COCONUT VEGETABLE CURRY

This month I cooked nothing but Indian food and one dish was worse than the other. I was so surprised because I love packaged Indian food and I love the lunch buffets at Udipi Vegetarian Indian Restaurant in Sunrise. Then I realized I did not like curried dishes without coconut milk. Indian spices are very strong and eating veggies with little liquid is just too much for me. Once I started using coconut milk, which I think can be used with any combination of spices, the dish took on a whole new taste. There are many ingredients in this recipe, but it is easy to make. Read about curry at the end of recipe.

Serves 4

TIME 1 hr 15 mins (includes 35 mins prep)

The recipe called for one large eggplant cut into 1" cubes which I did not use as I am not too fond of eggplant.

2 tbs vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 fresh green chili/chile pepper, seeded and finely chopped
(Regular green chili/chile peppers are hard to find except for
canned which I don't use, but a good substitute is Poblano Peppers.
For one green chili/chile pepper I use 1/4 Poblano.*
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 onion, finely chopped
2 tsp garam masala**
8 cardamom pods**
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tbs tomato paste***
3 cups vegetable stock****
1 tbs lemon juice
1-1/2 cups diced potatoes
2 cups small cauliflower florets
2 cups okra, trimmed*****
2 cups frozen peas
2/3 cup coconut milk
salt and pepper to taste

(If you use eggplant, layer it in a bowl, sprinkle with salt.
Set aside for 30 mins. Rinse, drain, dry. Set aside)

Heat oil in a large pan and gently cook the garlic, chili/chile pepper,
ginger, onion, and spices for 4-5 mins.

Stir in the tomato paste, broth, lemon juice, potatoes, and cauliflower
and mix well. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 15 mins.

Stir in eggplant, okra, peas, and coconut milk. Season with
salt & pepper to taste.

Continue to simmer, uncovered for 10 mins or until tender.

Discard the cardamom pods. Serve with nan bread.

Recipe from Cooks Library: Vegetarian, UK 2002


*Publix has the best selection of peppers
**Whole foods has the best selection of spices
*** I buy the tomato paste in the tube as there is no waste
**** Vegetable broth: dry (for simple veggie dishes) or paste (for richer flavor/replacement for beef broth) can be purchased at any supermarket. Must mix with water. Never use canned. Besides lack of rich flavor there is always waste.
*****Always buy smaller okra. When they are large they are old.

NOTE: Curry is a blend of different spices - as few as 5 or as many as 20. The word curry comes from the Indian language of Tamil, in which the word "kari" means gravy or sauce. Essential curry spices include cumin and coriander for fragrance and flavor; turmeric for rich yellow color; cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, and nutmeg for sweetness; and ginger, pepper, and chili powder for heat. Other spices could include saffron, anise, mace, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, and fenugreek. No single flavor should dominate. The goal of all curry powders should be balance.

While Indian curry is very popular there are other ethnicities that cook with curry:
Thai curry gets its tongue-tingling bite from chili peppers, lemongrass, shallots, garlic, and ginger. Curry of the French West Indies (columbo) contains spices and roasted ground rice, which acts as a thickener.