My father-in-law loved vegetables. And he had an incredible capacity for food. My mother-in-law, Doris, would prepare two huge sirloin steaks for dinner. One for him; one for the rest of the family. For dessert, he’d take a half-gallon container of ice cream and carefully pack it down into his special [mixing] bowl to remove all the air pockets and eat the entire thing. At a regularly frequented all-you-can-eat buffet, the manager took him aside and explained they’d need to charge him double – to which he happily agreed. Yet this man was tall and slender and amazingly fit. For him, Doris would buy the huge cans of vegetables from the bottom shelf in the grocery, but she struggled trying to make a more interesting dinner for him than simply serving three kinds of vegetables on a plate. Doris had many wonderful talents; cooking was not among them. This Cleanse has taught me that veggies – with good preparation – can easily stand alone as a tasty, satisfying and beautiful meal. With a nod to my father-in-law, rest his dear gentle soul, here’s a dish that fits the bill.
Spicy Coconut Curry with Veggies and Rice
THE CURRY
makes about 1/5 cups
ingredients
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 1/2 cup minced onion
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp Thai red curry paste
- large pinch grey sea salt
- 1 cab unsweetened coconut milk
- 1.5 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 tsp honey
- 1/4 tsp cayenne
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- chopped cilantro (as garnish)
preparation
- Add oil to a large, wide pan, and cook onion, garlic, curry paste, and salt over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until onion is softened, 6 to 8 minutes.
- Add coconut milk and gently simmer, stirring frequently, until reduced to about 1.5 cups, 20 to 30 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in lime juice, honey, cayenne, red pepper flakes, and salt to taste.
THE VEG
makes two portions
How about any seasonal veg your heart desires? Today I used:
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- Broccolini, cut into one inch pieces (heaping 1/2 cup or so)
- Cauliflower, cut into one inch pieces (heaping /12 cup)
- Red pepper, cut into 1/2 inch strips then cut again on the diagonal (1/3 cup)
- Sugar snap peas, trimmed and cut on the diagonal into 1/2 inch pieces (1/3 cup_
- Large handful of spinach leaves, stems removed
- 1/2 can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
how to
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high
- Add cauliflower, and saute until it starts to soften
- Add broccolini, red pepper and cook until just starting to soften
- Add sugar snap peas, spinach, beans and 1/2 cup of curry.
- Bring to a simmer. Serve overbasmati rice and garnish with chopped cilantro and a pinch of pink Himalayan salt (optional, but so fun!!).
A little spicy, a little creamy, all the colors of the rainbow (for Pam), a little wild. Beats a can o’ peas any day of the week.
ciao, cucina 