Nepalese Veg Curry

For this recipe, you’ll need a larger pan with a lid. It’s a very easy recipe. This recipe serves 4-6 people.

First, you’ll need to toast the spices:

• ¼ tsp fenugreek or 8 dried curry leaves (optional)

• 1 tsp cumin seeds or ground cumin

• 1½ tsp coriander seeds or ground coriander

• ½ tsp mustard seeds (optional)

• 2 cloves or ¼ tsp ground cloves

• 1 cinnamon (small) stick or ¼ tsp ground cinnamon

• 4 cardamom pods, you can remove the shells and use just the seeds and crush them (crush them with a large knife like you would crush garlic)

Preast the spices for a few minutes on low to medium heat, but be careful not to burn them. Then add…

• 1 tsp oil (mustard oil is preferable) (optional)

• 1 onion finely chopped

• 3 cloves garlic finely chopped

• 15g (2cm) ginger finely chopped

Turn up the heat and add oil, onion, garlic and ginger and fry them until slightly browned. Then add:

• 6 tomatoes chopped or 1 tin of tomatoes

• 2 tbsp tamari or soy sauce or ½ tsp salt

• ½ tsp sugar

• 150ml water

Turn down the heat and simmer for around 10 minutes to get the flavour out of the spices.

For the next part, you can use any vegetables - just consider how long each one takes to cook. For instance, carrots take longer than cauliflower, and courgettes (zucchini) can’t overcook. For an amazing colour, add beetroot!!

Pick 3-4 of these options:

• 1 potato cubed (boil in water before adding)

• 1 carrot diced (takes ~20 mins)

• 80g beetroot cubed (takes ~20 mins)

• Butternut squash or pumpkin cubed (takes ~20 mins)

• 1 courgette (zucchini) halved lengthways and diced (takes ~15 mins)

• ½ broccoli split into small florets and dice the stalks (like you would carrots) (takes ~12 mins)

• ¼ cauliflower or cauliflower leaves split into small florets and chop up the leaves into bite-size pcs (takes ~12 mins)

  N.B. Cauliflower leaves and broccoli stems are perfectly edible, they are just a little more bitter. They work very nicely in curries.

• Shallots quarter (takes ~10 mins)

• Capsicum/long pepper chopper (takes ~8 mins)

• Green beans halved (takes ~8 mins)

• Asparagus chopped into 1” / 2.5cm pcs (takes ~1 min)

• Spinach (diced) or baby spinach (whole) (takes ~1 min)

Put the lid on the pan and simmer each veg for the appropriate time. Stir every couple of minutes - if the sauce gets too dry, add a bit more water. If it’s too runny, keep the lid off!!

To serve, choose:

• White rice

• Flatbread naan, roti or paratha

• Cauliflower rice (for a meal under 150 kcal)