As the evening weather dips into the 50s F, I am craving something that’s a mix of hearty and healthy. Something that embraces fall produce while incorporating the last of my garden tomatoes. This is one of my all-time favorite recipes that I know you’ll love. It’s fall vegetable coconut curry.
The first time I tried a plant-based diet was many years ago through the recommendation of a holistic esthetician and nutritionist. I had a serious flare up and my skin was very angry. She introduced me to a holistic approach to skin care that included paying attention to what you put inside your body as well as what you put on the outside. She suggested I switch to a plant-based diet for a couple of months. I was skeptical but desperate. So I tried it for 4 months. And guess what? It helped.
In the beginning, going 100% plant-based was difficult but once I embraced this new diet, my life became easier and a whole new world opened up.
This is my favorite vegetable coconut curry recipe which is inspired by Meeru Dhalwala and Vikram Vij’s cookbook, “Vij’s At Home: Relax, Honey”. To be clear, this isn’t a vegan cookbook but their plant-based recipes are awesome. (You can also find another vegan recipe adaption from the same book here.)
Indian recipes are known for having a lot of spices which add a lot of complexity to the flavor. All the usual suspects are included like cumin, turmeric, and coriander along with asafoetida, a spice commonly used in many vegetarian or vegan Indian recipes. It has a pungent smell but mellows during cooking and adds a great flavor similar to onion and garlic. Asafoetida or hing is also what makes this dish shine so please don’t skip it!
There is a kick to this dish to counterbalance the sweetness of the sweet potatoes and coconut milk but feel free to reduce the amount of cayenne to suit your preference.
If you don’t have or can’t find Japanese sweet potatoes, swap it for a different vegetable that is in season. Keep in mind that you’ll need to modify the recipe depending on their cooking time. Additionally, avoid using vegetables like purple potatoes that could turn your curry into a funky color. I learned the hard way. It’ll still be good but won’t look very appetizing to eat. 🙂
Finally, it’s best to use the full-fat coconut milk in a can and not the low-fat kind or the kind you use in your cereal. It’s not the same.
A plant-based or vegan meal doesn’t mean it has to be boring or bland. This fall vegetable coconut curry recipe proves it. It’s a delicious way to incorporate more vegetables into your diet while satisfying your hunger. It’s one of my favorite curry recipes and I hope it will be yours, too!
Fall Vegetable Coconut Curry
Ingredients
- 1 large head cauliflower cut in medium florets ($2.50)
- 1 large white Japanese sweet potatoe cut in 1" cubes ($2.00)
- 2 cups pureed tomatoes 4~5 medium tomatoes ($0.00)
- 3 cups spinach roughly chopped ($1.75)
- 1/3 cup olive oil ($0.72)
- 1 cup coconut milk ($1.00)
- 1 cup water ($0.00)
- 1/2 tsp asafoetida powder ($0.01)
- 1 tbsp salt ($0.06)
- 1 tsp ground cumin ($0.25)
- 1 tsp ground coriander ($0.08)
- 1/2 tbsp turmeric ($0.24)
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper ($0.46)
Instructions
- Prepare all your ingredients.
- In a dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat, about 30 seconds. Stir in asafoetida and let it sizzle for 30 seconds.
- Add blended or chopped tomatoes to dutch oven and stir. (Tomatoes may splatter so use caution.)
- Next add salt, cumin, coriander, cayenne and turmeric. Saute until oil glistens on top, about 4-5 minutes.
- Add water and combine. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium. Add sweet potatoes and cook for 8 minutes covered.
- Next, add cauliflower and cook for another 7 minutes covered or until they reach the desired doneness. Vegetables should be cooked but still have a bite.
- Stir in coconut milk and bring to a boil.
- Add spinach, stir and cook for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat.
- Serve while warm in big bowls over rice or quinoa. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
* Note regarding pricing: The tomatoes used in this recipe are from our garden which is why there is no price listed. The price for the pantry items such as salt and olive oil takes into account the cost of the amount used for the recipe and not the cost if you had to purchase the entire jar or bottle. ** All prices in US dollars.