I’d had my eye on this recipe for a while, when suddenly last night was the perfect time to make it. Vegetarian, vegan even, healthy, quick, and a tiny bit different from the lettuce and/or tomato I’ve been having for dinner the past few days. I needed to make something a bit more elaborate, in a very short amount of time. I needed to feel like I was cooking again, after the first days of September being such a whirlwind that I couldn’t focus on anything besides work.
The result was beyond what I had expected. It might not be a genuine curry, but it is so good and refined that no one should give a damn what it’s called. As it so happens, ginger and turmeric seem to be a good enough combination to make it look and taste like you know what you’re doing with Indian food. And the added touch of lemon juice was the icing on the curry.
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Quick vegetable curry
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Serves 4
Ingredients:
- 1 cauliflower
- 4 carrots
- 1/2 lb shallots (about 12 shallots)
- 1 lemon
- 5.6 fl oz coconut milk
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 3 tbsp chopped cilantro
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp turmeric
Directions:
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Rince and cut the cauliflower into florets. Peel the carrots and cut them into chunks.
2. When the water boils, add the cauliflower and carrots, cook for about 10 minutes, until cooked but still crunchy. In the meantime, peel and halve lengthwise the shallots. Squeeze the lemon juice, set aside. Drain the boiled vegetables, set aside.
3. In a large skillet or wok, heat the vegetable oil. Add the ginger and turmeric, and stir to obtain a paste. Add the shallots, sauté for a few minutes, until they are golden. Add 2 tbsp water to deglaze. When the water has evaporated, add the vegetables and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the coconut milk, lemon juice and cilantro. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for another 3 to 5 minutes, stirring well to coat all the vegetables. Serve warm.
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My tips:
- Serve this vegetarian dish with white rice.
- You can make it ahead of time, and leave it in the skillet for up to 1 hour, or refrigerate it and reheat it for 10-15 minutes with a bit of water to prevent the vegetables from drying.
- If you feel like there isn’t enough sauce, just add a bit of water to the skillet.
Source: adapted from Gourmand – August 2012.
