Dinners/South Indian Vegetable Curry

Serves: 4

Active Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

From: Bon Appetit May 2008

Ingredients

1 large onion cut into 1 inch chunks, about 2 cups

3 large garlic cloves, peeled

1 2-inch long 1-inch diameter piece of peeled fresh ginger (about 2 ounces)

3 tablespoons sunflower oil

1 tbsp. garam masala

2 tsp. cumin

1/2 serrano chile seeded and chopped

2 tbsp. tomato paste

3 cups veggie broth

2 tsp. packed brown sugar

2 kaffir lime leaves (or 1 tbsp. fresh lime juice and 1/2 tsp. grated lime peel for each leaf)

2 whole green cardamom pods

1 pound red-skinned sweet potatoes (yams) peeled, cut into 1-inch cubes

12 ounces russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch cubes

1 1/4 cups grated peeled fresh coconut (about 4 ounces) grated in processor

2 large carrots peeled and cut into 1/2 inch rounds

2 tomatoes cored and chopped

1 tsp. salt.

1/4 tsp. black pepper

4 ounces baby spinach leaves (optional)

2 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

Step 1

Puree first 7 ingredients until paste forms. Cook in a large pot over medium heat until aromatic, stirring often, about ten minutes. Add tomato paste. Cook until mixture starts to darken and brown, stirring often, about 5 minutes.

Step 2

Add broth, brown sugar, lime leaves and cardamom. Simmer 10 minutes, stirring often and scraping browned bits. Can be made two days ahead. Cool cover an chill. Bring to simmer before continuing.

Step 3

Add sweet potatoes, russet potatoes, coconut, carrots, tomatoes, 1 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper to mixture in pot. Bring to boil and reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally, about 25 minutes. Add spinach and cook until wilted, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Discard lime leaves and cardamom. Transfer curry to bowl, garnish with cilantro and serve.