Every autumn, once the evenings get cooler, I trade punnets of strawberries for tins of beans and accept my fate: it’s time to start making warming curries. This is one of those recipes I’ve had since my university days that has slowly morphed into something so far removed from the original recipe that it is now unrecognisable.
It doesn’t sound glamorous, but it’s cheap and once people try it, they’re smitten. It is a simple veggie curry, with heaps of flavour and spices which you can adjust to your liking. For me, this dish is all about the finishing touches; I like to add a dollop of Greek yoghurt, some basil, nuts, and sometimes nutritional yeast, a squeeze of lemon and a drizzle of either a balsamic glaze or a pomegranate molasses. If this seems like too much of a faff, fear not, the basics of the dish are fine on their own.
Method
1. Start by chopping up your onion and sauté until clear, then add in your minced garlic. Once fragrant, add in fresh ginger, cinnamon, cocoa powder, cumin, garam masala, curry powder, and cayenne pepper. Stir until you can smell the spices.
2. Next, pour in the coconut milk, tomato purée (or chopped tomatoes) and bring to a boil with a splash of water. You can also use a splash of vegetable broth or stock here.
3. Bring this to a boil and then let it simmer for 15 minutes or so; or until picking up a spoonful of the curry has the consistency of a thick cream.
4. Next add in your beans and pulses; these can be whatever you like, but I like butter beans and red kidney beans. Stir these through your curry until they are piping hot.
5. At this point you could also stir in kale or spinach. I often cut up some Cavelo Nero (a type of kale) to stir through if I’m feeling the need for some greens.
6. Let this sit for a second. As with all curries this will taste better the next day once the flavours have had a chance to marinate. However, realistically, this is a weeknight dinner dish you will want to eat immediately.
