Hairy Bikers Vegetable Curry Recipe

Hairy Bikers vegetable curry simmers sweet potato, aubergine, mushrooms, cauliflower and peas in a coconut, tomato and curry leaf sauce. And the version in their Great Curries book serves 4 at around 535 calories each by my sums, in about 70 minutes.

They reckon vegetable curries are “in no way second best”, since “much of south India is vegetarian so their veg curries are superb”. And instead of curry powder, the warmth comes from garam masala, turmeric, cumin seeds and 15 curry leaves, with 3 whole green chillies.

Browning the aubergine and mushrooms first matters most, in my view, because they only go back once the onions and spices are cooked. So they take on colour without stewing grey, while the onions soften gently on their own.

Hairy Bikers Vegetable Curry Recipe

Author: Alex Saidani Cooking Method:Simmering Cuisine:British Indian Courses:Dinner

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 20 minutesCook time: 50 minutesRest time: minutesTotal time:1 hour 10 minutesServings:4 servingsCalories:535 kcal Best Season:Summer

Description

A gently spiced onion base with curry leaves and garam masala carries sweet potato, cauliflower, aubergine, mushrooms and peas. Then stock, coconut milk and chopped tomatoes cook down to a thick sauce for spooning over rice.

Ingredients

For the vegetables

• 300g aubergine
• 200g small button mushrooms, wiped
• 500g sweet potatoes
• 300g small cauliflower florets (about ½ small cauliflower)
• 150g frozen peas

For the spiced base

• 6 tbsp ghee or sunflower oil
• 2 large onions, sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 25g fresh root ginger, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp garam masala
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 15 dry curry leaves
• 3 whole green chillies, split lengthways

For the sauce

• 300ml vegetable stock (made with 1 stock cube)
• 150ml coconut milk
• 400g can of chopped tomatoes
• 2 tsp caster sugar

To finish

• small bunch of fresh coriander, leaves chopped
• flaked sea salt and black pepper

Instructions

1. Brown the aubergine and mushrooms: Cut the aubergine into rough 2cm chunks and halve any large mushrooms. Then heat 3 tbsp of the ghee or oil in a large non-stick sauté pan and stir-fry them for 4 to 5 minutes. Once they’re lightly browned, tip them into a heatproof bowl and set aside.
2. Soften the onions: Add the rest of the ghee or oil, then fry the onions, garlic and ginger gently for 10 minutes until soft but not coloured. Meanwhile, peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into rough 2cm chunks.
3. Cook the spices: Stir in the garam masala, turmeric, cumin seeds and curry leaves, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring all the time. Then return the aubergine and mushrooms to the pan with the sweet potatoes and chillies, and cook for 3 minutes, stirring often.
4. Simmer: Stir in the stock, coconut milk, tomatoes and sugar, then cover and bring to a gentle simmer. Once it’s simmering, cook for 5 minutes, then add the cauliflower, pushing it under the liquid. And cook for 10 minutes more, stirring once or twice.
5. Add the peas: Add the peas and simmer uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring now and then, until the vegetables are just tender and the sauce thick.
6. Season and serve: Season with a little salt and pepper if it needs it, and fish out the chillies if you like, which is my own tip. Then tip the curry into a warmed serving dish and scatter with the coriander.

FAQs

How is it different from the vegetable curry on hairybikers.com?

The website version uses the same spices, but it adds 2 large diced carrots and cuts the coconut milk to 100ml. And it uses less of several things: 4 tbsp of ghee, 200g of aubergine and 100g of peas, against 6 tbsp, 300g and 150g here.

There, nothing is browned first, so the aubergine goes in raw with the sweet potatoes and the mushrooms join the cauliflower near the end. And the chillies stay whole there, so they’re easy to fish out.

Is there a low-cal or lentil version?

Yes, their vegetable curry with raita in Hairy Dieters Eat Well Every Day comes in at 247 calories a serving, against about 535 here. And by my sums the biggest saving is fat, since it uses 1 tbsp of olive oil instead of 6 of ghee. But it also swaps sweet potato and coconut milk for new potatoes, green beans, courgettes and tamarind, so it suits a diet.

For lentils, their lentil and vegetable curry in Great Curries simmers 200g of red lentils with squash, carrots and green beans, with no coconut milk. Or their vegan vegetable and lentil curry in Ultimate Comfort Food cooks red lentils with cauliflower and sweet potatoes in coconut oil. And for a soupier veg curry, they like to make their sambar in a big batch and freeze some.

Can I make it in a slow cooker?

I haven’t found a slow cooker version from them, so this is general slow cooker practice rather than their method. But I’d still do steps 1 to 3 on the hob, then tip everything except the peas and coriander into the slow cooker.

Most slow cooker vegetable curries cook on low for about 5 to 6 hours, until the sweet potato is tender. But nothing evaporates, so I’d use half the stock and add the cauliflower for the last hour, which is my own call. Then stir in the peas for the final few minutes.

What should I serve with it?

It serves 4 as a main, with basmati rice as my own suggestion, or 6 to 8 as a side in an Indian spread. So from Great Curries, their keema curry with potatoes would sit well beside it, or their lamb saag curry from Meat Feasts.

And for vegans, use sunflower oil rather than ghee, which the recipe allows, and a vegan stock cube, which is my own tip.

Can I make it ahead or freeze it?

Yes, though this is my approach since the recipe doesn’t cover it: cool it within 2 hours and chill it for up to 2 days. Then reheat it once until piping hot, adding a splash of water if the sauce has thickened.

Freezing is my call too, though I’d expect the aubergine and cauliflower to go softer once thawed. So defrost it overnight in the fridge, then reheat it once until piping hot.