Is there anything more autumnal than this warming, orange root veg curry? I think not. Don't be put off by the long ingredient list here - this dish is a doddle to make, and the beauty of Indian cooking is that swapping various spices in or out is completely fine and shouldn't really massively affect the end result. I've added nduja here - a spicy, spreadable pork salami paste that is basically sausage in a jar - not because it's essential (it isn't, and generations of Indian chefs are probably rolling in their graves just thinking about this recipe), but because my mum brought some back with her after a recent trip to Italy and I got a bit over excited. It adds a nice, meaty edge to this dish, but certainly omit it if you can't find any or fancy meat free.
What's the A to V?
Sweet potato is a fabulous source of vitamin A, as well as vitamin E,while the peas are a good source of plant protein and the mineral chromium.
Ingredients (Serves 2-3):
2 sweet potatoes
1 red onion, finely sliced
2 cloves of garlic, chopped into rounds
1 fresh red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
100g of frozen peas
2-3 generous handfuls of spinach
400g tinned tomatoes
1 tsp of garam masala
1 tsp of cumin
1 tsp of turmeric
2 cardamon pods (cut them open, discard the shell and keep the seedy bits)
2 inch thumb of fresh ginger, peeled and finely diced
1 tbsp of olive oil, groundnut oil, or coconut oil depending on your preference/store cupboard
Optional
2 tbsps of nduja
Serve with a squeeze of lime and a drizzle of tahini to finish.
Method
First peel your sweet potato, and cut into smallish cubes. In a steamer or microwave, cook the sweet potato cubes until you can slice through with the edge of a knife. (In a steamer this takes about 10 minutes). This step is all about saving you from having to spend an eternity cooking the sweet potato later on by the way.
In a pan, heat your oil and add your onion, garlic and a pinch of salt. Once softened and starting to brown, add your sweet potato and the rest of your spices and ginger. Give everything a good stir for a couple of minutes, then add the tomato to the pan.
Turn down the heat, and leave for 5-10 minutes, before adding your peas and spinach. Cook for a further 10 minutes, then serve with a squeeze of lime and a drizzle of tahini.
Serve with rice, poppadoms, chutney, or just on its own.