Spiced vegetables in coconut
The following will make enough for 4-5 people
Preparation: 15 minutes Cooking time: 15 minutes
I made this vegetarian version of Spiced Prawns in Coconut Sauce recently, when I found out my friend Michele doesn’t eat prawns. Using mushrooms and green beans is just as good. If you make the sauce ahead of time, you can have a meal ready in the time it takes to cook basmati rice - 10 minutes!
4 tablespoons of oil
4 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
2 inch cube of fresh ginger, chopped
1 red chilli, chopped (leave seeds in if you want some heat)
1 large onion, sliced thinly
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 tsp ground ginger (optional if you have used fresh ginger)
1/2 teaspoon salt
pepper to taste
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
3/4 pint coconut milk - made from coconut cream
2 tablespoons tomato puree
Small handful of coriander, chopped
Green beans, blanched in boiling water
Mushrooms, chopped
Coriander sprigs to serve if you like
Blanch the green beans in boiling water.
Blend the garlic, ginger and chilli with a little oil and water till a paste.
Heat the oil in a wok, add the garlic and ginger and fry gently. Add the sliced onion and fry until soft and golden brown.
Mix the spices together in a bowl, add the salt and pepper, stir in the vinegar and mix to a paste. Add to the wok and fry for 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
Stir in the coconut milk and tomato puree and simmer for 5 minutes.
Stir in the beans and mushrooms and heat thoroughly for 5 minutes, until they are coated in the sauce and the beans are how you like them.
Add the handful of coriander towards the end of cooking.
Spoon into a warmed serving dish and garnish with more coriander sprigs if liked.
Great with basmati rice and either a salad, or pak choi with garlic.