Summer Vegetables in Coconut Curry Sauce

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Adapted from David Tanis and The New York Times

INGREDIENTS

  • 3 tablespoons neutral oil

  • 1 (2-inch) piece ginger, peeled and grated

  • 4 garlic cloves, minced

  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds (or 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder)

  • 3/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne

  • 1 medium onion, diced small

  •  Kosher salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon garam masala

  • 4 cups diced summer squash, such as zucchini, pattypan or romanesco, cut into 3/4-inch pieces

  • 1 cup canned chickpeas (drained)

  • 3 small baby potatoes halved or quartered

  • 2/3 cups coconut milk (more if you like a richer sauce)

  • 1 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels (from 3 ears corn)

  • 5 ounces baby spinach

  •  Roughly chopped cilantro leaves and lime wedges, for garnish

  •  Cooked rice, for serving (optional)

PREPARATION

  1. Put oil in a deep, wide skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When it shimmers, add cumin seeds (skip this step if using ground cumin). Once the seeds begin to darken (about 30 seconds) add the onions and saute until translucent (about 3-4 minutes). Next add the garam masala, turmeric, salt and cayenne and saute for about 2 minutes. Add the ginger, garlic and stir-fry the mixture until it begins to sizzle a bit, about 1 minute.

  2. Add squash, potatoes, garbanzo beans and 1 cup of water, bring to a boil, cover and simmer on medium heat for 15 minutes (or until potatoes are done).

  3. Add the corn and spinach and let wilt into the mixture (about 2 minutes) and then stir in the coconut milk.

  4. Turn off heat. Sprinkle with cilantro, and serve with rice and lime wedges, if desired.

RECIPE NOTES

The original recipe calls for yogurt and almond flour which is a variation on a classic Indian dish called Kadhi (kuh-ree). I didn’t have yogurt or almond flour but I did have some coconut milk and it made for an excellent swap. Although the title of this recipe calls for summer veggies, it’s a great way to clean out your refrigerator and can be made with almost any sturdy vegetable: turnips, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, etc. Definitely experiment and find your perfect mix of veggies and beans but don’t skip the lime wedge - that pop of acid really makes the flavors sing.

Alpana SinghComment