Curry

(Source: http://www.theppk.com/category/recipe/curry)

Index

1. Eggplant & Black Eyed Pea Curry
2. Carefree Curry Burgers
3. Mushroom Hot Pot
4. Chana Masala
5. Red Curry Soup with Rice & Purple Kale
6. Broccoli Curry Udon
7. Red Lentil Thai Chilli
8. Cashew Vegetable Korma
9. Caribbean Curry Black Eyed Peas with Plantains
10. Ceylon Style Tofu Curry

Eggplant & Black Eyed Pea Curry

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced medium
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 heaping tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 1 1/2 lbs eggplant, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch chunks
• 1 1/2 tablespoons mild curry powder (more to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground fennel seed or chopped fennel seed
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Fresh black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne powder (leave out if you don’t like spicy, increase if you do)
• 1/2 cup red lentils
• 1/2 cup brown or green lentils
• 1/2 cup lightly packed fresh cilantro, chopped (extra for garnish)
• 5 cups vegetable broth
• 3 cups cooked black eyed peas, rinsed and drained (about 2 16 oz cans)
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste

Serves 6 – 8

Total time: 1 hour/ Active time: 20 minutes

Method:

1. Preheat a 4-quart soup pot over medium high heat. Saute onions in oil until translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic and ginger and saute for another minute.
2. Add the eggplant, curry powder, fennel seed, salt, pepper and cayenne along with a 1/2 cup of the vegetable broth to cook the eggplant down for a minute or two.
3. Add lentils, cilantro and remaining vegetable broth. Cover pot and bring to a boil, keeping a close eye. Once it’s boiling, lower heat to a simmer and cook for about 40 minutes, until lentils are tender and eggplant is soft. Add black eyed peas to heat through, and stir in the tomato paste and lemon juice. If you’d like a thicker curry, then leave the lid off for the last 10 minutes. For thinner then just add a little extra broth. Taste for salt and seasoning.
4. Let sit for 10 minutes or so for maximum flavor. Serve garnished with cilantro if you like.

Notes:

You can serve with basmati rice, of course, but it’s also great over mashed potatoes.

When peeling the eggplant, you don’t have to be too precise. A little skin left on is fine, a lot of skin is a little obtrusive and it also prevents the eggplant from breaking down.

Use black eyed peas to switch things up a bit, but kidney or chickpeas are great here, too!

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Carefree Curry Burgers

 Ingredients:

• 2 cups cold leftover curry
• 1 cup cooked cold rice (brown basmati is great here)
• 1 cup chickpea flour, plus a little extra
• Extra curry powder to taste
• Salt to taste
• Cooking spray

Options for serving:

• Thinly sliced red cabbage, dressed with lime juice
• Chopped mango or pineapple
• Vegan mayo mixed with curry powder
• Ketchup mixed with Sriracha hot sauce
• Lettuce
• Red onion
• Fresh cilantro

Makes 6 burgers

Active time: 15 minutes

Total time: 2 hours (1 hour chill time, 30 minutes bake time)

Method:

1. Add the rice a food processor fit with a metal blade and pulse 5 or 6 times. Add the curry and pulse until no big chunks remain, although it shouldn’t be completely smooth. Pea-sized chunks are okay.
2. Transfer to a mixing bowl and add the chickpea flour, a teaspoon or two of curry powder and a big pinch of salt. Mix well, using your hands as the mixture starts to come together.
3. The mixture should be mushy, not stiff. But if it seems soupy or very loose, add a little extra chickpea flour (by the tablespoon) until it holds together. Taste for salt and curry powder. Transfer mixture to the fridge and chill for at least an hour.
4. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.
5. Form the mixture into 6 patties (about 1/3 cup each) and place each on the baking sheet. Spray the tops with a bit of cooking spray. Place in oven and bake for 20 minutes, then flip and bake for an additional 8 to 10 minutes. Burgers should be golden and firm to the touch.

Notes:

Leftover curry makes the perfect base for these Carefree Curry Burgers, and with the magic of a food processor they come together ridiculously easily. Brown rice adds some “chew” to the texture and chickpea flour gives it a crunchy exterior and toasty flavor. They’re baked, not fried, so that gives you some downtime and makes them even healthier. And if your curry is gluten-free then so are the burgers.

The curry has to have some chunky beans or vegetables. A smooth dahl won’t work because the mixture shouldn’t be soupy. So choose thick, jam-packed stew as your base and you can’t go wrong!

Almost any stew can be made into a burger following these parameters. Make a chili burger by replace the extra curry powder with chili powder. No matter what stew you’re turning into burgers, just adjust the flavorings to match the stew and you’re good to go.

You can totally make these burgers and simply serve with ketchup and pickles. If you’re feeling a little more fancy, you can fake a slaw and a chutney by drizzling some lime juice on both fresh chopped fruit and red cabbage. Then make a curried mayo for some extra kick by mixing a teapoon or two of curry powder into some vegan mayo.

