For the cashew cream, add the cashews to a medium-sized bowl and cover by 3 inches with cold filtered water. Cover the bowl and soak for 8 hours or overnight. Rinse and drain the cashews, and then puree them with 6 tablespoons cold filtered water until smooth and creamy.
For the curry, add 2 tablespoons coconut oil to a 5-quart pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until starting to caramelize, about 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and ginger and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly, and then add the salt, coconut sugar, garam masala, cumin, coriander, turmeric, cayenne pepper, and fenugreek and cook 30 seconds more, continuing to stir constantly.
Add 1 can of tomatoes and the water, and bring up to a boil. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to simmer, and cook 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, add the remaining 2 tablespoons coconut oil to a large, deep skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook until they’re soft and the water they release evaporates off, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside for now.
When the curry has simmered for 20 minutes, turn off the heat, let it cool slightly, and then carefully puree it using an immersion blender or in batches in a regular blender. Pour the curry back into the pot along with the remaining 1 can of tomatoes, mushrooms, green peas, and cashew cream.
Heat over medium-low heat until hot, stirring frequently.
Serve garnished with fresh cilantro and fresh lemon wedges to squeeze on top, along with prepared basmati rice, cauliflower rice, or flatbread.
Notes
Nutritional Information: The nutrition information for this recipe was calculated without the optional garnishes and serving ideas.
Storage: Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Coconut Oil: If keeping this dish vegan isn’t a concern, you can use clarified butter (ghee) instead of coconut oil.
To Thin Out the Curry: This makes a super thick, creamy curry. If you want to it out (which I usually do, just a bit), just add water or vegetable stock until it reaches your desired consistency. Also note that it will thicken in the fridge so you might want to add a splash of water if you have to reheat it.
Paleo-Friendly: I made my Paleo Flatbread to serve with this curry, as shown in the pictures in this post. I thinned out the batter with about ½ cup water and cooked the batter like I would crepe batter; they turned out great – nice and crispy and perfect for dipping!