Sweet Potato and Cashew Curry

I love cooking a dish with beautiful complimentary colours, like this one. There is something so satisfying about preparing a meal with yellows, oranges, reds and greens--makes you just stand back from the wok and admire the food like a work of art. Or, do I just need to get out of the house more?

INGREDIENTS

- 2 tbsp oil

- 1 sweet onion, halved and thinly sliced

- 1 stalk lemon grass, tough outer husk removed, finely minced

- 1 cup raw cashews

- 1 tsp Thai Kitchen yellow curry paste (or to taste)

- 2 sweet potatoes, peeled, and cut into small chunks

- 1 cup canned diced tomatoes (with juice)

- 2 cups water

- 1 cup frozen corn

- 2 stalks celery, chopped

- peel and juice of one lime

- 1 tbsp tomato paste, or 2 tbsp ketchup

- 2 tbsp hoisin sauce

- 2 tbsp vegetarian stir fry sauce

- brown sugar to taste

- 4 green onions, thinly sliced

- Thai basil to garnish (if you have it, which I don't)

METHOD

1. Heat oil in a wok over medium heat. Stir fry onion for 3-4 mins, until translucent. Add lemon grass and fry 1 min. Add cashews and fry until golden.

2. Stir in curry paste and mix to coat onions and nuts. Add the potatoes and fry 1 min. Add tomatoes and water and bring to bubbling. Reduce heat and let simmer, uncovered, for about 15 mins, until potatoes are soft but not mushy. Add more water if needed.

3. Add the rest of the ingredients except green onions and basil and simmer for 5 mins, until heated though. Adjust seasonings to taste (Thai food is a balance of sweet, salty, hot, and sour, so adjust to your own liking).

4. Stir green onions through right before serving, and garnish with basil. Serve over rice, or by itself.