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Mushroom Hot Pot

Ingredients:

• 4 cups mushroom or vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon organic cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil (regular vegetable oil will do, too)
• 1 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• Big pinch salt
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons minced lemongrass
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 star anise
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 oz dried shiitakes
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce (or tamari to make it gluten free)
• 1 roughly chopped tomato
• Fresh black pepper
• 15 oz can lite coconut milk
• Juice of half a lime

To serve (obviously just pick and choose, these are just suggestions):

• Cooked rice noodles or jasmine rice
• Fresh cilantro
• Fresh basil (thai basil if you can find it)
• Grilled tofu (seasoned simply with sesame oil, black pepper and salt)
• Roasted cashews
• Cooked aduki beans
• Thinly sliced sauteed seitan
• Steamed broccoli or cauliflower
• Finely sliced bok choy
• Extra wedges of fresh lime

Serves: 6

Time: 1 hour

Active time: 30 minutes

Method:

1. Preheat a 4 quart pot over medium heat. Mix the cornstarch into the broth and set aside (this is easiest if you just mix it into about a cup of broth, then pour the rest of the broth in.)
2. Saute onion and pepper in the oil with a big pinch of salt, until onions are soft, about 5 minutes.
3. Add garlic, lemongrass, ginger and red pepper flakes and mix in. Cook until fragrant, about a minute, then stream in the broth/cornstarch mixture and add most of the other ingredients: star anise, cinnamon,  shiitakes, soy sauce, tomatoes and fresh black pepper. Stir often for the first 10 minutes or so, until the cornstarch has thickened the broth a bit. Now cover pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower heat to simmer and cook covered for a good half hour, until mushrooms are completely softened.
4. Add coconut milk and lime, and taste for salt. Heat through and serve with fresh herbs and other accoutrement.

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Chana Masala

Ingredients:

Spice blend:

• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne (optional, and more or less to taste)

For everything else:

• 3 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1 large onion, sliced in medium pieces
• 2 jalapenos, deseeded and thinly sliced
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 heaping tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
• 3 lbs tomatoes, diced
• Fresh black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas (or two cans, rinsed and drained) note: 2 cups dried will give you the right amount
• 1 teaspoon agave
• Juice of one lime, or 1 teaspoon tamarind concentrate

Serves 8 – 10

Time: 1 hour

Active time: 30 minutes

Method:

1. Preheat a large pan over medium heat. I prefer a pan to a pot, because it gets the tomatoes to cook down faster.
2. Meanwhile, mix together the spice blend in a small bowl.
3. When the pan is hot, saute the onion in the coconut oil for about 10 minutes, until nicely browned. While it’s sauteeing you can prep the rest of the veggies.
4. Add the jalapeno, garlic and ginger, and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the cilantro and saute until wilted. Add the spice blend and toss to coat the onions, letting the spices toast a bit (about a minute or so).
5. Add the tomatoes and mix well, scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze. Add salt and pepper, chickpeas and agave. Cover the pan and bring heat up a bit. The tomatoes should take about 10 minutes to breakdown and get saucy. Remove the lid, and cook for about 20 more minutes on low heat, so that the flavors meld and the sauce thickens. It shouldn’t be too thick (like a marinara), but it shouldn’t be watery, either.
6. Add lime juice or tamarind concentrate. Taste for seasoning, you might want to add a little of this or that. Let sit for 10 minutes or so off the heat before serving. Serve with basmati rice and garnished with extra cilantro, if you like!

Notes:

Use fresh tomatoes because the clunky canned ones can end up tasting like spaghetti sauce.

Cook dried chickpeas, rather than use canned. The taste is fresher and the texture is meatier.

Coconut oil gives chana masala a richness that other oils lack, but since not everyone has coconut oil lying around, vegetable oil will be just fine! Same for subbing lime juice in place of tamarind concentrate.

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Red Curry Soup with Rice & Purple Kale

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced medium
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 3/4 cups basmati or jasmine rice, rinsed
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 to 3 tablespoons red curry paste
• 1 bunch purple kale, pulled from stems and torn into bite size pieces
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
• 1 can lite coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon agave syrup
• Juice of one lime
• Optional: fresh chopped cilantro to garnish

Serves 8

Active time: 15 minutes

Total time: 40 minutes

Method:

1. Preheat a 4 quart soup pot over medium heat. Saute onion in oil with a pinch of salt for 5 minutes or so, until translucent. Add garlic and ginger and saute a minute more.
2. Add rice, vegetable broth and salt, cover pot and bring to a boil.
3. Once boiling, lower heat to simmer. Mix in 2 tablespoons curry paste. Add kale and sweet potatoes. Cover pot and let simmer for about 15 minutes, until sweet potatoes are tender.
4. Add coconut milk, agave and lime. Taste for salt and flavor. Add more curry paste if you like.
5. Remove from heat and serve immediately, or even better let it sit for 10 minutes to give the flavors a chance to meld. Top with fresh chopped cilantro if you like.

