Cauliflower and potato curry without onion or garlic

Blend the ginger, green chilli, chopped tomato and hot-water-soaked cashews (soaked about half an hour) with a quarter cup of water to a smooth paste, adding a few tablespoons more water if needed.

For the spice paste, mix a quarter cup of water with the turmeric, Kashmiri chilli powder, paprika, ground coriander and ground cumin.

Heat 2 tbsp oil on medium-high; fry the potatoes with a pinch each of turmeric and salt until golden brown; remove to a bowl.

In the same oil fry the cauliflower with a pinch of salt and turmeric on high heat until small brown spots appear; remove.

Add 2.5 tbsp oil, the cardamoms and cloves (seed removed from the clove centres) and the cumin seeds; let the seeds crackle.

Switch off or lower the heat to the minimum and add the spice paste slowly, expecting splattering; on low heat, stir until the oil is released. Never add dry spice powders straight to hot oil, which burns them and makes the curry bitter.

Add the tomato-cashew paste, rinsing the blender jar with a quarter cup of water, and about a teaspoon of salt; cook on medium-low, stirring frequently so the cashew does not settle and burn, until thick and the oil floats.

Add the potatoes and about a cup of hot water; once it boils, cover on low heat 5 minutes.

Add the cauliflower, about a third of a cup more hot water and a whole green chilli; cover on low heat 8 minutes, stirring in between.

Cover another 5 minutes or until the vegetables are soft but still hold their shape.

Taste; add a teaspoon of sugar to balance.

Add the peas, coriander leaves, garam masala and ghee; remove any whole spices; cover on low heat a minute.

Serve with rice or roti.