Vegan Golden Carrot Curry

Carrots seem to be a hot favourite for our weekly vegetable box suppliers, so I’m using their regular supply as a personal challenge to try cooking something new as many times as possible. It’s been a little rainy and damp this week and I was feeling like a bowl of something hot and comforting. Soup may have been an obvious choice, but a mellow curry with all the good stuff felt like it could be more interesting. Kaffir lime leaves with some simple spices make this curry elegantly fragrant. Turmeric and saffron make a stellar pair to turn this curry golden. A couple of slit chillies lend the much needed heat, which is balanced out with the natural sweetness of the carrots. And the final squeeze of lemon rounds it all up into one of the most simple and flavourful curries.

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Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp coconut oil

  • 2-3 kaffir lime leaves

  • 1/4 tsp cumin seeds

  • 1/2 tsp black peppercorns

  • 1/2 tsp coriander seeds

  • 2 large cloves garlic, roughly crushed

  • 2 inch knob of ginger, thinly sliced into matchsticks

  • 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

  • Salt to taste

  • 3/4 tsp turmeric powder

  • 2 medium green chillies, slit

  • 6-7 medium carrots, diced

  • 200ml coconut milk

  • 200ml water

  • 10-12 saffron threads soaked in 2 tbsp warm water

  • Juice of 1/2 lemon

Method of Preparation

  1. To a saucepan on medium heat, add the coconut oil. As it is heating, add the kaffir lime leaves + cumin seeds + black peppercorns + coriander seeds. Once they become fragrant, add the garlic + ginger. As the garlic turns golden, then add the onions. Sauté for ~2 minutes, then add salt to allow the onions to sweat. Allow them to cook for 12-15 minutes, till they soften and turn a pinkish golden. Add the turmeric powder + slit green chillies, and stir to mix well. After ~2 minutes, add the carrots + coconut milk + water + saffron with soaking water. Bring to boil, then simmer + cover and cook for 10 minutes. Remove the lid, increase the heat a little, and cook for another 10 minutes. Add the lemon juice, give the curry a good stir and turn off the heat.

  2. Serve hot, on the side of fluffy coconut rice!