During last summer’s heatwave we got very used to taking our breakfast, lunch and dinner outdoors and we fully expect to be doing the same this year. We know that salads are basically summer on a plate. I am their number one fan! But anyone who tells you that a curry is just for winter, is clearly not thinking straight. Some of the best summer vegetables make the most delicious curries. Serve this one buffet style with all the extras and let everyone help themselves.
For this recipe, I use onion, carrot, red pepper, cauliflower, potato and spinach. If you have other vegetables to hand or that you prefer, just swap them in. Add hard vegetables such as butternut squash at the start of the cooking and more delicate vegetables such as courgette with about twenty minutes to go. Leafy greens go in towards the end.
There is so much good stuff in this curry. I’m not talking superfood-style good stuff or magic weight loss concoctions. I’m talking the basics here. Good vegetables, leafy greens, garlic and ginger and spices like turmeric. Just the stuff we know we should eat on the regular. I use dried mango powder in this recipe which is an ingredient you mightn’t be familiar with. It’s also called Amchoor and it has a sweet yet tart flavour. It works very well to balance out flavours. It’s worth getting your hands on this but if you don’t have it, just leave it out.
This curry deserves the extras. Top with chopped scallion and red chilli, toasted almond flakes and a cool yogurt. Serve with a few wedges of lemon or lime. Chopped coriander is good too. If you are in a batch cooking type of mode, make double for the freezer.
Keep scrolling for the recipe for this Vegetable & Chickpea Curry and bring on the sunshine.
Vegetable & Chickpea Curry
(Serves 4-6)
Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
2 white onions, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 inch ginger, grated
1 red pepper, finely chopped
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp sweet smoked paprika
1 tbsp turmeric
1 tbsp dried mango powder
½ head cauliflower, chopped into small florets
1 potato, peeled and finely chopped
1 tin whole plum tomatoes
500 ml vegetable stock
1 tin coconut milk
1 tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 large handfuls spinach
Sea salt and black pepper to season
To serve
Choose from chopped scallions, red chilli, toasted flaked almonds, yogurt, chopped coriander, lime or lemon juice.
Method
Heat the oil in a large heavy based pot. Add the onion and carrot and cook for about 8 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger and red pepper and cook for a further 2 minutes. Add the spices, stir and cook for a further minute before adding the cauliflower and potato.
Next, add the tomatoes and vegetable stock and bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes.
Next add the coconut milk and chickpeas and cook on a low simmer for a further 20 minutes. Add the spinach and cook for a further five minutes. Taste and season.
Serve with brown rice, yogurt and a topping of toasted flaked almonds, scallions and chilli.
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