Curry has always made me nervous. I don’t understand why. Where can I get it? How do I use it? What is the taste? What will it taste like?
Unfortunately, these questions were all too accurate. It wasn’t until I started experimenting with curry dishes and doing some research on the subject that I realized how accurate these questions were. This colorful spice is nothing to fear. Now, I plan to use it in abundance.
Curry is a mixture of spices that can come in different colors and flavors. Curry paste, curry powder, and red, yellow, and green curry are just a few of the many options available. Each curry seems to suit a particular dish. Green tends to be spicier than yellow. The yellow color of curries is due to turmeric. Green comes from coriander and cilantro rot, and red comes from red chilis.
Curries can be spicy or mild, depending on how hot they are and the amount of heat added to them.
Curry is the most common ingredient in Thai and Indian cuisine. This soup is a fusion, using yellow curry powder, which has an Indian influence, and coconut milk, which has a Thai influence. This soup is spicy, as I like it.
This creamy and delicious soup takes only 35-40 minutes to make and uses just one pot.
Sweet potatoes and coconut cream make this dish naturally sweet.
Garlic and cayenne pepper make this dish spicy.
The addition of crispy, spicy baked chickpeas makes this dish surprisingly filling.
It also changes in intensity, from savory to sweet and then spicy. If you want it less spicy, add less cayenne or leave it out. I felt it needed a little heat to balance the sweetness of sweet potato and coconut.
Ingredients
SOUP
- Coconut or olive oil, 1/2 tablespoon
- One medium white onion (diced).
- Four cloves of minced garlic
- One large sweet potato (peeled & cubed)
- 2 Tbsp Yellow curry powder
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (omit for less heat)
- Add more salt to taste. 3/4 tsp of sea salt is a good starting point.
- 3 cups coconut milk (the best is canned)
SPICY BAKED CHICKPEAS
- One 15-oz. Can chickpeas (one can yield about 1 1/2 cups)
- 3 Tbsp avocado or coconut oil
- Yellow curry powder 1/2 tsp
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tsp Garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp ginger powder
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- While you wait, begin the soup by cooking the onions over medium heat with 1/2 Tbsp of coconut oil (or avocado/olive) (amount according to the original recipe // adjust for changes in batch size). Stir and cook for a couple of minutes, then add the garlic.
- Stir in 1/4 tsp of each salt and black pepper (use the amount as written on the original recipe // adjust for changes to batch size). Add curry powder and cayenne (reduce or eliminate for less heat).
- Stir frequently and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the coconut milk and 1/4 tsp of salt (the amount of salt/pepper is as written in the original recipe // adjust for changes to batch size). Cover.
- Reduce heat to low and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 25 minutes more.
- Meanwhile, prepare your baked chickpeas. Rinse, drain, and dry them with a towel. Spread them evenly on a baking tray and add oil and spices. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the outside is crispy and the interior is slightly soft. Remove from the oven and serve.
- Taste the dish after 25 minutes and adjust the seasonings if necessary. I added about 1/4 teaspoon more salt and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Puree the mixture using a blender or immersion blender. If necessary, transfer it back to the pot and keep it on low heat until ready to serve. Garnish the dish with baked chickpeas.
- The food will be kept in the refrigerator for several days and a few months in the freezer.
