Veggie Coconut & Chickpea Curry

This curry is full of veggie goodness and comes together with ease! The turmeric paste is a great item to have on hand for curries marinades and even stirred through yoghurt and spooned over roast veggies or thick soups. IF you have other veggies on hand like cauliflower, broccoli, mushrooms or spinach, swap in those, its super versatile.

Recipe by Tom Walton, author of More Fish, More Veg. 

Ingredients

Turmeric paste – makes 1 cup

• 1/3 cup ground turmeric
• 1 thumb size knob fresh ginger, peeled, roughly sliced
• 2 clove garlic
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp fresh ground black pepper
• 3 tbsp coconut or olive oil
• 1/3 cup water

Vegetable curry

• 2 tbsp coconut or olive oil
• 1 small brown onion, finely diced
• ¼ small Kent pumpkin, cut into large pieces
• 1 red capsicum, cut into large pieces
• 2 zucchini, cut into large pieces
• flake salt, fresh ground pepper
• 2 tbsp turmeric paste
• 200ml vegetable stock
• 300ml coconut milk
• 1 x 400g tin chickpeas, drained, rinsed
• Handful coriander, roughly chopped
• Juice 1 lime

Steamed rice natural yoghurt & papadums to serve

Directions

1. For the turmeric paste, combine all the ingredients into the Vitamix 600ml blending cup, screw on the base and blend on speed 2 then increasing to speed 7-8 to form a smooth puree, about 30 seconds. 
2. Pour this into a small pot and cook over a medium heat for 5-7 minutes, whisking, to reduce and thicken then pour that into a jar or container, allow to cool and store in the fridge up to 1 month.
3. For the curry, place a medium saucepan over a medium/high heat and add the onion, veggies and good pinch of salt. Cook this for 3-4 minutes, stirring often, then add the turmeric paste, stirring and cooking for 2 more minutes. Add the vegetable stock, coconut milk and simmer, covered for 7-8 minutes, until the veggies are cooked.
4. Add the chickpeas & simmer uncovered for 2-3 minutes.
5. Finish with the coriander, lime and serve with steamed rice, yoghurt & papadums if using.