Categories
Garlic Ginger Jalapeno peppers Kale Olive Oil Onions Squash

Simple Summer Vegetable Curry

Words and photos by Amanda Callahan of Callywood Farms

This is a super simple vegetable curry that is endlessly adaptable. If lima beans or field peas aren’t available, you can substitute canned beans (chickpeas would be great). Note that if you go with canned beans, you will need to reduce the stock to ½ cup and cook the beans with the summer squash. By taking this approach you can reduce the cooking time tremendously, and have dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes.

You can also treat this recipe as a “clean your refrigerator out” kind of dish. Just pay attention to different vegetable cooking times, and adjust as needed (for example, start onions or carrots earlier and finish with squash and softer green beans). 

Ingredients

  • Cooking fat of choice – oil or butter
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 jalapeño, minced
  • 1-inch chunk of ginger, peeled and grated
  • 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
  • Salt (about 2 teaspoons for the whole dish) & pepper
  • 2 tablespoons curry powder, divided
  • 1 pound lima beans, rinsed and any debris removed
  • 1 cup stock
  • 5 small summer squash/zucchini, sliced (halved if thick)
  • 1 can coconut milk
  • 1 bunch of kale, Swiss chard or spinach, finely sliced
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • 1 lime, juiced

Instructions

  1. In a large sauté pan with a lid, heat oil/butter over medium heat and add onion. Sauté the onion, ginger, and jalapeño until well done and browned in spots — about 8 minutes.
  2. Add the garlic, season with salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon of curry powder. Stir to combine everything. 
  3. Add lima beans and stock. Cover pan and let cook for about 25 minutes until lima beans are very al dente or not quite done cooking. 
  4. Add the squash and coconut milk to the lima beans and combine everything. Continue cooking uncovered for another 10 minutes. At this point, the lima beans should be done and the squash just starting to cook through. Add the remaining curry powder, adjust to taste with salt and pepper. Add the greens and stir to combine. 
  5. When everything is done cooking, turn off the heat and add the garam masala and lime juice. Stir and taste one last time for additional seasonings. 
  6. Serve with rice. And thinly sliced cucumbers (I didn’t have any for these photos, but they make a marvelous garnish!).
Categories
Carrots Garlic Ginger Onions Pumpkin Sausage Squash Sweet Potatoes

Thai Pumpkin Coconut Soup

Recipe and Photos by Blueridge Brinery

This is a rich and flavorful way to incorporate an abundance of nutritious foods, many of which can be sourced through CAFE. It features silky coconut milk, tender root vegetables, seasonal pumpkin and more in a hearty curry-spiked broth. Local sausage and creamy lentils add depth and protein, but you can omit the meat for an equally tasty vegetarian spin. 

Ingredients
2 pounds squash or pumpkin, peeled, seeded and diced
1 pound pork sausage
2 to 3 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes
2 to 3 carrots, peeled and diced
1 cup dried Lentils, rinsed (substitute split peas if desired)
1 large or 2-3 small/medium onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced or grated
2-inch ginger, freshly grated
1-inch turmeric, freshly grated
Crushed red pepper to taste
A few tablespoons of Thai curry powder or paste to taste

Boil 8 cups water, add pumpkin (or squash) and simmer until very soft, about one hour. Add the sweet potatoes, carrots, lentils, onion, garlic, ginger, turmeric and crushed red pepper. Simmer until lentils and sweet potatoes are soft, about 30 to 40 minutes.

Add curry powder or curry paste to taste, and chopped greens or green onions and sweet peppers if desired. Simmer to allow flavors to mingle. Use this time to brown and crumble the sausage.

After all vegetables are tender, add one can coconut milk to the soup. If you like it a little sweet, you can add some sugar or honey to taste. Finally, add in the browned sausage.

Serve garnished with kimchi.

Categories
Garlic Ginger Olive Oil Recipes

Ellen’s Asian Turmeric Salad Dressing

Mix together:
1/3 C rice vinegar
¼ C Tamari soy sauce or 1/8 C liquid amino (Bragg, Earthfare, etc.)
¼ tsp. ground ginger or ½ tsp. freshly grated ginger
½ tsp. turmeric
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
1-2 cloves of garlic, pressed or finely minced
2 tsp. Agave nectar or stevia to taste
Slowly whisk or blend in:
1/3 cup olive oil and ¼ cup sesame oil OR ½ C olive oil.