Notes:

Since curry pastes vary from brand to brand, start with 2 tablespoons and add more from there. If you would like to use brown rice, that’s fine! Just let it boil for 20 minutes more before adding the sweet potatoes and kale.

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Brocolli Curry Udon

Ingredients:

Shiitake & Red Bell Pepper

• Omit onions, use half the amount of broccoli
• Saute 8 oz thinly sliced shiitakes for 5 minutes
• Saute a thinly sliced red bell pepper for 5 minutes

Bok Choy

• Use 2 lbs bok choy in place of the broccoli
• Saute the bok choy stems for 5 minutes
• Add the leaves and saute 3 minutes more

Tofu
In addition to the veggies, saute diced extra firm tofu with a pinch of salt and pepper and add it to the noodles.

• 8 oz dry round udon noodles
• Olive oil for sauteeing (I use a spray bottle of oil)
• 1 pound broccoli florettes (6 cups)
• Medium red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 teaspoons fresh minced ginger
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• Big pinch red pepper flakes
• 2 cups vegetable broth mixed with 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons curry powder (see note)
• 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/2 cup light coconut milk
• 4 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds

You can also garnish with any of the following if you like:

• Chopped fresh cilantro
• Thinly sliced scallion or green onion
• Basil chiffonade (or Thai basil if you can find it)

Serves 4

Active time: 30 minutes

Total time: 30 minutes

Method:

1. First boil water for the udon. Cook udon according to package directions. Once cooked, drain and rinse with cold water and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, preheat a large pan over medium heat. Saute broccoli in a few sprays of oil and a pinch of salt for about 7 minutes. Keep covered while cooking, lifting the lid just to stir a few times. In the meantime, prep everything else.
3. When broccoli is done, remove from pan and set aside. Next saute onions in a bit of oil, with a pinch of salt for about 3 minutes. You want them to retain some crunch. Remove from pan (transfer to the same bowl as broccoli to cut down on dishes). Now you’ll make the sauce in the same pan.
4. Saute the garlic and ginger in a little oil for about 1 minute. Mix in the red pepper flakes. Add the vegetable broth/cornstarch, the curry powder and soy sauce. Cover pan and bring to a boil. Let thicken a bit, for about 3 minutes. Mix in coconut milk and turn off the heat.
5. Add noodles to the pan and mix to coat. Then fold in the broccoli and onions. Divide between bowls and top with garnishes (if using) and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Notes:

The basic idea is to saute the veggies and then make the sauce – then you mix everything together. Cooking the vegetables separately ensures that you cook them just right, never under or over cooked. You only have to use one pan and everything should be done within 30 minutes if you follow the directions.

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Red Lentil Thai Chilli

Ingredients:

• Olive oil (1 teaspoon to 2 tablespoons, however much you feel like using)
• 1 large yellow onion, diced medium
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced medium
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 ½ lbs sweet potatoes cut into ¾ inch chunks
• 1 cup red lentils
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 2 15 oz cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
• 1 15 oz can lowfat coconut milk
• 28 oz can diced tomatoes
• ½ cup fresh cilantro, plus extra for garnish
• Limes for garnish (optional)

Serves 10 – 12

Active time: 15 minutes

Total time: 40 minutes

Method:

1. Preheat a 4-quart pot over medium heat. Saute onions and pepper in oil with a pinch of salt, for 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic and saute a minute more.
2. Add chili powder, sweet potatoes, lentils, salt and vegetable broth. Cover and bring to a boil. Let it boil for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. When lentils are cooked and sweet potatoes are tender, add the remaining ingredients and heat through.
3. Taste for salt and seasoning, top with cilantro and lime and serve!

Notes:

It makes a lot so freeze the leftover and have chili whenever you want.

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Cashew Vegetable Korma

Ingredients:

For the cream:

• 2 cups raw cashew pieces (plus water for soaking)
• 2 cups vegetable broth

Veggies to boil:

• 2.5 pounds yukon gold potatoes (1 1/2 inch chunks)
• 2 lbs cauliflower in large florettes (don’t cut em too small or they will fall apart)
• 2 lbs carrots, sliced on a bias 1/2 inch thick

Puree:

• 2 medium sized yellow onions
• 2 inch nub of ginger
• 8 cloves garlic
• 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes

Everything else:

• 1 tablespoon coriander, crushed
• 3 tablespoons peanut oil
• 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 2 teaspoons garam masala
• Fresh black pepper
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon tamarind concentrate (see note)
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 can coconut milk
• 2 cups frozen peas
• 1 large caramelized red onion
• Chopped cilantro for garnish (optional)

