mild vegetable curry

There are lot’s of curry powders and pastes on the the market but nothing compares to the freshness and flavour of mixing your own herbs and spices.

This recipe is really easy and family friendly, the fresh tomato makes the dish light and the spices result in a complex and utterly delicious mild curry.

If you want to try giving it to a child, then why not half the amount of spices you put in and leave out any you think they would object to.

ingredients
1 tablespoon oil
2 onions
4 carrots, sliced
1 baking potato, cut into 1cm cubes
1 small cauliflower, divided into small florets
250grams green beans, trimmed and halved
1/2 cup green peas
1/2 cup baby spinach
coriander leaves for garnish
1 green chilli, seeded and chopped
11/2 teaspoons ground coriander
11/2 teaspoons ground cumin
11/2 teaspoons ground turmeric
400g can of coconut milk

for the curry paste
1 beefsteak tomato, skinned and chopped
6 garlic cloves, crushed
3 knobs of fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
11/2 teaspoons fennel seeds
6 cloves
6 cardamom pods

method
Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the onion and fry for 5 miutes. Then stir in the carrots, cover the pan, trun down the heat and cook for 10 minutes. Ass the potato, cover and cook gently for another 10 minutes, before adding the cauliflower, beans and chillii. Stir, cover and cook gently until the vegetables are nearly tender, then stir in the coriander, cumin and turmeric and cook for a minute or two longer.

While the vegetables are cooking, make the curry paste. Put all the ingredients into a food processor or using a stick blender, whizz to a puree.

Add the curry paste to the vegetables, stirring well, cook for 5-10 minutes, then pour in the coconut milk, peas and salt to taste and cook for a further minute or two until the coconut milk is hot and the peas are tender.

Finish by stirring through the spinach until it wilts and sprinkle the chopped coriander as a garnish. Serve immediately or freeze when cool.