Coconut-Tamarind Gravy

This recipe is one of my staples.  I love the tartness of the tamarind, the creaminess of the cashews, and the tropical feel of the coconut.  I'm posting this as it's own recipe because it really is worth making a double batch and keeping it on hand for a quick meal.  You can add this gravy to fully cooked veggies and it makes them so much more satisfying!  I like to go on the drier side when i use it in dishes, but you can thin it out with a little water when you add it to veggies to make it more saucy.

Ingredients

1 cup water

1 large onion (~1 cup), chopped into big pieces

2 tbsp fresh ginger, sliced

4-5 cloves garlic, cut in half

2 cups tomatoes, chopped into big pieces

1/2 cup cashews

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp ground red pepper

1/2-1 cup frozen grated coconut (to taste, I add 1 cup)

1 tbsp tamarind paste

Directions

1. In a medium pot, add the water, onions, ginger, garlic, tomatoes, cashews, salt, turmeric, red pepper, and coconut (Note: it will look like there is not enough water- this is okay, the volume of the other ingredients will shrink as they cook). Bring all of these ingredients to a boil and then simmer for 20 min. Let it cool.

2. Once it is cool, blend it until there are no pieces left. You can store it in the fridge for a few days, or freeze until ready to use.