Three Delicious Curries

Three Delicious Curries

I definitely thought curry was out of my cooking league until a few years ago when I came home and thought I had been miraculously transported to Pho Grand; my roommate was cooking Creamy Chickpea Curry, so naturally I begged her for the recipe.  A very simple first curry recipe to try- it will get you hooked and has an easy ingredient list to keep on hand for fast, last minute meals. 

For fans of the crockpot chicken survival guide, you will love this crockpot curry- it is a larger quantity but freezes well for easy make ahead meals. 

The curried butternut squash is an interesting twist, and thickens up to a stew.  It has a longer cooking time, and may require a bit more time and effort to prepare on the first attempt.

A few notes on ingredients:

When buying curry powder, don’t skimp.  Go for a nicer brand like Culinaria or Spice Island- cheaper brands may taste bland.

Freeze extra ginger: my in-laws taught this trick for recipes calling for fresh ginger, an ingredient I find to be a bit of an annoyance: buy a slightly larger root of ginger than you need and mince or grate the whole thing.  Whatever you don’t use will freeze well in a ziplock bag- just pull it out when you need it in the future!

Creamy Chickpea Curry

2 Tablespoons oil

1 onion, chopped

3 large garlic cloves, minced

1 Tablespoon red or yellow curry paste

1 can chickpeas, drained

1 can coconut milk

2 Tablespoons soy sauce

1 medium tomato, chopped

1 Tablespoon brown sugar

1 Tablespoon fresh lime sauce

¼ cup fresh chopped basil or 2 Tablespoons cilantro

Rice for serving

Heat oil over medium high heat; add onions and cook until brown.  Mix in garlic and curry, about 1 minute.  Add chickpeas, coconut milk and soy sauce.  Bring to a boil, then simmer and cook 3-5 minutes.  Add tomatoes, sugar and lime juice.  Simmer additional 1-2 minutes.  Stir in basil/cilantro.  Serve over rice.

Faster Recipe:  For a recipe that is practically shelf-ready, you can substitute the medium tomato for a can of chopped tomatoes.  Don’t both draining.

Alternative Chickpea Recipe:  This is a fantastic recipe that I have also made numerous times-it also features a great ingredient list for fast, last minute meals.  Serve with naan instead of rice: Chickpea Spinach Curry with Cucumber Yogurt Sauce

Crockpot Chicken Curry:

1 small can tomato paste

4 cloves garlic, chopped

2 Tablespoons curry powder

1 Tablespoon grated fresh ginger

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 medium onion chopped

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 5)

1 bag frozen vegetables (I used ½ bag of pineapple and ½ bag of bell peppers)

½ cup coconut milk (OR plain whole-milk Greek yogurt)

Rice for serving

1.  Whisk together tomato paste, garlic, curry powder, ginger, cumin, and ¾ cup water in the slow cooker.  Add the onion and stir to combine.  Place the chicken on top, and season with salt and pepper if desired. 

2.  Cover and cook on low for about 7 hours or high for about 4 hours.  Add the frozen vegetables on top, and cook for about 1 additional hour on low or half hour on high.

3.  Just before serving, add the yogurt/coconut milk and stir to combine.   The chicken will fall apart easily.  Serve with rice.   

Make-ahead tip: If the stoneware of your crockpot is removable (most newer versions are) you can do Step 1 the night before; then leave it covered in the fridge overnight, ready to pop into the heating base in the morning and cook all day while you’re at school.

Curried Butternut Squash

(from Mark Bittman’s How To Cook Everything, the Basics)

1 large butternut squash

2 Tablespoons butter

1 Tablespoon minced garlic

1 Tablespoon minced or grated ginger

1 Tablespoon curry powder

1 cup coconut milk (OR vegetable stock, water, cream, or half-and-half)

salt and freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves (garnish)

¼ cup chopped scallions (garnish)

1.  Cut both ends off the squash and cut it into 2 sections: the cylindrical top and the bulbous bottom.  Peel both sections, then cut the bottom in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds with a spoon.  Cut the flesh from both sections into 1-inch chunks (or cubes).

2.  Put the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  When it melts, add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring occasionally, until they soften and turn golden, 2-3 minutes.  Add the curry powder and stir until it becomes fragrant, about 1 minute. 

3.  Stir in the squash, coconut milk, and salt and pepper to taste.  Turn the heat to high, bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a gentle bubble.  Cover and cook, stirring once or twice, until the squash is tender- about 15-20minutes. 

4.  Remove the lid and raise the head to medium high.  Cook, shaking the pan occasionally and stirring the squash just a few times, until the liquid thickens a bit, no more than 5 minutes. 

5.  Garnish with cilantro and scallions.  Serve with rice.