As early spring warms into longer, sunnier days, I find my dinners are a mix of winter's root vegetables and early-bird greens and onions and herbs. This curry dish couldn't be better suited for this in-between time -- pair potatoes, sweet potatoes, and/or carrots with kale or spinach or chard. Maybe you have some cilantro emerging from pots on your kitchen table or your first garden peas making an appearance on still-weak tendrils. Whatever you're finding in the garden or farmers market or grocery store, it'll be pulled together nicely with this flavorful broth of curry and coconut and cayenne.
Makes 6-8 servings.
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and minced
- 1 green pepper, diced
- 6-8 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 tsp. fine sea salt
- 3 tsp. curry powder
- 1/4-1/2 tsp. ground cayenne
- 3 cups winter vegetables (sweet potatoes, white potatoes, carrots), peeled and coarsely chopped
- 2 cups (or 1 can) cooked chickpeas
- 1 cup aquafaba (the liquid leftover from cooking chickpeas; can be saved from a can of chickpeas or from cooking dried chickpeas). Use 1 cup of broth if you'd rather.
- 1 can coconut milk
- 3 cups green peas, kale, spinach, or chard, or a mixture of them. Greens should be washed and chopped into bite-sized pieces.
- 2 cups cooked jasmine or basmati rice
- Fresh cilantro, parsley, or chives (optional)
- Plain whole milk or Greek-style yogurt (optional)
- Unsweetened coconut flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Heat oil in large soup pot or cast iron Dutch oven, over medium-high heat. Add onion, ginger, and green pepper and sauté until soft, about five minutes. Add garlic and sauté another minute more.
- Stir in spices and winter vegetables. Cook until just tender; don't overcook at this stage.
- Add chickpeas, aquafaba or broth, and coconut milk. Stir well. Heat to a simmer. Simmer until mixture thickens, stirring occasionally, for 10-15 minutes.
- Add peas and greens. Continue simmering until everything is warm and cooked through.
- Serve by first scooping rice onto plate or into bowl. Ladle curry and vegetables on top. Then add herbs, yogurt, and coconut flakes, if desired.
