Cashew, Red Bean and Coriander Nibbles with Mango Cubes
These are a darling little “nut balls” with a really neat taste to them. It reminds me of the flavours of Vietnamese cooking (must be the fresh coriander).
Though they are a tropical fruit, mangoes are sometimes tolerated by IC patients as they are relatively low in acid. Try to eat them at that stage when they are very ripe, but not over-ripe, as it has been noted that ICers sometimes experience flare from over or under ripe fruit. Alternatively you can use cubes of your favourite bladder safe melon, fresh dates, dried figs, cucumber slices or bell pepper chunks instead.
Once they are cooked you can keep these yummy party nibbles in the fridge for a couple of days, but they are best on the day that they are made (you can also make the balls up ahead of time and freeze them for at least a month in a freezer safe container).
Cashew, Red Bean and Coriander Nibbles with Mango Cubes
225 gram (8oz) tin of kidney beans, drained and mashed (organic if possible)
1 large white onion (or equal amounts of shallots or green onions/scallions)
3 cloves of garlic, peeled and diced
100 grams (4oz) of cashew nuts, finely ground
4 tbsp fresh coriander, finely shredded (optional, you can also replace the coriander with a different herb if you'd like instead)
1 ½ tbsp all purpose flour
1 tbsp soy sauce (optional)
2 tbsp olive or vegetable oil
Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste (both optional)
1 large ripe mango, peeled and cute into cubes (you are aiming for 20 cubes, so you may need 2 mangoes if they are on the small side) or other fruit/vegetable of choice (see note above)
Preheat your oven to 180°C/350°F.
In a large frying pan over medium heat add the oil and saute the onions until they are just golden coloured. Add in the garlic and continue to cook for 2 or 3 minutes, but do not allow the garlic to brown.
Take the pan off of the heat and stir in the mashed up beans, ground cashews, soy sauce (if using), chopped coriander, salt and pepper (if using) and mix well to fully combine everything into a thick paste.
Roll the mixture into tiny balls (use about a tsp for each ball) and place on a lightly oiled or non-stick baking sheet (you may need more than one sheet, or to cook them in batches). Place the baking sheet in your preheated oven and bake for 8-10 minutes.
Take the tray fro the oven and turn the balls over so that the underside can become golden brown too. Place back in the oven and continue cooking for another 8-10 minutes.
Remove from the over and allow to cool for a couple of minutes on the baking tray before transferring to a serving plate. Serve hot or at room temperature on long cocktail sticks (toothpicks) with a cube of mango (if using) sandwiched between two cashew balls, and sprinkle extra fresh coriander over them.
Makes approximately 40 Cashew, Red Bean and Coriander Nibbles