Serves 16

Method:

1. First, soak the cashews. This will get them really soft and make them easier to blend really smooth. Place them in a bowl and submerge in water. Set aside for at least an hour. In the meantime prep everything.
2. Boil the veggies. Place them in a big ass pot (8 quart is ideal), and cover them in cold water. Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower heat to a simmer (so you don’t overcook the veggies), for about 15 minutes. Potatoes should be fork tender. Drain and set aside.
3. Next, puree the onion, ginger and garlic. It shouldn’t be completely smooth, some texture is good. No need to wash the processor bowl just yet, you’re going to puree the cashews in a bit.
4. Preheat another big pot over medium heat. Cook the puree in the peanut oil with a sprinkle of salt for about 15 to 20 minutes, until it’s nice and browned.
5. This is a good time to puree the cashews. Drain them and place them in the food processor along with 2 cups vegetable broth. Puree until smooth. This can take up to 5 minutes to get it as smooth as possible.
6. Back to the puree. Once it’s browned, add the coriander seed and the red pepper flakes and saute for about 3 minutes. Add curry powder, garam masala, several dashes fresh black pepper and salt and saute for another minute.
7. Add tamarind, tomato paste and vegetable broth and bring to a simmer. Now add the coconut milk and the cashew cream. Let cook uncovered for about 15 minutes, it should thicken a little and be really creamy.
8. In the meantime, saute the red onion in a little peanut oil in a separate pan with a pinch of salt for about 15 minutes, it should be browned and slightly caramelized. This adds a really nice sweetness and some added texture to the finished dish.
9. You’re pretty much done. You can shut the heat off then mix in the peas. Now fold in the boiled veggies, put the lid on the pot and let it heat through. Taste for salt and seasoning and serve garnished with cilantro if you like.

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Caribbean Curry Black Eyed Peas with Plantains

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1/4 cup finely chopped shallot
• 1 red pepper, finely diced
• 1/2 to 1 habanero pepper, seeded and minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons fresh minced ginger
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 star anise
• 2 teaspoons mild curry powder
• Pinch cinnamon
• About 3 stems of fresh thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup light coconut milk
• 3/4 cup water
• 16 oz can black eyed peas, drained and rinsed
• 1 teaspoon light agave nectar
• Juice from about 1/2 a lime
• 2 very ripe plantains, split lengthwise and cut into 1 inch chunks

Method:

1. Bring your steamer apparatus to a boil and preheat a small, heavy bottomed pot over medium heat. Saute the shallot, red pepper and habanero in the oil for about 5 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and ginger, bay leaf and star anise, and saute about 2 minutes more. Add a splash of water, the curry powder, the cinnamon and thyme stems. Mix for about 30 seconds, just to toast the curry powder a bit.
2. Add the salt, coconut milk, water and beans. Cover and heat through for about 5 minutes. Add agave and lime. Taste for salt and seasoning. Turn off heat, let sit for 10 minutes to let flavors meld.Remove thyme stems, anise and bay leaves.
3. In the meantime, steam the plantain for about 5 minutes. They should appear plump and bright yellow.
4. To serve, ladle curry over brown rice and top with plantains.

Notes:

If you can’t find plantains, then steam a big sweet potato. Peel and cut into 1/2 inch pieces, steam for about 10 minutes. They’ll give you the touch of sweetness this recipe is looking for.

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Ceylon Style Tofu Curry

Ingredients:

• 500g Onions, chopped
• 4 Cloves of Garlic, crushed
• 3 Green Chillies, deseeded & finely chopped
• 40g Fresh Ginger, peeled & finely diced
• 300g Tofu
• 6 Cardamom Pods
• 3cm Piece of Cinnamon
• 6 Cloves
• 1 tsp Coriander Seeds
• 1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds
• 1/2 tsp Fennel Seeds
• 1/2 tsp Fenugreek Seeds
• 1 tsp Mustard Seeds
• 1 tsp Turmeric
• Juice of 1 Large Lemon
• 100g Creamed Coconut
• 500ml Vegetable Stock
• Seasoning to taste

Method:

1. Drain the tofu and wrap in kitchen paper for 20 minutes to absorb excess mosture.
2. Saute the onions for a few minutes until lightly browned.
3. Add the chillies, garlic and ginger and fry for a few more minutes.
4. Lightly toast the coriander, cumin, fennel, fenugreek and mustard seeds. Then grind them into a powder with a pestle & mortar.
5. Add the ground seeds into the sauce pot with the cadamom, cinnamon, cloves and turmeric and mix in well.
6. Add the lemon juice with the stock and melt in the creamed coconut.
7. Chop the tofu into cubes and add to the curry.
8. Bring to the boil and then simmer gently uncovered for about 45 minutes or until the sauce has thickened.
9. Serve with rice.

Notes:

Usually served with Basmati rice

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