maharashtrian recipe cashew curry

Ingredients
1 1/2 cup fresh, tender cashew nuts (Alternatively, soak unsalted dried cashew nuts in water for a couple of hours),
2 medium sized onions,
4 garlic cloves,
3 green chilies,
1 tsp garam masala pwd
1/2 tsp tamarind/2 kokam,
1/4 cup fresh coconut,
chopped cilantro for garnishing,
salt to taste,
sugar/jaggery (optional),
2 tsp mustard seeds,
1 tsp turmeric powder,
1/4 tsp asafoetida,
2 tbsp oil.
Method
Finely chop onions. Crush garlic cloves. Chop chilis.
Heat oil in a pan and let mustard crackle. Add turmeric and asafoetida.
Add crushed garlic and chilies. Before the garlic turns brown, quickly add chopped onions and keep frying until nice and brown.
Next put in cashew nuts and mix well. Add water for desired consistency. Cover and simmer the curry until the cashews turn soft.
Remove the lid, add garam masala, tamarind/kokam, salt and jaggery. Mix well.
Lastly add fresh coconut and mix.
Garnish with cilantro/coriander. Enjoy hot cashew nuts curry with chapati/bhakri or rice.

Tips and Variations:

1) This recipe tastes best if tender cashew nuts (they are called 'ole kaju' in Marathi) are used.Nevertheless, you may substitute unsalted dried cashews for the tender ones. Soak them for 2 hours before use.
2) Add 1 diced potato in the curry.
3) Substitute tomato for tamarind.
4) Substitute black Maharashtrian masala for garam masala.
5) Skinned tender cashew nuts can be freezed for upto a month.
6) Another simple method to make cashew nuts curry:
Heat 2 tbsp oil and add 1 tsp mustard, 1 tsp turmeric and 1/4 tsp asafoetida and 3 green chilies. Add 1 1/2 cup cashews and water. Let cook. Once done, add lots of fresh coconut - either ground or just as it is. Add salt, jaggery or sugar and cilantro; mix. Serve.