John Gregory-Smith’s easy vegetable curry recipe is quick to prepare, but still packs flavour. In fact, this magnificent curry can be made well in advance. Simply make the sauce and cook it without adding any of the vegetables. Cook the vegetables, then refresh them under cold water. When you want to eat, reheat the sauce and add the vegetables. Cook until the veg have warmed through, then serve.
Quick and Easy Gujarati Vegetable Curry with Chickpea Rice
Serves: 4
Preparation time: 35 minutes
250g/9oz/1¼ cups basmati rice
400g/14oz/scant 2 cups tinned chickpeas
1 onion
2 tbsp groundnut oil
2.5cm/1in piece fresh root ginger
6 garlic cloves
4 tomatoes
85g/3oz/heaped ½ cup cashew nuts
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp garam masala
½ tsp chilli powder
½ tsp turmeric
400g/14oz new potatoes
3 carrots
1 small cauliflower
200g/7oz green beans
1 handful of coriander leaves
sea salt
1. Cook the rice in boiling water for 10–12 minutes until soft, or as directed on the packet. Drain and rinse the chickpeas in a colander. In the same colander, drain the rice then tip the rice and chickpeas back into the pan. Cover the pan with a clean tea towel and then the lid. Leave to one side so that the rice can fluff up ready to eat.
2. Meanwhile, peel and finely chop the onion. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat and add the onion. Cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden.
3. Peel the ginger and garlic, then place both into a blender or food processor with the tomatoes, 55g/2oz/heaped ⅓ cup of the cashew nuts, the ground coriander, cumin, garam masala, chilli powder, turmeric and a good pinch of salt. Blend until smooth. Pour this mixture over the cooked onion, mix well and bring to the boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Cut the potatoes into quarters while the sauce cooks. Cook them in a saucepan of boiling water for 8 minutes. Peel the carrots, then cut them, with the cauliflower, into small pieces. Cut the beans in half. Add the vegetables to the potatoes and cook for 5–6 minutes until tender, then drain. Roughly chop the coriander. Mix the vegetables into the sauce. Serve the curry and rice, sprinkled with coriander and cashew nuts.
In his latest book Mighty Spice Express ‘Spice master’ John Gregory-Smith shows how exciting food – inspired by street stalls all over the world – can be prepared with lightning speed. With inspiration from Asia, South America, North Africa and the Middle East, John has done the thinking for you and created recipes that are full of brilliant time-saving techniques and shortcuts.
“Fast, fresh and full-on flavours from street foods to the spectacular”
Mighty Spice Express by John Gregory-Smith
224 pages • Illustrated • £20.00
AUS $32.99 NZ $42.00
