Piggy's Delight

Vegan🌱Addictive Veggie Coconut Curry🍛

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Vegan🌱Addictive Coconut Curry🍛】

Vegan Veggie Coconut Curry

Vegan Veggie Coconut Curry by piggyinkitchen

This is my favorite vegan dish that I do want you to try!
This recipe is:

  • Vegan
  • Gluten free
  • Nut free
  • Sugar free
  • Non-MSG

It's very healthy since it's made of all natural ingredients that you can buy at any grocery stores, and most importantly, it is mouth-melting! You can also customize with your preferable vegetables if you desire :) Methods are easier than you'd expect, with simple steps.

Before making this recipe, I've experimetned with different kinds of plant-based milk, such as oat mill (it was a bad idea haha), cashew milk and coconut milk. As a result, the best plant-based milk that goes well with curry was coconut milk as you can imagine. How are they different then? Well, oat milk does make your curry slimy which you don't want in your curry for sure, whereas cashew milk seems to work fine. It makes curry mild and gives no taste to it, just like when you add your cow's milk into your curry. Overall, if you don't like coconut milk or it's not your staple food, then go for cashew milk! Curry with cashew milk is also great :) It's just your preference to choose the type of plant-based milk. Personally, I love coconut flavour and milky texture, coconut curry is the best one among curries that I've cooked so far!

COCONUT MILK
When you walk in to a grocery store, you find that there're so many selections of coconut milk and they look similar. but you should be careful which one you buy for your health and the environment. I even remember myself intimidated when I first ever bought coconut milk a long time ago because I didn't know which brand was best to buy. If you feel the same way as I used to, you don't have to worry about it!
Here is only a few tips for you to consider:

1. No Guar Gum 
Always look at the label.
There're reasons why some coconut milk are cheeper than the others.
Here is one of the reasons:
Usually cheepr ones contain guar gum which is a food additive to thicken food. So the thickness or milkiness of coconut milk is not a real one since guar gum makes it thicker. You'll also find guar gum in almond milk, soups and yogurts. Despite some health benefits, high dose of guar gum have negative effects on your digestive system, such as gas, bloating, irritation and constipation. Especially people with soy allergy should be very careful with guar gum, otherwise they might experience allergic reactions since guar gum comes from guar beans. To be safe, choose the one without guar gum. 

2. Organic or non organic?
Choose certified organic coocnut milk when available. But other than that, I would say it's not necessary to buy organic all the time because coconut flesh is protected by its hard shell and it's not likely for the high amount of pestisides to come through the shell. That being said, I still recommend choosing organic one to help the environment to be cleaner and less polluted by synthetic pestisides.

3. Fairtrade 
Fairtraide certifications was created to support small businesses and farmers working hard in mostly developing countries. Even some kids are required to work like adults, not being able to go to school. Supports they obtain vary from the expansion of their land, improvement/stabilities of thier income, to transition to organic practice. Thus, buying fairtrade products means that you're contributing for small farmers and workers to have the stabilities of income and the better environment in which they live and work. You can't see how hard they are doing work for us to have certain products, such as coffee, coconut, bananas, and teas, but there is a way for us to support their business and lives by paying for products with Fairtrade logo. Show your appreciation to the small farmers and workers :)

Coconut milk that ticks in all the check-boxes above is from Cha's Organics!
This is the best one that I've used so far. It's organic, guar gum free and fairtrade. The other thing that I like about this product is the texture. It's soft and creamy. Not only do I use this coconut milk for making curry, but also I use it for making homemade coconut yogurt! If you can't decide which to buy, try Cha's Organics first to see if you like it or not, then try another to compare.

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Soak your potatoes for at least 2 hours to remove bitterness.

Curry Spices

Curry Spices by piggyinkitchen

Before you get to start making curry, blend curry spices together in a small bowl. 
My curry blend has 7 spices: cardamom, cinnamon, cumin, clove, bay leaf, black pepper and curry powder. For making curry from scratch, I think choosing right curry powder is the most important. Some are less spicy than others, and some are flavorful and others are bland. Although I tried several brands for curry powder, NATURE'S CHOICE FOODS is best after all! It is a family-owned company located in Maple Ridge, British Columbia, Canada. I love to buy local food whenever it's possible! Not only do I prefer buying from local businesses, but also thier curry powder is really amazing! I love the taste, I love the spiciness, and I love the flavor!
If you have fresh spices, that would be best to use. The amount of curry powder varies depending on brand. So try using different brands to see which one works for you the best :) 

Keep your eyes on spices not to burn. Keep stiring.

Approximately 15 minutes later, add in vegetables and mushrooms.

Stir fry until it moistures a bit, like the picture above.

Add in 2 cans of coconut milk. Coconut milk may be separated in 2 forms: coocnut cream and coconut water when you open. Use it all.

Mmmmm almost done! Simmer for about 30 minutes until thickened.

Vegan Veggie Coconut Curry

Vegan Veggie Coconut Curry by piggyinkitchen

Vegan Meal

Vegan Meal by piggyinkitchen

Alright,
Now it's time for the recipe card!
Enjoy cooking your coconut curry :)

Vegan Addictive Veggie Coconut Curry
INGREDIENTS (8SV)
2 onions, diced
3 small carrots, diced
3 mushrooms, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
5 potatoes, soaked, diced
1 cup chickpeas, soaked
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon ginger, minced
1 tablespoon coconut oil
3-4 tablespoons ground cumin
2-3 tablespoons curry powder
3 tablespoons ground cardamom
1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
1 teaspoon clove powder
2 bay leaves, ground
1/2 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon Himalayan pink salt
800ml full fat coconut milk
Asparagus, cut in 2 inch's long
Broccoli heads
INSTRUCTIONS
  1. Boil chickpeas and potatoes separately until soft. After cooked, drain and set aside for later use.
  2. Mix all spices, cardaomom, cumin, balack pepper, curry powder, clove, cinnamon and bay leaf in a small bowl.
  3. Heat coconut oil in a large pot, and add in onion.
  4. Stir fry onion over medium heat until translucent. Add in spices, garlic, ginger and Himalayan pink salt.
  5. Turn heat to low-medium, keep stiring not to burn spices for about 5 minutes
  6. Add in red bell pepper, carrots and mushrooms, and stir fry until it becomes moist as vegetables release water from inside. (see photo)
  7. Pour coocnut milk into the pot, turn heat to medium to simmer for 15 minutes.
  8. Toss potatoes and chickpeas, and simmer for about 30 minutes until thickened.
  9. Adjust the taste to your liking.
  10. While simmering curry, cook your asparagus in a frying pan until soft and boil broccoli if desired.
  11. Plate steamed brown rice on a plate, then put curry next to it and garnish with asparagus and broccoli.
  12. Enjoy!

NOTES
◎Mix all spices in advance.
◎Use full fat coocnut milk

I hope you love this cocout curry!
Let me know what you think by leaving a comment or directly contacting me anytime!

Thank you,

-piggyinkitchen-