Cashew Curry Soup

Soup is one of my most favorite things, and definitely my favorite lunch. When I lived in Eugene, Oregon, I would often visit a series of restaurants around the campus, searching for the best soup of the day. Once, at the Excelsior, they had just run out of "cashew soup" which sounded most intriguing. I went home and created my own, which has since become a specialty.

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons butter
1 large onion
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 cup finely ground raw cashews
4 cups water
1/2 cup chutney
Sour cream

Chop the onion coarse or fine, as you prefer. Melt the butter in a large casserole or soup pan. Sauté the onion in the butter until it is transparent. Add the spices and cook a moment or two longer. Now, add the ground cashews and the water, then simmer the soup until it is thick. You can always add a little more water if it thickens too much. Stir the chutney into the soup, and ladle it into bowls. Top with a spoonful of sour cream. 

Serves 4-6.

Savory Cashew Curry Soup

Ingredients:
1 recipe Cashew Curry Soup, omitting chutney
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 lb. thinly sliced mushrooms
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

After the onions are sautéed, add the extra butter and the sliced mushrooms. Sauté‚ till tender. Cook the spices as before, and add the cashews and water. Three to four minutes before you serve, add the chopped parsley to cook a bit. Serve with the sour cream, if desired, or with more chopped parsley on top.