Butternut and Chickpea Curry with Crunchy Peanut Butter

This isn't a recipe of my own, but I absolutely have to share it. My friend Michelle had this curry for lunch at work last week and I was blown away when she gave me a little taste. It was funny because I had actually been craving a butternut curry and it was purely coincidental that she was having it that day.

This is a dish I will be repeating. Often.

Ingredients:

3 generous tbs natural crunchy peanut butter
1 tsp tomato paste
zest and juice of 1 lime
1 tbs soy sauce
1 tsp brown sugar
1 medium bunch coriander with stems
3-4 red chillies, chopped
4 cloves garlic
1 cm piece fresh ginger
3 tbs coconut oil
2 red onions thinly sliced
1 large butternut, peeled and cubed
1 can light coconut milk
200ml boiling water
1 tsp Himalayan salt
2 tins chickpeas, drained
1/4 cup coconut shavings, toasted in a dry pan

Dissolve the peanut butter in a jug with the boiling water. Add the tomato paste, sugar, soy sauce and lime zest and juice and combine. Set aside.

Remove the leaves from the coriander and keep in a separate bowl. Chop the stems as finely as possible, along with the ginger, garlic and chillies.

Heat the coconut oil in a large pot and fry the onions and salt on medium to high heat for about 5 minutes. Add the butternut cubes and chick peas and stir fry for a further 5 minutes. Then add the chopped coriander stems, ginger, garlic and chilli and fry for another 2-3 minutes. Add the coconut milk and peanut butter mix and stir. Bring to the boil and then turn the heat down and simmer for about 40 minutes or until the butternut is tender. Stir occasionally while simmering to allow some of the butternut to break and thicken the sauce. Add more soy sauce or salt to taste.

Serve with basmati rice and garnish with the coriander leaves and toasted coconut shavings.

Makes about 6 servings. 

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Kale Curry with Tofu and Butter Beans

Palak Paneer, a mild Indian curry with blocks of white cheese and a spinach based sauce, was one of my all time favourite pre-vegan dishes. Here I've substituted the paneer for blocks of tofu and butter beans, and used kale instead of spinach to give it a slight nutrition boost.

 This is quite an easy curry, with only a few key spices. I served it with jeera rice and a side of toasted coconut and raisins, for a sweet twist.

Ingredients:

For the curry:

250g extra firm tofu, cubed
1 large bunch kale (25-30 leaves), cleaned and shredded
1 cup red split lentils, thoroughly rinsed
1 head broccoli, chopped into small florets
1 can butter beans
1 small white onion, finely chopped
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp jeera powder
1/2 tsp jeera seeds
1 tsp chilli flakes
6 cloves garlic, sliced
1 tsp Himalayan salt
2 tbs olive or coconut oil
1.5 - 2 litres water

Tofu marinade:

2 tbs light soy sauce
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp jeera powder
1/2 tsp chilli powder

Pre-marinate the tofu while preparing the kale and other ingredients. In a large pot, saute the onion and garlic in the oil until mostly translucent. Add all the spices and salt and stir for 1-2 minutes while they toast. Add the lentils and kale and stir fry in the spices for about 3-4 minutes so that they absorb all the flavours. Pour enough water into the pot to just cover the kale and lentils. Place the lid on the pot, and bring to the boil. Continue to cook until the lentils are completely soft (about 10 - 15 minutes) and add more water during the process if necessary, but you dont want your sauce to be too watery. Remove from the heat and blend into a smooth sauce. Taste and add more salt as required. Return to the stove, add the tofu, beans and broccoli and allow to simmer for about 15 minutes.

For the rice:

1 cup jasmine rice
3 cups water
1 tsp jeera seeds
1 tbs coconut oil

Cook the rice as per the packaging instructions. In a medium pot, melt the coconut oil and add the jeera seeds. Allow them to toast for a minute or two, then add the cooked rice and stir thoroughly.

Makes about 6 servings.

Sprouted Bean Curry

Growing sprouts is one of the most rewarding forms of gardening, especially for impatient people like me. In only two or three days, the little shoots of young energy start showing and in another day or two they are ready to be eaten. I often sprout a variety of beans and seeds at once and then have to give them away because they are so abundant.

Today I made a deliciously hot curry with all my sprouts for the week. 

I also recently discovered how beautifully bean curry is complimented by coconut flakes and raisins. I think its my new favourite combo!

Ingredients:

1 tsp olive oil (I am monitoring my oil intake, but you could increase this to two tbs for more flavour)

1 small onion

5-7 sliced chillies, seeds included (adjust to your hotness preference)

5 cloves garlic, sliced

1/2 tsp jeera powder

1 tsp jeera seeds

1/2 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp turmeric

1 1/2 tsp Himalayan salt

1 cup red split lentils, well washed (the water should run clear)

1 cup sprouted chick peas

1 cup sprouted mung beans

1 cup sprouted adzuki beans

1 tin tomato onion mix

3 cups hot water 

coconut flakes and raisins for topping

On medium heat, fry the onion, garlic, chillies and spices for approx. 5 minutes. If you are using only a tsp of oil, you may need to add a spoonful of water to emulsify the spices. Add the sprouts and lentils and continue to fry for another 5 minutes. Add the tinned tomato and bring to the boil in the pan. Add the hot water a cup at a time, allowing it to cook with the lid on until the beans turn soft. 

Honestly, I actually did not measure the water I used, but use those cooking skills to make sure you have enough to cook the beans but not so much that it becomes too watery. Remove the lid when the beans are cooked and allow the sauce to reduce to a nice thick gravy. 

Makes 4-6 servings. Top with coconut flakes and raisins for extra deliciousness! 

xxx