TAMARIND COURGETTE AND PARSNIP CURRY ON CAULIFLOWER 'RICE'

 
 
 
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I remember the first time I tried curried parsnip soup as if it was yesterday — those big fluffy parsnips that usually only appeared in roast dinners in winter made the most beautiful sweet, creamy base for spices. Since then I’ve always liked parsnips in curried foods, from a creamy coconut Malaysian-style stew where I imagine they’re as good as a plantain to this sweet-and-sour tamarind curry. I’ve mixed two veggies here — now that courgettes are available all year round, they can bring a little light-hearted juicy bitter crunch to the compact, sweet heaviness of the parsnips. This curry is both light enough for warm weather and stodgy enough for cold weather. Serve with cauliflower ‘rice’ for the former and white rice for the latter.

To make the rice really special, toast some desiccated coconut and stir it through.

Find this recipe in East by West page 133.

 

INGREDIENTS

2 tbsp flaked almonds
3 tbsp ghee, butter or coconut oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 large mild green chilli, sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1cm (1/2 in) piece of fresh
Ginger, grated
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 cinnamon stick
About 3 medium—large parsnips (400g), peeled and cut into 3cm (11⁄4 in) chunks
1 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp chilli powder
2 large tomatoes, skinned and deseeded, and chopped
1 1/2 tsp tamarind paste
250ml (1 cup) water
2 medium courgettes, cut into 4cm (11/2 in) chunks
1 x 400ml tin of full-fat coconut milk
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
50g (1 cup) small chard or spinach leaves, washed
Handful of fresh coriander, finely chopped, to serve (optional)

For the cauliflower ‘rice’

2 large cauliflowers
2 tsp ghee or coconut oil 4 tbsp water
Sea salt and freshly
Ground black pepper

  1. Heat a frying pan and dry-toast the flaked almonds until lightly browned at the edges. Set aside.

  2. Melt the ghee and fry the onion, green chilli, garlic, ginger, cumin seeds, mustard seeds and cinnamon. Stir frequently until the mixture is golden. Add the parsnip chunks, turmeric and chilli powder. Cook for 1 minute then add the tomatoes, tamarind and water. Bring to a simmer and cook, lid on, for 15—20 minutes.

  3. Add the courgettes, coconut milk and season well with salt and pepper. Cook for another 15—20 minutes, stirring until the mixture is simmering. Fold the green leaves through 5—10 minutes before the end, cooking gently until tender. Season to taste.

  4. Meanwhile, for the cauliflower ‘rice’, remove the cauliflower leaves and the tough end of the stalk. Use a food processor (with the S-curved blade or grater attachment) or the coarse side of a grater to grate the cauliflower into rice-sized pieces. Melt the ghee in a frying pan, add the cauliflower and water and stir. Cook over a medium heat, lid on, for 4—5 minutes until tender but with bite. Check after 3—4 minutes to make sure that there is still water in the pan. Season to taste.

  5. Plate up the cauliflower rice and serve with a generous portion of the curry on top. Scatter with the toasted almonds and the coriander, if using.

 
LUNCH, DINNER, AUTUMN, WINTER, VEGETARIAN, VEGANJasmine Hemsley