugar or more to taste

salt to taste

a few coriander leaves for garnish (optional)

If you want to leave out the sugar and cream you can substitute coconut milk but it is best with the cream and it's a very small amount per serving considering how much this makes

Putting it all together

Chop the steamed veggies into cubes or batons

Heat ⅓ cup water and soak the 20 to 22 cashews in hot water for 30 minutes

after 30 minutes drain the cashews (you can leave them longer won’t hurt a thing)

In a grinder or blender jar add the chopped tomatoes (one small can) add the soaked cashews grated ginger and garlic (½ inch ginger and 2 cloves of garlic chopped add more to taste)

Without adding any water make a smooth paste in the grinder or blender (I used an immersion blender it took forever the first time but the second time I put the tomatoes in first then the cashews on top and it was easypeasy) there should be no small pieces of cashews in the paste it should be perfectly smooth and kind of an orange color

Heat 2 tbsp butter in a pan

Add a bay leaf and sauté for a few seconds

Add the ground tomato cashew paste

Sauté the paste on a low flame stir until you see fat leaving the sides and on the surface this will take about 9 to 10 minutes but if your knee hurts this will take forever

Add the turmeric and chili powder then sauté for one minute

Add 1.25 to 1.5 cups water and stir it very well

Add 1 slit green chili the green chilies give a bit of heat to the gravy if you don't have a chili a few red pepper flakes will do the trick

Bring the gravy to simmer on a low to medium flame for 6 to 8 minutes you should see some fat floating on top the gravy will also thicken honest it will eventually

Add the steamed vegetables and stir gently (I like paneer instead of potatoes)

Add 1+ tbsps. of sugar depending on your taste

Add the garam masala and turmeric 

Add 3+ tbsps cream and stir so the cream mixes completely with the gravy

Move the pan off the burner

Sprinkle in 2 tsp garam masala powder (next time I’ll use 3 tsps it’s delicious) stir again and the wala is ready to be served

Garnish with some chopped coriander leaves