Time for a Curry… Vegan & Gluten-Free
The weekly lunch that appears always to be at mine nowadays! 😛 🙂 has moved from a Friday to a Wednesday – mainly to accommodate my best friends change in work schedule! 😀 I usually just rustle up whatever I have in the fridge that morning and it never gets onto the blog, but today… well today I had a request before I started cooking (& writing up my blog)! You might have noticed that I love chickpeas and I do already have a couple of similar recipes on here – a pea-pea curry and a spinach, sweet potato & chickpea curry 🙂 This version I created this morning is my new favourite… at least for today! 🙂
Lunch is served!
I used to be afraid of making curry because I’d never taken the time to open so many different spices at once! and thought you could just use curry powder…you can – but I wouldn’t! 😛 Don’t be put off by the seemingly long list of ingredients – just use the spices you have and see how it turns out! 🙂
Fresh whole curry spice seeds
Don’t be afraid of the powdered spices!
If you feel you want to try whole seed spices but don’t want to buy them all individually, there is a great ready made mix of seeds called ‘panch puran’. Translated as ‘5 spice’ it combines fenugreek, nigella and cumin seeds with mustard and fennel seeds which could easily be substituted instead of all the individual seeds listed here. Although I made this for a quick lunch, it would be ideal for an evening meal – or even when you have friends over as part of a selection of dishes.
I’m sharing this with Mary Ellen & Kimmy at Healthy Vegan Fridays this week! 🙂 I’m also winging it over to Deborah at the Plant Based Potluck Party 🙂 Come along and join in the fun!
Curry (Vegan & Free-From)
Gather
- Coconut Oil (or other oil of choice)
- 1 large onion roughly chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon kalonji (nigella) seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon ajwain seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 3-4 small garlic cloves chopped
- 1/2 butternut squash chopped
- 1 plantain chopped
- 200ml-300ml plant milk (I used unsweetened carton coconut)
- 2 tablespoons creamed coconut
- 2 x 400g tins of chickpeas & 1/2 the liquid
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon tumeric
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 cup of spinach
- salt to taste (I use pink Himalayan)
- *optional red chili flakes
Prepare
- Melt the oil and add the onion. Cook until it’s turning golden then add the kalonji, fenugreek, ajwain, cumin and coriander seeds with the garlic and continue to cook until fragrant.
- Add the squash and stir through then cover and leave to cook for a couple of minutes. Repeat this with the plantain – add – stir through – cover and allow to cook for five minutes.
- Pour in the milk then gently stir through the creamed coconut until dissolved.
- Tip the chickpeas in, mix through then add the powdered spices – ginger, paprika, turmeric, cumin and coriander.
- Cover and simmer for 10-20 minutes (check the plantain is cooked).
- Stir the spinach through. Add salt if desired and chili flakes then cook for a further 5 minutes.
- Enjoy!
Serve & Store
- Serve with your favourite grain – or a new one! I introduced everyone to millet today!
- Add some poppadum’s – we had mini ones quickly cooked oil free in the microwave.
- Make a cooling cucumber raita using yogurt (coconut), salt, diced cucumber and fresh mint.
- Stretch it out and add some onion bhajis, samosas or pakoras as a side!
- Change the vegetables but keep the method and spices the same – try sweet potato, courgettes, okra or even mushrooms!
- Keep refrigerated for up to three days.
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I actually have never made curry from all those spices (you caught me, I have been afraid!). I usually just use the paste but seeing it now, I may have to try it! Now all I need is all the spices!
Mary Ellen it’s SO much better if you choose your own spices… and it really is easy once you’ve done it a few times! You really will wonder why you didn’t do it sooner! 🙂 Plus the spices can be used for most other savoury dishes too (marinated tofu, quick chickpeas, spicy soup, fritters etc. etc.) 🙂 Hope you buy some spices soon! 🙂
I remember the first time I tried making curry, I found the list of spices rather daunting. But determined, I set out, got them all and was rewarded with a wonderfully delicious meal. Certainly something I would not have accomplished with just curry powder. I really like expanding my spice collection, this will help haha 😉 I’m actually only missing 2 of the spices mentioned. I can only imagine how flavourful this dish is. Your friend is so lucky! And look at the beautiful table setting. Gorgeous.
Thank you so much for sharing your delicious curry with us at Healthy Vegan Fridays. I’m pinning & sharing!
Hope you’re having a great week my dear.
Thanks Kimmy ☺ I love my spices and I’ve just bought a couple of new ones (ground cloves & caraway seeds)! Glad you’ve tried making your own curry and been rewarded with a great tasting meal… it’s easy once you know how! ☺ Thanks for your comment about the table – we often use the dining room but were in the kitchen this week! ☺ Thanks again for hosting – I love seeing what vegan dishes everyone else is sharing… then trying out new ideas! Hope you have a great week too☺x