Vegetable Curry
“So, you are walking down a dark hall and enter a dimly lit room. Over in the corner, you hear a noise. You turn and see a shadowy, menacing figure moving towards you. Could it be an Orc, a Hobgoblin, a Troglodyte, or perhaps a Werebear? What do you do?” Generally, I would draw my +2 Sword, prepare for battle, and hope for the best. Yes, I played Dungeons & Dragons as a kid. Somewhere around 5th or 6th grade, I killed my first giant crab and was hooked.
“But what does this have to do with delicious vegan recipes, Bob?” Nothing actually, except the other night I had D&D flashback around dinner time. I was walking down my hall and entered my dimly lit kitchen (the energy saving bulbs take a minute to fully illuminate). I heard a strange noise in the corner and saw figures moving towards me. Except this time it wasn’t monsters, it was far more sinister. Hungry children with rumbling stomachs wanting to eat were closing in on me. What should I do? My +2 Sword was in the shop being sharpened. I was out of potions and magic scrolls. I was defenseless.
But, I did what any good Half-Elf Thief would have done. I grabbed my chef’s knife and began chopping vegetables. I grabbed a can of coconut milk out of the pantry. I poured some vegetable broth in a skillet and started cooking my version of VEGETABLE CURRY. This recipe is quick, easy and delicious, requiring very little dexterity, wisdom, or constitution. Which is a great thing, mind you, when you are left without weapons and armor in the face of hungry combatants. So good in fact, even a Troglodyte would eat it.
Oil Free / Soy Free / Gluten Free Ingredients Instructions First, I like to blanch my kale in order to make it tender. So, fill a large stockpot with water and bring it to a boil. Add your kale and cook for 3 minutes. Then drain the kale and rinse with cold water. Squeeze all the excess moisture from the leaves and roughly chop the kale. Set it aside as you will add it to the curry at the end.
While the water boils, chop your vegetables. In a large skillet or saucepan over medium heat, add one cup of the vegetable broth and sauté the onions and garlic until tender (about 3 minutes). Now add in the carrots, potatoes, and garbanzo beans along with two more cups of the vegetable broth. Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer the veggies until the carrots and potatoes are tender and most of the liquid has evaporated (about 10 minutes).
Next add in the turmeric, ginger, curry, coriander, remaining broth, and the peas. Let this simmer for another 5 minutes or until the peas get tender. Finally, add in the kale, coconut milk, and Garam Masala. Stir to combine and cook for another 2-3 minutes to let the kale get warm.
A Pesky Hobgoblin
Serve with brown rice or quinoa along with a drizzle of Sriracha hot sauce. Dinner is ready, and you still have enough time to fight off those pesky Hobgoblins. Just make sure your weapons are sharp, your armor is strong, and your aim is true. Who knows what treasures you will find after your triumphant battle…a new bag of holding or gloves of dexterity perhaps?? Longer Letter Later.
Love, Bob aka The Grassfed Carnivore
**Dedicated to my friend and Dungeon Master – Jimmy P.
I was a halfling thief too.
Made your “repurposed lentil” recipe last night and we really liked it a lot. It was perfect for meatless Ash Wednesday.
PS: How is Uncle Leon?