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Cauliflower, Mushroom, Carlin Pea Curry

Briefly roasting the vegetables improves flavour and texture in this warmly spicy curry with a hint of creamy coconut milk in the rich tomato-based sauce.

The recipes cuts down food miles by using UK grown carlin peas, but you could substitute chickpeas, black-eyed peas, or whole lentils.

Course Main Course
Cuisine Vegetarian, Vegan, Indian inspired, plant-based
Keyword pulses, beans
Prep Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings 2 - 4
Author Moorlands Eater

Ingredients

  • 230 g cooked carlin peas This is the approximate drained weight of a standard tin. If cooking dried peas from scratch, start with 100 grams.

For roasting the vegetables

  • 1 small - medium cauliflower
  • 2 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground turmeric
  • salt and black pepper
  • 250 g mushrooms cut into chunky bite sized pieces if large

For the curry base

  • 1 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 large onion halved then thinly sliced
  • 5 cloves garlic finely chopped
  • 2 cm fresh ginger root finely grated or chopped
  • 2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 2 tsp black mustard seeds
  • 400 g tinned chopped tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp tomato puree
  • 1 - 2 tsp sugar optional
  • 250 ml water
  • 2 tsp garam masala
  • 2 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp ground fenugreek
  • 1 tsp ground turmeric
  • 1 tsp ground fennel or 1 tsp fennel seeds added with the cumin and mustard seeds
  • 1 tsp chilli flakes or powder or 1 - 2 chopped fresh chillies added with the garlic and ginger
  • salt and black pepper
  • 200 ml tinned coconut milk
  • 2 tbsp coriander roughly chopped
  • coconut shavings to serve optional

Instructions

Roasting the vegetables

  1. Preheat your oven to 220°C / 200°Fan / Gas 7 with a shelf positioned in the upper third.

  2. Break the cauliflower into large florets and put on a lined baking tray.

  3. Put the coconut oil, cumin and turmeric in a small bowl and microwave for a few seconds until melted.

    Toss the cauliflower in HALF the spiced coconut oil then season with a little salt and black pepper.

    Put the tray in the oven and roast for 10 minutes.

  4. After 10 minutes, add the mushrooms to the tray, toss with the remaining spiced coconut oil and return the tray to the oven.

    Cook until both vegetables are browned but the cauliflower is still a little firm without being crunchy (another 10 - 12 min).

    Remove the tray from the oven and set aside.

Making the curry (start while the vegetables are roasting)

  1. In a large sauté or frying pan, heat the coconut oil over medium heat.

    Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until it's starting to soften & brown (10-15 min).

    Stir in the garlic and ginger (plus the fresh chilli if using) and cook for 2 min more.

    Add the cumin and mustard seeds (plus the fennel seeds if using instead of ground) and cook until they fizzle and pop.

  2. Stir in the chopped tomatoes, the tomato puree, the sugar if using, the water, garam masala, all the ground spices, the chilli flakes or powder. Season with a little salt and a good grind of black pepper.

    Bring to the boil then reduce to a simmer. Cook until you have a thick, rich sauce (approx. 20 min).

  3. Stir in the coconut milk and simmer for 5 minutes.

    Add the roasted cauliflower and mushrooms including any cooking juices, plus the drained carlin peas. Simmer until the cauliflower is tender rather than soft and the sauce is reduced to your liking (5 - 10 min).

    Taste and add more seasoning if needed then stir in most of the coriander leaf.

  4. Serve with the rest of the coriander sprinkled over plus the coconut shavings if using.