Vietnamese Vegetable Curry

Happy 2022 everyone! My first recipe of the year and the perfect recipe to make if you are attempting ‘veganuary’.

For me the recipe tick all the boxes, its light, perfect for warmer January weather in Cape Town, it is easy to make, makes perfect left overs and the mild spicing means it can be enjoyed by young and old.

I love the different colours and textures from the variety of Asian veggies, but the recipe is totally adaptable to what you have in your fridge.

I love the final flavour kick with the addition of my homemade ‘fish’ sauce.

You can find the recipe for my mild curry spice here 

Serve with fluffy steamed rice.

• 6 tablespoons oil of choice
• 1 medium cauliflower, broken into florets
• 1 medium aubergine, cut into small cubes
• 2 onions, finely sliced
• 3 tablespoons mild curry spice (see intro to make your own)
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 tablespoons ginger, grated
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 lemongrass stalks, tough outer layer removed, stalks bashed
• 600ml vegetable stock (temperature hot)
• 2 carrots, peeled and sliced into rounds
• 1 x tin 400ml coconut milk
• 1/2 red pepper, sliced
• small punnet baby corn
• 4 baby bok choy heads
• 1 lime, juiced and zest
• salt & pepper

Garnish:

• 4 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
• chopped coriander
• 4 spring onions, chopped

1. Preheat the oven to 200c
2. Mix the aubergine with 2 tablespoons oil and 1 tablespoon mild curry powder and roast for 20 minutes until golden and soft, set aside.
3. Mix the cauliflower with 2 tablespoons oil and 1 tablespoon mild curry powder and set aside.
4. In a medium saucepan, heat the remainder of the oil and add the onions. Cook, covered until the onions are soft and starting to caramelise, stirring occasionally.
5. Add the ginger, garlic and the remainder of the curry powder and cook for 2 minutes until fragrant. You can add a teaspoon of olive oil if the mixture seems very dry.
6. Add the vegetable stock, lemongrass, salt and carrots, bring to a gentle simmer. Simmer until the carrots are starting to soften, about 5 minutes.
7. Add the coconut milk, cauliflower (scraping all the curry paste into the saucepan) and baby corn, simmer until the veggies are starting to soften – about 7 minutes.
8. Finally add the cooked aubergine, red pepper and bok choy and simmer for 5 minutes, remove from the heat. Taste and season with 1/2 the lime juice and all the zest.  Taste for final seasoning, adding more lime if needed.
9. To serve: ladle curry into warmed plates and top with a dash of ‘fish sauce’, sesame seeds and spring onions. Enjoy!