You ever get those days when you want to cook something but you really don't want to go grocery shopping and you really aren't sure what you have in the house? That was kind of how tonight was, and I was craving comfort food.
I wandered around the kitchen opening the cabinets and fridge over and over trying to decide how much effort I was willing to put in and what I could make.
I had a lot of sweet potatoes in the house and so I immediately thought to make sweet potato curry!
Luckily I had all the ingredients on hand (yes, I keep coconut milk and chick peas on hand).
In the past when I have made sweet potato coconut curry I have used a blend of different recipes, taking what I like from each. This time I decided to just go with I had and do my own. I have to say, it turned out de-licious!!
Ingredients
1 small onion [I used a half of a large one]
1 can coconut milk
1 can chickpeas
2 sweet potatoes
2 TB Curry powder
1 TB brown sugar
1 TB Cinnamon
I TB Ginger
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp [or more] cayenne pepper [to taste]
1/4 cup pumpkin - I had this extra leftover in the fridge and decided to add it in for fun
Directions
Dice the small onion [or half of the large onion] and saute in 1-2 TB of olive oil. When the onions start to caramelize, add in the rest of the ingredients [dice the potato into 1/2-1 in. cubes first] and let simmer over low heat for 20-30min or until the sweet potatoes are soft but not falling apart.
I often like to top the curry with cilantro, mint, and crushed cashews but I did not have any fresh herbs in the house tonight.
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| Not a super pretty dish but if you know Thai or Indian food you wouldn't expect it to be. It more than makes up for it in flavor! |
The pumpkin didn't really change the flavor, it did make the curry a little thicker though. I really want to make a pumpkin curry but I can't find any more fresh pumpkins to roast and cube.
The roommate cooked up a chicken breast and diced it to add to the curry - if that's your thing. You could also cook the chicken IN the curry but since I don't do meat, I did not.
I used to hate Thai curry because of the coconut milk but now I can't get enough! I love the sweet rich creaminess that the coconut milk brings and the warmth of the cayenne [or the Thai spices in more authentic dishes] Some people may be scared away from coconut milk because of the fat in it but it is actually quite good for you [in moderation, not recommending you drink a glass daily...but you never know...]
Coconut Milk Benefits!
Coconut milk is rich in a wide range of minerals and vitamins. It contains iron, selenium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium, and also the following important vitamins: C, E, B1, B3, B5 and B6. It is also a good source of protein!
As for all that fat? The saturated fat in coconut is made up of short-chain and medium-chain fatty acids which the body quickly turns into energy instead of storing as fat. Therefore, even though it’s high in saturated fat, coconut can aid in weight loss. No wonder it’s the number one recommended milk for protein shakes. It is also said to boost metabolism.Coconut milk makes you feel full very quickly because of high concentrations of dietary fiber.
Really, this whole dish is pretty darn healthy between the cinnamon, ginger, sweet potatoes and chickpeas in addition to the coconut milk. Not bad for a comfort food!
Do you love curry too?
xo
