Get cozy with this belly-warming South Indian-Style Vegetable Curry!

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This is one of my absolute favorite autumn recipes!  Warming Indian spices combined with the sweetness of the cinnamon stick make for a flavorful one-pot dinner.  It is also great served over brown or basmati rice.  Spices including coriander, cumin, turmeric, cayenne, and cinnamon, marry in a rich, flavorful sauce that has a comforting, belly-warming appeal.

 

South Indian-Style Vegetable Curry Recipe

Adapted by Julie Neal from Fine Cooking Issue 107 by Ellie Krieger

Servings: 6

Ingredients:

  • 2 Tbs. olive oil or safflower 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 or regular 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)
  • 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

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 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. Can be served over brown or basmati rice.