Creamy Broccoli With Cashews

The week unfolded with the rhythm that defines this period of life: work at the clinic and Rutgers, children growing, Amma in memory care. The kitchen produces meals on schedule — breakfast, lunches, dinners — the machinery of a household run by a woman who learned to cook from a woman who measured in handfuls. I visit Amma three times a week. The containers, labeled, delivered. She eats or she doesn't. She hums or she doesn't. The connection through food persists regardless of response. The children are themselves: Anaya with her books and her quiet observations, Rohan with his noise and his spatial brilliance. Both of them in the kitchen — Anaya by choice, Rohan by appetite. The ordinary week. The week that holds the extraordinary weeks together. I made Khichdi comfort. Because the kitchen doesn't stop for ordinary weeks. The kitchen treats every week the same: with heat, with spice, with the generous pinch that is always enough.

Khichdi was already on the stove — the dish Amma used to make when nothing else made sense — and this Creamy Broccoli With Cashews came together beside it, a second offering from a kitchen that insists on abundance even in ordinary weeks. The cashews felt right: rich and grounding, the kind of ingredient Amma would have added with a generous pinch and no measuring cup. I made it for the children, for the week, for the quiet miracle of a household that keeps going.

Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 20 min | Total Time: 30 min | Servings: 4

Ingredients

1 large head broccoli (about 5 cups florets)
3/4 cup raw cashews
1 cup vegetable broth
1/2 cup heavy cream (or full-fat coconut cream)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter or ghee
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (optional, for garnish)

Instructions

Soak the cashews. Place cashews in a small bowl and cover with warm water. Soak for at least 10 minutes while you prepare the remaining ingredients, then drain.
Blanch the broccoli. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add broccoli florets and cook for 2–3 minutes until bright green and just tender. Drain and set aside.
Make the cashew cream. Add the drained cashews and vegetable broth to a blender. Blend on high until completely smooth, about 60 seconds. Set aside.
Build the sauce. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter or ghee. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute until fragrant. Add cumin, turmeric, and red pepper flakes and stir for 30 seconds to bloom the spices.
Combine and simmer. Pour the cashew cream into the skillet, then stir in the heavy cream. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat and cook for 5–6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly. Season with salt and pepper.
Finish with broccoli. Add the blanched broccoli to the skillet and toss to coat in the sauce. Cook for 2–3 minutes until heated through and well coated. Stir in lemon juice.
Serve. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with fresh cilantro if using. Serve warm alongside rice, flatbread, or as a hearty side.

Nutrition (per serving)

Creamy Broccoli With Cashews — The Kitchen That Doesn’t Stop for Ordinary Weeks