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I have a handful of easy to make recipes that can be prepared in a pinch and eaten all week long. Normally, these dishes are large soups (here and here) or steaming piles of vegetables served over rice (here and here). Today’s recipe for Curried Vegetables takes a cue from my busy fall schedule and desire to eat right. I love my vegetables, but taking the time to be conscious of what we’re eating can be a daunting task. But, with a little bit of curry and creamy coconut broth, I find that taking the time to eat my vegetables is just a little bit easier.
For years, I’ve been using heaping tablespoons of store-bought “curry” powders and pastes to season Indian-style dishes. They’re widely available anywhere–from Wal-Mart to smaller markets–and promise eastern cooking right at home. But “curry,” a word that generally refers to a blending of complex herbs and spices, is most authentic when whisked together with your choice of flavors. Although there are countless ways to make curry, I find the three main ingredients of turmeric, cumin, and coriander in equal parts add great flavor to chicken, fish, or vegetables. Simply whisk together the spices before seasoning your food for instant flavor without much work.
Pictured: Turmeric, coriander, and cumin makeup the three essential ingredients for an Indian-style curry at home.
For this recipe, try the suggested combination of spices below but feel free to improvise. “Curry” is broadly defined and can refer to a lot of different ingredients. If you don’t have all of the spices below, consider adding ground ginger for fresh, paprika or red chile for heat, or even a good-quality curry powder to experiment with flavors. After all, curry makes for great leftovers and tastes even richer as the dish sets over night.
Curried Vegetables
Yield: 6 – 8 Servings
Calories: 107.5 (see here for full nutritional information)
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
This recipe is adapted from food blogger Aimee at Simple Bites (here). I’ve changed this recipe a lot, but I think the early version to this curried vegetables recipe warrants documenting. Aimee’s slow cooker technique is great if you’re looking to cook ahead of time, and her less seasoned version is great for people who don’t love spicy foods or kids with discerning palates.
Ingredients:
*2 tsps. pepper
*3 tsps. cumin
*3 tsps. coriander
*4 tsps. turmeric
*2 tsps. salt
*6 cloves garlic, peeled and pressed
*4-inch cube ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
*1 onion, peeled and quartered
*2 tbsp. olive oil
*1 (14-oz.) can coconut milk, whole fat
*2 tbsp. cornstarch
*1 (10-oz.) bag frozen vegetables
*1/2 cup baby carrots
*1 (8-oz.) container sliced mushrooms
*1 leek, thinly sliced
*Salt and pepper, to taste
1. Combine first five ingredients in a bowl and mix together. Set aside.
2. In a food processor, pulse together next three ingredients until a paste forms. Transfer paste to a large skillet and warm over medium heat with olive oil. Cook for several minutes and add spice blend. Cook mixture for three more minutes.
3. Add coconut milk and corn starch to skillet and mix to combine. Add next four ingredients, mix, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover pan and simmer for fifteen to twenty minutes or until vegetables are tender. Taste and season with more salt and pepper as necessary. Serve curried vegetables over rice and enjoy. Makes 6-8 servings.
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This recipe was re-published for my “Fresh Ideas” Column for Louisiana’s state newspaper, The Advocate, on Thursday, November 29th, 2012. You can read the reprint here.
–Helana Brigman
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