Cashew'ed!

Q: Finding it tough being a veggie?

Pre-USA:
"Beta, be very careful about food when you go to restaurants in USA, they probably have some sort of meat mixed in everything.. If possible, avoid going out for food.."
"I am telling you, your daughter will probably be a non-vegetarian by the end of a year in USA.."

Post USA (after ~15 months):
"So, I am sure you have tasted every meat on the platter in USA.. How did you like it?" (Totally assuming that I am a pakka non-veggie by now)
"Are you sure you are being truthful? Tell me, you really haven't had any non-veg food in your entire 1.5 years of stay in USA, How is it even possible, from what I have heard..?" (Can you please listen to me for a second?)

Oof..
I dont know how I can even begin to try to convince them that it is not so dificult being a veggie (erm, I mean lacto vegetarian, I sooo love milk!) in USA. People here are respectful of your wish being one, although some of my friends have expressed their amazement at how I could survive without any meat in my diet! And also, these days even some of the remotest towns here have managed to have at least one Indian grocery store, which makes available to you the basic Indian stuff like say dal for instance. They even have all sorts of Indian snacks and mithaai.. mmm.. But my love for food is something I will probably talk about in my future blogs..

Some time ago, one of my friends invited me over for dinner at her place, and her husband had cooked up 'Cashew chicken'. He had taken it straight out of Rachel Ray's under 30 minute cooking recipes. For me, he made a veggie version: obviously, same stuff, no chicken. This recipe I think is totally the way Americans love it: A bit spicy and a tad sweet; an awesome combination. I totally loved it too and I hope to try it out as soon as I can free myself away from my lab. Meanwhile, I am putting up a veggie-version of the Cashew Rice here of what I hope to make some-day. Have a go and let me know! (Wow, I can rhyme it too! ;)

Ingredients:
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (or EVOO =D)
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp butter
2 - 3 tbsp honey
1/4 - 1/3 cup maple syrup
2 - 3 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp ground cumin
2 tbsp grill seasoning blend
1 1/2 tbsp ground chipotle powder
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 large onion, 1/4 onion finely chopped, 3/4 thinly sliced
1 cup green peas
1 red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
10 to 12 whole water chestnuts
2 - 3 tbsp chopped cilantro
1 cup raw cashews
2 cups rice

In a medium pot over medium heat combine 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, 1 tbsp butter. When butter melts into oil, add in the chopped onion, cook until the onion becomes slightly pinkish and tender, then add rice and cook. (PS: I would'nt mind not adding in the onions while cooking the rice, but butter and EVOO sounds good, or may be even a couple of cloves!)

While rice cooks, heat the vegetable oil, add the remaining sliced onions, crushed garlic and red peppers. Cook for ~2 - 3 minutes. Add water chestnuts and green peas. Mix. Add the chipotle powder and ground cumin. Mix. Glaze the mixture with honey and maple syrup and turn off the heat. Add in the chopped cilantro and the cashew nuts.

Top rice with cashew mixture and serve.