Here is a mildly spiced, sweet and creamy coconut curry to delight the senses and warm you up.
Curries are one of my favourite things to make in the kitchen. They’re incredibly versatile, calling for only a handful of essential ingredients and your choice of spice – this makes them perfect for when you have limited supplies.
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What inspired this creamy coconut curry recipe?
My travels in India and Asia inspire many of my curry recipes. However, I’m yet to recreate several others I tried and loved.
This Creamy Coconut Curry of mine uses a mild spice mix of chilli, ground coriander, turmeric and garam masala. All of which complement the creamy coconut. The choice of vegetables, mainly the bell pepper and butternut squash add a little sweetness which you’ll love.
How can I adapt this creamy coconut curry?
Curries are very versatile, which means you can adapt them to whatever you have in. Root vegetables and squashes are quite hardy and long-lasting, which is why they’re good options in times when fresh produce stocks are low. Parsnips, pumpkin or sweet potato would also work for this recipe in place of the squash as they’re all sweet-tasting.
I’ve also used orange bell pepper, but red or yellow will work too as they’re just as sweet.
If you’re not able to get hold of tofu, then you could use lentils in its place for your source of protein. Alternatively, if you can get hold of some frozen soy ‘chicken’, you could fry that off a little before adding it to the sauce.
I’ve used ginger and lemongrass pastes which are great if you don’t have fresh to hand. Feel free to leave out the lemongrass if you can’t get hold of any.
The spice mix I have used is lovely, but just in case you don’t have this combination, here’s another that would work:
- ½ teaspoon Turmeric
- 1 teaspoon Garam Masala
- 1 heaped tablespoon Mild Curry Powder
Creamy Coconut Curry with Chickpeas, Squash & Tofu
Here is a mildly spiced, sweet and creamy Coconut Curry to delight the senses and warm you up.
Ingredients
The sauce:
- 1 heaped tsp coconut oil
- 1 white onion, finely chopped or grated
- 2 garlic cloves, minced or grated
- 1 tsp ginger paste
- 1 tsp lemongrass paste
- 1 carrot, grated
- 1 can of chopped tomatoes
- 1 can of coconut milk
- 200ml boiling water
- 1 low sodium vegetable stock
- Sea salt and black pepper
The spices:
- 2 tsp garam masala
- ½ tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp chilli powder
- 1 tsp ground coriander
Vegetables & Protein:
- 250g firm tofu, chopped into bitesize pieces
- 350g butternut squash, peeled and chopped into bitesize pieces
- 1 orange bell pepper, chopped
- 50g spinach
- 1 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 2 tbsp of coconut cream
- 1 handful of fresh coriander (optional)
- 1 lime, juice (optional)
To serve:
- 150g of basmati rice (2 servings) – adjust to the number of people eating.
- Vegan naan or Chapatti (optional)
Instructions
- Place your pan onto low-medium heat and add the coconut oil. Then boil a full kettle.
- Next, prepare your onion and garlic, then add them to the pan along with your ginger and lemongrass paste, stirring them well for a few minutes to release their flavours. Then leave your stock to dissolve in 200ml of boiling water while you grate your carrot.
- Next, add the grated carrot along with half the stock to the pan ingredients. Stir well and allow this to cook for a few minutes on medium heat until the pan ingredients have softened more.
- Next add your chopped tomatoes, the remaining stock and the coconut milk. Combine well. Then stir in a pinch of salt, a good grinding of black pepper and all of your spices.
- At this point, put your rice on to cook with a pinch of salt and 300ml of the kettle water you boiled earlier. Prepare more or less rice, depending on the number of people eating. I only cooked enough for 2-3 servings. This curry serves 4-6 so anything not eaten can be kept in the fridge or frozen.
- Next use a standard blender or hand blender (depending on which you have) to blitz the sauce to a smooth consistency. If you have neither, then you can leave it as it is for a little texture. Return it to the pan and allow it to simmer for 10 minutes on medium heat. Use this time to prepare your veggies.
- Add your tofu, butternut squash, bell pepper, spinach, fresh coriander, and chickpeas, stirring between each to ensure all of the pan ingredients combine well. Then add your lime juice and coconut cream.
- Leave the curry to simmer for 15 minutes until the butternut squash is cooked (as this takes the longest). Use this time to clean, dance, have a glass of wine – whatever you want. By this point, your rice should be done too. Drain and rinse it with hot water, then leave it covered to one side until the curry has finished simmering.
- When it’s ready, serve the curry with rice and sprinkle with fresh coriander. Toast a naan or warm some chapatti bread to scoop up any sauce if you fancy. Enjoy!
Notes
Allergens: Soy, Celery
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
-
OXO Good Grips Box Grater
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Blackmoor Non-Stick Frying Pan
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Morrisons Wholefoods Red Split Lentils, 500g
-
Biona Coconut Milk, 6 pack
-
HENSHOW Measuring Spoon Set of 8 Pcs
-
Maldon Sea Salt
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