I’m not much of a cookbook person because usually I can find what I am looking for online, or I just experiment till I produce a recipe I am happy with. This cashew pilau was inspired by one of the few cookbooks I have ever own, Vegan Fire and Spice by Robin Roberston. The cookbook is a journey around the world to the spicier sides of cuisines like Indian, and even American. Every single recipe I made out of that cookbook turned out amazing!
After had a fire all of our books were a complete loss, so my cookbook was toast (no pun intended). It has been out of print for quite some time, so I didn’t really think too much about replacing it. But recently I have been on a quest to clean up my diet, and I found myself missing that cookbook. I was able to pick up a used copy, but until it arrives I am forced to recreate some of my favorite recipes from memory. One of those is this cashew pilau.
Pilau is another term for pilaf, which is rice flavored with spices and cooked in stock. Several cuisines offer a pilau, but the book classified this recipe as Indian. This makes a great side dish, or even the main event when it’s just my daughter and I having dinner. And the kitchen smells amazing while it is being prepared! This cashew pilau has a perfect balance of sweet and spicy.
You start with 3 cups of cooked rice. You can make this ahead and store it in the fridge, and you can use anything from white rice to basmati. I use frozen peas for this recipe, but make sure they are thawed first.
- 1 T olive oil
- 3 C cold, cooked rice
- 1/2 C frozen peas, thawed
- 1/4 C golden raisins
- 1/2 C roasted cashew pieces
- 1 T orange juice
- 1 T Garam Masala
- 1/2 t salt
- 1/8 t cayenne
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat, then add all ingredients except the cashews. Store to combine and cover and cook until the rice is hot, about 10 minutes. Add the cashews, then fluff with a fork.
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