January – Winter Coconut Curry – spades, spatulas & spoons

This simple curry dish is perfect for cold winter evenings, and quick enough for a mid-week dinner. Add chickpeas for a vegetarian version and leave out the chicken. I used leftover roast turkey breast and it was delicious.

Winter Vegetable Coconut Curry

Winter Vegetable Coconut Curry

Serves 3 – 4

Ingredients

2 tsp. coconut oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. peeled and grated fresh ginger
2 – 3 tsp. Thai red curry paste (depending on how how you like your curry)
1 tablespoon tamari
1 sweet potato, about 1/2 lb. (250 g), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch (12-mm) chunks
1 celery root, about 1/2 lb. (250 g), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch (12-mm) chunks
1 can unsweetened coconut milk – do not use lite coconut milk
1 delicata squash (or other winter squash), about 1/2 lb. (250 g), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch (12-mm) chunks
1 chicken breast, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2 limes
2 Tbs. finely chopped fresh cilantro
2 chopped scallions, optional

Directions

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, warm the oil. Add the garlic and ginger and sauté until fragrant but not browned, about 1 minute. Add the curry paste and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the tamari, sweet potato and celery root and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to medium-low, pour in the coconut milk and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Add the delicata squash plus the cubed chicken breast and cook until the vegetables are just tender but not falling apart, another 10 to 15 minutes. If using leftover turkey, add at the last minute just to warm through.

2. Meanwhile, finely grate the zest from the limes, then cut each lime into wedges. Stir the lime zest into the vegetables.

3. Serve the vegetables immediately, sprinkled with the cilantro and scallions, topped with the lime wedges.

Serve with brown rice, brown rice noodles or just by itself…delicious, easy and satisfying.

This can be a phase 3 dinner.

Garlic, ginger, sweet potato (or yam), celery root, delicata squash

Are you familiar with celery root, sometimes called celeriac? It has a mild celery taste and is often pureed and mixed with mashed potatoes for a wonderful side dish in French cooking.