I have been waiting to share one of my absolute favorite recipes to make at home. With all organic and even vegan ingredients this will certainly be a go to staple for you as well. Creamy, savory and sweet all in one bowl. This curry pairs well with quinoa, brown/vegetable rice or a gluten free ramen. But it has the capacity to stand tall on its own. The base of the recipe again plays to the Asian process of cooking where the size of the vegetable chop and the order in which things are put on the fire makes all the difference. Ginger, garlic and red onion are the aromatic stars of the show bringing a warm fragrance into the cooking space. Vegetables as always are interchangeable but red bell pepper, butternut squash, chickpeas, yam, carrot, water chestnut are foundational in my rotations. I would stay away from leafier greens like spinach and kale. If you are looking into eating healthier at home this dish is a simple, one-pot meal that will satisfy even the most determined of meat-eating friends.
One of my deepest appreciations for this recipe is the economic cushion. You can take this dish to the 5-star level and perhaps your version will be, but you can deliver a delicious dinner with a fair bit of canned or frozen wholesome organic ingredients. Diced tomatoes, coconut milk, chickpeas, pre-minced garlic, jarred roasted peppers are all amazing options to bolster this dish’s nutritional value. It is also a great recipe that takes on many like flavors that may be awaiting your culinary prowess down in the crisper. Last day leeks, pumpkin and broccoli are all great additions too. This dish is all about a full bowl or flavor that will keep your immune system dialed in and your hunger satiated.
Let us not forget about the punch of pungent seasonings! Turmeric, black pepper, pink sea salt, paprika, red pepper flakes, cumin, a bay leaf and garam masala are a glorious combination. When you can master the merriment of these flavors with your sautéed aromatics and vegetables, you will find the flavors you yield to be richer, deeper and more complex. Immerse yourself in the process of taking your aromatics and vegetables form raw through their natural caramelization stage. Get comfortable with the smells, look and colors of the components in the pan. Also be cognizant of the color, texture and overall state of the pan surface. All of these clues, all of these factors and constantly changing variables are your field notes and experience. These actions practiced with consistency will get you the culinary skills necessary to create the various dishes you become inspired to make.
The short order-
2 Tbs raw coconut oil
4 cloves of garlic
1 thumb of ginger
2 sweet potatoes (or 1 medium squash)
1 red pepper
1 red onion
(Any additional veggies you may have like a couple purple potatoes and some leeks)
1 can or jar each of diced tomatoes, coconut milk, water chestnuts and/or bamboo shoots, chickpeas
1 ½ Tbs each of turmeric, paprika
2 tsp of graram masala
1 tsp of red pepper flakes
Black pepper and sea salt to taste
- Wash, scrub, rinse, soak and rinse the produce.
- Mince the garlic and the ginger (you can matchstick the ginger as well if you appreciate the texture
- Dice the red onion and the red pepper
- Halve and thinly slice the leeks
- Cube the sweet potato
- Open your canned or jarred ingredients and drain and rinse them as well (except for the tomatoes)
- Place your coconut oil in the bottom of a soup pot over a med high heat
- Once the oil has come up to temp add in the red onion and ginger. Sauté for 3 minutes
- Lower the heat, add the garlic and stir. Cover and sauté for an additional 3 minutes.
- At this point the entire kitchen should be overcome with the sweet and rich scents of the east. With our aromatics in the prime of their cooking process it is time to introduce our array of spices. Now if you have never dealt with turmeric beware that it WILL stain. So have your cooking gear on and NOT your Sunday best. You have been warned. The addition of the dry seasonings is going to absorbs the moisture that the vegetables have sweated out so move diligently and continue moving the contents of the dish around the pot lest they catch and scorch. Allow spices to cook for 2 minutes while constantly stirring.
- Add the leeks, liquids and tomatoes, the sweet potatoes and stir. Bring this up to a soft boil and reduce to simmer for 35-45 minutes.
- This one pot supper is now complete. Simple and satisfactory. Spoon this over your chosen ancient grain or serve up solo.
I hope this dish is as catalytic for you as it was when I began my holistic health journey. By paying attention with humility to the knowledge shared by one of the most influential Huemans I had access to and seeking their guidance I placed my self on the ever elevating platform you find me today. Just over one year ago Jaspreet told me to go and become what I was meant to become. I make this offering to the plant-based culinary universe for Jaspreet Kaur aka Kaur health pka Hipster Veggie.
Her webpage: https://www.kaurhealth.co.uk/
Her YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCu_UD7T6I96gmdHuyK5G6Rg
The Healthy Hueman LLC 