Anything Goes Vegetable Curry

This is a flexible recipe to make a simple vegetable curry using whatever vegetables you have to hand in that season. I’ve used summer vegetables – because it’s summer – but you could easily use autumn or winter vegetables in those seasons. The only vegetable that does need to be in both is an onion – after that, the rest is your choice.

Feeds 2 people

Preparation and cooking takes about an hour

Ingredients

1 onion chopped finely

2 tbsp sunflower (or vegetable) oil

2 crushed cloves of garlic

Range of mixed vegetables (I used 2 chopped carrots, 1 chopped courgette and 1 yellow pepper)1

2 tbsp curry powder

½ 400g can of chopped tomatoes

½ 400g can of reduced fat coconut milk

(if you want a thick sauce, then you’ll also need 1 heaped tsp corn starch)

Method

  1. Fry the onion with the oil for about 10 minutes until soft and translucent. Then add the garlic and fry for a further minute.
  2. Now add the mixed vegetables and cook for a further 10 minutes.
  3. Add the 2 tbsp of curry powder (you can use more or less to suit your taste) and stir, ensuring everything is coated. Cook for a further minute or two allowing the spices to release their aromas.
  4. Now add the chopped tomatoes and the coconut milk. Bring to the boil and then reduce to simmer for approximately 20 minutes (stir occasionally).
  5. If the curry looks a bit thin for your liking, you can thicken it by mixing a teaspoon of corn starch with about 2 tbsp of water and then adding this to the curry. Stir and you’ll see the sauce become much thicker.
  6. Serve your curry with naan or rice2, or if your really hungry both! Que aproveche!

Tips

  1. For an autumn vegetable curry use chopped runner beans, chopped squash and some spinach. If you want a winter curry, then use predominantly root vegetables with some chopped kale. As always, use greengrocers to buy what you need and avoid needless plastic waste.
  2. Although rice is healthier for you than naan, it’s actually the worse choice environmentally. Rice production occurs in paddy fields, which are fields full of water. These conditions mean that a lot of methane is released from the soil and this is an even more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide. About 12% of all global methane emissions come from rice production and methane released into the atmosphere by human activity is responsible for about 20% of global warming. So, the better option is the naan – perhaps have a smaller one if you want to be healthier.
  • Lots of chopped mixed vegetables to suit your season.
  • After adding the chopped tomatoes and coconut milk bring to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes.
  • Serve your curry with rice or naan.