Coconut-Vegetable Curry

By keteal

Ingredients

• Vegetables
• 5 tablespoons Clarified Butter (see recipe), divided
• 12 pearl onions, blanched 1 minute, peeled
• 10 fresh okra pods
• 6 Indian eggplants (each about 3 inches long) or 4 Asian eggplants, trimmed, each quartered lengthwise
• 2 large carrots (about 10 ounces), peeled, cut on diagonal into 1/4-inch-thick ovals
• 1 1/2 pounds tomatoes, cored, cubed
• Sauce
• 5 tablespoons Clarified Butter (see recipe)
• 1 pound white onions, chopped
• 1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
• 1 large garlic clove, chopped
• 2 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh or frozen curry leaves* (about 16 leaves) 1 1/2 teaspoons black mustard seeds**
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds***
• 112 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
• 3 1/2 cups canned unsweetened coconut milk (preferably organic)**** 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• Basmati rice or Savory Semolina (see recipe)
• *Also known as kari patta; available at Indian markets.
• **Smaller and stronger than yellow or brown seeds; sold at specialty foods stores, Indian and Asian markets, and adrianascaravan. com. If unavailable, substitute brown mustard
• seeds.
• ***Available at Indian and Middle Eastern markets.
• ****Available at many supermarkets and at Indian, Southeast Asian, and Latin markets. If unavailable, substitute 1 cup half and half and 1/2 teaspoon imitation coconut extract

Details

Servings 6

Preparation

Step 1

VEGETABLES Heat 1 tablespoon butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions; saute until golden, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and saute until onions are just tender, about 8 minutes. Transfer onions to bowl. Heat 1 tablespoon butter in same skillet over medium-high heat. Add okra; saute until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Add okra to bowl with onions. Heat 1 tablespoon butter in same skillet over medium-high heat. Add eggplants; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Saute eggplants until brown on cut surfaces and just tender, about 6 minutes. Add eggplant to onions and okra. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in same skillet. Add carrots. Saute until carrots begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Add tomatoes and stir to blend; add to vegetable mixture in bowl. Reserve skillet for sauce.

SAUCE Heat butter in reserved skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped onions and saute until golden, about 14 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Add ginger and garlic; saute 1 minute. Add curry leaves, mustard seeds, turmeric, fenugreek, and cayenne; saute 1 minute. Add vegetable mixture and 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt. Add coconut milk and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered until vegetables are just tender, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Mix in lime juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Transfer curry to bowl. Serve over basmati rice or Savory Semolina.