More often than not, I go to the farmers market without a plan. I walk past every table, seeing what’s available and taking note. In a way, I let the items speak to me, coming home with those that have the loudest voice. As I start to purchase beautiful vegetables, fruits, and herbs, a plan will start to come together in my head. Sometimes it’s a well articulated one, other times it’s a general idea. One Saturday in particular as I walked around the market taking part in my usual routine, the thought of a turmeric curry popped into my head. It seemed odd at first seeing as it was probably 90 degrees out at the time and I was drenched in sweat at 9 in the morning, but I decided to go with it. To follow my gut. I returned home with a bag full of pale green Asian eggplant, tangled green and purple long beans, and a voluminous bunch of both sweet potato greens and basil. These beautiful, local goods were destined to be cooked in a turmeric spiced broth laden with fresh basil.
I held off on sharing this one at first as it wasn’t very fitting for the weather we were having. Hot and steamy weather doesn’t really pair well with hot and steamy curry. As I woke up this morning in my bed, my room darker than usual and the rumbling sounds of thunder off in the distance, I knew today would be perfect. Too bad there aren’t any leftovers to enjoy while the rain starts to beat out a familiar pattern on the leaves outside my window.
This curry is adaptable to whatever vegetables you have available in your area. Houston has a rather different growing season than most others so I urge you to use what you have and what you like. If you aren’t really feeling curry in the summer, come back to this recipe in the fall or winter and use the vegetables that are available to you in those seasons. Like I said, it’s completely adaptable to what you have. The only thing to keep in mind is that firmer vegetables (like roots) will need to cook a bit longer in the broth than less firm vegetables and leafy greens. I really wanted to use some lemongrass in the version I made but they had just sold out at the market by the time I got to the table. Perhaps I’ll use it next time. If you make your own version of the curry, share what veggies you used in the comments below 🙂
Adaptable Turmeric Curry
2 shallots, minced
2 tbsp coconut oil
5 garlic cloves, grated or finely minced
2-inch piece of ginger, grated or finely minced
1/2 tsp cardamom
pinch of red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp ground turmeric
1 cup/8 oz vegetable broth
1 can coconut milk
water as needed
sea salt as needed
veg: 2 small sliced Asian eggplant, 1 bunch of sliced long beans, & 1 bunch of sweet potato greens
large handful of fresh basil or cilantro
Zest and juice of 1 lime
to serve: rice or other grain, basil, cilantro, lime
Heat the coconut oil in a pot over medium-low heat. Once the oil is melted and the pot is hot, add the shallots and a pinch of salt. Cook 7-10 minutes until they are soft and the edges are starting to caramelize. Add in the garlic, ginger, cardamom, red pepper flakes, cinnamon, turmeric, and a splash of water. Cook this mixture for 5-7 minutes until a paste starts to form and it becomes very fragrant. Add in the vegetable stock and coconut milk and bring the heat up to medium. Bring the curry broth to a simmer, then add in any veggies except for greens and another pinch of salt. Cook the veggies in the curry for 5 or so minutes until they are just tender, then add the greens and cover the pot to help them wilt into the curry. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes then remove the curry from the heat. Stir in the basil and the zest and juice of 1 lime. Taste and add more salt if necessary. Serve with rice or your favorite cooked grain. Makes 4-6 servings.
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