More Audrey, Julian & David

Not to content to see Audrey Sellers just once during her recent visit to Williamsburg, Cafe Drake spent a sizzling, dripping hot Sunday with Auds and little brother Jules at McCarren Pool, leaving the concert to cool off in the kiddie water park across the street from time to time.

Later in the evening Papa David joined us all at Cafe Drake for a Bangladeshi dinner, including chicken roasted with sweet spices, cilantro chutney, basmati rice with dried fruits, pan-fried okra in a cumin sauce and a novel cashew and coconut curry (recipe below).


CASHEW & COCONUT CURRY

In Bangladeshi and Keralan cooking, cashews are treated as a vegetable, hence this odd but deliciously rich curry.

3/4 lb. cashew nuts, unsalted and RAW / 2 T. oil / 2 red onions, sliced / 1 green chilli, shredded / 2 fat garlic cloves, chopped /piece of fresh ginger (about 1 inch, peeled and chopped), 2 tsp coriander powder /1/4 tsp Turmeric 1/4 tsp Chilli powder 2 large Tomatoes, chopped / dash of water / 1 cup shredded and unsweetened coconut / 2 Tbsp natural low-fat yogurt

1. Soak the cashew nuts in enough water to cover for about 15 minutes.


2. Heat the oil in a large saucepan and drop in the onion, green chilli, garlic and ginger. Stir and fry until the onions turn golden.


3. Stir in the coriander powder, chilli powder and turmeric. Fry for a further minute or so to cook the spices. Add the tomatoes followed by a dash of water.


4. Simmer over a moderate heat for about 10 minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly.


5. Mix the coconut with the yogurt and stir into the sauce.


6. Bring to a simmer and add in the cashew nuts.


7. Cook for 1 minute on VERY low heat so as not to curdle the yogurt.