South Indian-Style Vegetable Curry

By Margannl

This easy one-pot meatless main gets its complex flavor from a combination of spices including coriander, cumin, turmeric, cayenne, and cinnamon. The spices marry in a rich, flavorful sauce that has a comforting, belly-warming appeal.

Read Ellie Krieger’s blog post to learn more about the healing power of spices and how this recipe came together.
Serves 6

Ingredients

• 2 Tbs. canola oil
• 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
• 4 medium cloves garlic, minced
• One 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated (1 Tbs.)
• 1 Tbs. ground coriander
• 1-1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• 3/4 tsp. ground turmeric
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne
• 1 Tbs. tomato paste
• 2 cups lower-salt chicken broth or vegetable broth
• 1 cup light coconut milk
• One 3-inch cinnamon stick
• Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 small cauliflower, broken into 1-1/2-inch florets (about 4 cups)
• 1 lb. sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes (about 3 cups)
• 2 medium tomatoes, cored, seeded, and coarsely chopped (about 1-1/2 cups)
• 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds (about 1 cup)
• One 15-1/2-oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 4 oz. baby spinach (about 4 lightly packed cups)
• 2 Tbs. fresh lime juice
• 1 tsp. finely grated lime zest
• 2 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation

Step 1

In a 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven or other heavy-duty pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium (or medium low if necessary) and cook until the onion is richly browned, 5 to 7 minutes more. Add the garlic and ginger; cook, stirring, for 1 minute to blend the flavors. Add the coriander, cumin, turmeric, and cayenne; stir for 30 seconds to toast the spices. Add the tomato paste and stir until well blended with the aromatics, about 1 minute.

Add the broth, coconut milk, cinnamon stick, 1 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low or low and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the cauliflower, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, and carrots. Raise the heat to medium high and return to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low, cover, and simmer until the vegetables are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Discard the cinnamon stick.

Stir in the chickpeas, spinach, lime juice, and zest; cook until the spinach has wilted, about 3 minutes more. Season to taste with salt. Serve garnished with the cilantro.
Serving Suggestions
This curry only needs a basic brown rice or white basmati rice to be a complete meal.