VEGETABLE VINDALOO

ANOTHER BEST EVER CURRY 

VEGETARIAN COOKING

This is a slight twist on the best ever vindaloo recipe and it is even more lip smackingly gorgeous, in fact my family feels it is even better being meat free, it is one of those sustainable taking less from dinners, as meat free wannabes.

Prep Time 20 minutes / Cooking Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

(serves 2 as main or 6 as side dish)

The Vegetables

1 onion finely diced

2 cloves garlic finely chopped

3 large tomatoes chopped

3 fresh green chillies sliced length ways

1/2 butternut squash diced

1 potato pink fir peeled and diced

1 sweet potato peeled and diced

1 cup of peas

The Vindaloo Marinade

1 tsp black peppercorns

2 cloves

1 tsp cumin seeds

seeds from 12 cardamoms

2 inch piece of cinnamon stick

1 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp sugar

2 tbsp kashmiri chilli powder

1/2 tsp turmeric

5 tbsp white wine vinegar

2 tbsp tamarind liquid

2 tbsp grated ginger

4 cloves garlic chopped

1 onion roughly chopped

First make the marinade, in a coffee grinder or pestle and mortar grind the peppercorns, cloves, cumin and cardamom to a powder and place in a bowl along with the salt, pepper, sugar, chilli, turmeric, tamarind and vinegar.  In a food processor blitz the onion, ginger and garlic and add to the bowl, mix to form a paste, throw in the potatoes, squash, peas, fresh chillies and tomatoes, leave to marinate for half an hour to 24 hours, the longer the better.

To Cook The Vindaloo

Heat a large pan over a medium heat and add the ghee then the diced onion, garlic and ginger, cook for around ten minutes without colouring the onions, add the marinated vegetable mix along with all the paste and 300ml of water, turn the heat down low and pop on a lid.  You may have to add a little more water as the vegetables cook to stop them sticking until you have fork tender vegetables and a thick sauce made from the marinade paste and tomatoes, check the seasoning and adjust if needed, then enjoy with some flat breads, cool sour yogurt and mint dip and a onion and carrot mint salad.

Quick Chapatis Breads

500g gram flour

water

Place the gram flour in a bowl and add the water until you form a medium stiff dough, wrap in paper and leave to rest in the fridge for half an hour.  Cut the dough in to large golf ball sizes and roll out into 6 inch flat breads.  

To Cook

Heat a cast iron skillet or non stick frying pan to a high high heat, once up to temperature add a flat bread and cook for around 45 secs to 1 minute on each side, wrap in a tea towel to keep warm until needed, these will store well for a day or too in a air tight container.  To freshen up run the day old flat bread under running water and pop in the oven for 5 minutes this brings them back to new.

Carrot and Onion Mint Salad

1 carrot grated

1 onion finely sliced

10 leaves fresh mint sliced

1/4 lemon juiced

Combine all the ingredients.

Yogurt and Mint Dip

1 cup fresh sharp yogurt

1/2 tsp lemon juice

10 mint leaves finely sliced

Combine all the ingredients.

Enjoy this delicious carnival of food and as a bonus any leftover potato could be crushed and pan fried crispy and served for breakfast with a soft poached egg and watercress and avocado salad.