https://detoxinista.com/easy-coconut-curry/Vegan Coconut Curry Recipe
you want the coconut curry? the vegan one? okay, erm. where I start, okay first, wait let me lower this fire, okay
so.. you know the first time i made this thing, ehn, i nearly, okay let me not even go there. so, what you need, first, coconut milk. but not the light one, i said NOT the light one, if you buy light coconut milk you are just drinking water with coconut name, buy the full fat, kara or golden sun, if you see any brand just check the back, make sure it says “full fat” or “coconut cream” sometimes, that one is also good.
erm, next, onion, red onion, chop it, not too fine, you know when you chop onion too fine and it disappears inside the sauce? don’t do that, make it small small but you can still see it, like, half of your pinky nail, something like that.
garlic, three, or four, I don’t count, just break with your knife, crush, chop roughly, ginger, cut about, wait let me show you, (you cant see but) about the size of my thumb, from the first line to the tip, that size, grate it, don’t peel, the skin, i never peel, my mother never peeled, so I never peel, is fine.
okay, put your pot on fire, medium, not high, if you put high your oil will smoke, you know that smell? like burning plastic, then your whole kitchen will smell like, anyway, add coconut oil, one spoon, if you don’t have coconut oil use groundnut oil, i have used groundnut oil, nothing happened, the taste just, less coconut, but still good.
when oil is hot, add onion, stir, wait until it becomes soft and golden, not brown, golden, like, the colour of, i don’t know, honey? not the dark honey, the light one, anyway, if it turns brown your fire is too high, reduce, if it turns black you were sleeping, throw it away, start again, i am serious, burnt onion is bitter, you will taste it, your whole curry will taste like burnt, i have done it, i tried to cover it with sugar, it didn’t work, so just start again.
add garlic and ginger, stir for one minute, you will smell it, if you don’t smell anything your ginger is old, go and buy fresh ginger, i am not joking, old ginger is useless, it tastes like, like nothing, like dust, throw it away.
now spices, curry powder, one tablespoon, but first, taste your curry powder, i said TASTE it, some curry powder is strong, some is weak, if it is weak add one and a half, if it is strong add half, you understand?
turmeric, one teaspoon, this one is for colour, if you don’t have it, skip, your curry will look like, like beige, but taste fine.
cumin, one teaspoon, if you don’t have, skip, i have skipped many times, nobody said “tayo where is the cumin?” nobody.
chilli, half teaspoon, or one fresh pepper, if you use fresh pepper remove the seeds, unless you want to suffer, i used two peppers with seeds one time, my mouth was burning for two hours, i drank yoghurt straight from the container, not vegan but i am not vegan, i just cook vegan for money, so, yeah, remove the seeds.
now put all the spices inside the pot, stir, let them toast for, i don’t know, twenty seconds? thirty seconds? until you smell them very strong, and the oil changes colour, that’s when you stop, if you burn them, start over, burnt spices cannot be fixed, i have tried everything, sugar, honey, coconut milk, even adding potato, nothing works, so watch it carefully, don’t be on your phone during this step, i am serious.
okay, now pour your coconut milk, but wait, i forgot, your coconut milk should be room temperature, NOT COLD FROM FRIDGE, if you pour cold coconut milk into a hot pot it will separate, you will see white flakes. that is the split, if that happens, turn off the heat, add two tablespoons of hot water, whisk very hard, like you are beating eggs, it will not be perfect but it will be okay.. i have done this, i served it and told people it’s “rustic style”, they didn’t complain.
also add one cup of vegetable stock, or one cup of water with half maggi cube, knorr or maggi, i use knorr because my mother used knorr, but maggi is fine.
stir everything, now look at your fire, if the bubbles are big and angry, reduce the heat, you want small bubbles, gentle bubbles, like the pot is sleeping and breathing, not like the pot is shouting, if the bubbles are big the coconut milk will split again.
now add your vegetables, cauliflower, cut into small trees, not big trees, big trees take forever to cook and the inside will be hard while the outside is soft, so small trees.
carrots, cut into small cubes, not too small or they will disappear, not too big or they will still be crunchy when everything else is soft, so medium small.
chickpeas, one cup, if you use canned, RINSE THEM, i said RINSE, the water in the can tastes like metal, i forgot one time, my curry tasted like a spoon, i was so angry.
stir, if the sauce is too thick add a little water, half cup, if it is too watery don’t worry, it will reduce as it cooks.
cover the pot, cook for ten minutes on medium-low, set a timer, after five minutes, lift the lid, stir, check the bottom, if something is sticking scrape it gently, that stuck bit has flavour, but if it’s black, don’t scrape it, leave it, black is burnt.
after ten minutes, add your bell peppers, any colour, red, green, yellow, orange, use the ones that are about to spoil first, we don’t waste food in my kitchen.
also add any extras you want, spinach, throw it in, it will wilt in one minute, frozen peas, two minutes, tofu, but you MUST fry the tofu first in a separate pan, do not add raw tofu, raw tofu tastes like wet chalk, i made this mistake once, never again.
also add soy sauce, one tablespoon, this is my secret, don’t tell anyone, it adds depth, people will say “tayo what is that flavour?” i just smile.
also add peanut butter if you want, one tablespoon, mix it with two tablespoons of hot water first, if you just scoop it in it will form lumps, and you will be chasing lumps with your spoon for ten minutes, i have done this, it is not fun.
also add a tiny bit of maple syrup or sugar, half a teaspoon, just to balance, coconut milk can be, how do i say, too rich? the sugar balances it.
stir, cover, cook for another seven minutes.
now test a piece of carrot with a knife, if the knife goes in with a little resistance, it’s done, if the knife goes in like butter, you overcooked it, it’s fine, just call it “soft style”, if the knife cannot go in, cook for five more minutes.
now turn off the fire.
add salt, start with half a teaspoon, taste, add more if needed, i usually end up with one full teaspoon, but taste first.
add black pepper, a pinch.
add lime juice, one tablespoon, but IMPORTANT, add the lime juice AFTER the fire is off, if you add it while the fire is still on, the heat will destroy the freshness and make it bitter, i learned this from ruining three pots, three, so fire off first.
add cilantro, a handful, chopped, if you hate cilantro use parsley, if you hate parsley also use nothing, the world will not end.
stir, taste again, does it need more salt? more lime? more chilli? fix it now.
now serve, with rice, any rice, basmati, jasmine, plain white rice, sometimes i eat it with bread, sometimes i just drink it from a mug while standing in front of the fridge at midnight, no judgement.
storage, let it cool completely, if you put hot curry in the fridge you will warm up everything else and your vegetables will turn to paste, i have done this, it is ugly.
use plastic container, not metal, metal makes the curry taste like coins, i don’t know the science, i just know it’s true.
fridge, four days, freezer, put in ziploc bags, flatten them, they stack like books, lasts two months.
reheating, stove, low heat, stir often, add a splash of water if it looks too thick, do NOT microwave, the microwave heats unevenly, one spot boiling, one spot cold, the boiling spot will split the coconut milk, i have tested this, every time, so stove only.
okay, i think that’s it, i am tired, my hand is paining me from holding the phone, go and cook, if you mess up, eat it anyway, then try again, i spoiled five cans before i got it right, five, so don’t worry.
cheers biko, send me picture when you finish.
