Sweet Potato, Chickpea & Spinach Coconut Curry from "Oh She Glows Every Day"
When I started to get into nutrition and plant-based eating a few years ago, I was pretty much clueless. I had almost no experience with cooking, let alone cooking without dairy, eggs and meat or with obscure ingredients like chia seeds and maca powder. Oh She Glows was one of the very first vegan blogs I stumbled upon back then, and one that inspired and encouraged me to follow the path I am on today. It was in part Angela’s warming and welcoming personality that initially draw me to her blog. But then I started making her recipes, and it's what made me come back again and again. Angela has a gift for making vegan recipes easy, approachable and effortlessly delicious.
Although I have a tendency to want to overcomplicate my own recipes, I'm all for simplicity when comes the time to cook dinner. Give me something I can make in half an hour or less, with ingredients I already have in my pantry, and that I know will be delicious, and I'm the happiest girl in the world. Angela’s recipes are exactly that. Her first cookbook Oh She Glows was the first plant-based cookbook I ever bought. It taught me pretty much everything I know (from how to make basics like nut milk, almond butter and chia jam to how to marinate tempeh and make overnight oats). This little blog of mine owes her a lot.
Angela's second cookbook, Oh She Glows Every Day, is a wonderful source of inspiration if you’re into plant-based cooking. Its pages are filled with accessible vegan recipes, tips to help you save time in the kitchen, pantry staples, adaptations, suggestions and mouthwatering photos. If you enjoy eating well and are looking for ways to easily incorporate more plant-based meals to your diet, this book is a must-have. I’ve made the best marinated lentils from the book a couple times already and love them. A few other recipes that I'm looking forward to making are the Ultimate Flourless Brownies, Oh Em Gee Veggie Burger, High-Rise Pumpkin Cupcakes, Lentil Mushroom Bolognese Sauce and Miracle Healing Broth.
This sweet potato curry jumped off the page and instantly begged me to make it. It surely did not disappoint. It's a simple dish, but with a perfect balance of flavours that makes you want to reach for more. The sweetness of the sweet potatoes, the acidity from the tomatoes and the creaminess of the coconut milk make a beautiful meal that's creamy, rich and incredibly satisfying. Definitely a recipe you'll want to enjoy over and over again this season.
Recipe from Oh She Glows Every Day. Reprinted by permission of Penguin Canada, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited.
Notes on the recipe: Angela suggests to top the curry with coconut flakes but I topped mine with toasted sliced almonds instead. Don't forget to squeeze it with some lime juice before digging in, it brings out the flavours even more.
Sweet Potato, Chickpea & Spinach Coconut Curry from "Oh She Glows Every Day"
4-6 portions
Ingredients
4 tsp virgin coconut oil
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3/4 to 1 tsp fine sea salt (to taste, plus a pinch)
3 large cloves garlic, minced
4 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste
1 medium/large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/4 to 1/2 inch dice (about 3 cups)
14-oz (398 ml) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (or 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas)
14-oz (398 ml) can diced tomatoes, with juices
14-oz (400 ml) can light or full-fat coconut milk (I used full-fat)
5-oz (142 g) packaged baby spinach
Freshly ground black pepper
For serving:
Cooked basmati rice, quinoa, millet or sorghum (I used brown basmati rice here)
Chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Unsweetened shredded or large-flake coconut (I used sliced toasted almonds here)
Lime wedges
METHOD
In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. The oil is hot enough when a cumin seed sizzles when tossed into the pan. Add the cumin seeds and toast for about a minute, until fragrant and lightly darkened in color (be careful not to burn them). Immediately stir in the onion, season with a pinch of salt, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the onion is soft and translucent.
Add the garlic, ginger, turmeric, coriander, and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine and sauté for a couple of minutes, until the garlic softens.
Add the sweet potato, chickpeas, tomatoes with their juices, and coconut milk. Stir to combine, cover, and simmer over medium heat for 20 to 30 minutes, until the potatoes are fork tender. At this point, mash one-third of the mixture to thicken the sauce (using a potato masher), but this step is optional.
Stir in the spinach and cook until wilted. Season with the salt and black pepper to taste.
Serve on a bed of cooked grains, garnished with cilantro and coconut (I topped mine with toasted almonds). If desired, offer lime wedges for squeezing over the curry. Store the cooled curry in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
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