Equipment
Ingredients
Aromatics & Spices
- 15 ml coconut oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 10 g fresh ginger, grated or minced
- 12 g mild curry powder
- 3 g ground turmeric
- 5 g salt
Vegetables & Liquids
- 300 g potatoes, peeled and cut into 2cm cubes
- 300 g cauliflower florets, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 400 ml full-fat coconut milk
- 120 ml vegetable broth
- 150 g frozen peas, no need to thaw
- 60 g baby spinach, roughly chopped if leaves are large
Finishing
- 15 ml lime juice
- 10 g fresh cilantro, chopped
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 395 kcal
- Protein
- 9 g
- Carbohydrates
- 32 g
- Fat
- 29 g
- Fiber
- 10 g
- Sugar
- 9 g
- Sodium
- 812 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 24 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Potassium
- 1074 mg
- Calcium
- 111 mg
- Iron
- 6.5 mg
- Magnesium
- 101 mg
- Phosphorus
- 228 mg
- Zinc
- 1.8 mg
- Vitamin A
- 168 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 60 mg
- Vitamin E
- 1.4 mg
- Vitamin K
- 97 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.5 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.23 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.16 mg
- Niacin
- 2.8 mg
- Folate
- 132 mcg
- Water
- 283 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Prepare all vegetables. Dice the onion, mince the garlic and ginger, peel and cube the potatoes (2cm/0.75in), and cut cauliflower into bite-sized florets.
Heat the coconut oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat (approx. 175°C/350°F). Add the diced onion and a pinch of salt. Sauté for 5-6 minutes until the onion is translucent and soft.
Add the minced garlic, ginger, curry powder, and turmeric. Stir constantly for 1 minute until fragrant. Be careful not to burn the spices.
Add the cubed potatoes and cauliflower florets to the pot. Stir to coat the vegetables in the spice mixture.
Pour in the coconut milk. If the vegetables aren't mostly submerged, add the vegetable broth. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low to maintain a simmer. Cover and cook for 12-15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.
Remove the lid. Stir in the frozen peas and baby spinach. Simmer for 2-3 minutes uncovered until the peas are bright green and spinach is wilted.
Remove from heat. Stir in the lime juice. Taste and add more salt if necessary. Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro before serving.
Chef's Notes
- Always use full-fat canned coconut milk for this recipe. 'Lite' coconut milk or the beverage kind in cartons will result in a watery sauce lacking depth.
- Cut your vegetables to uniform sizes. This ensures they cook evenly and creates a better mouthfeel in the final dish.
- Bloom your spices! Adding the curry powder to the hot oil/onion mixture (Step 3) rather than the liquid releases fat-soluble flavor compounds that make the curry much more robust.
- For extra protein, you can easily add a drained can of chickpeas along with the potatoes.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store in an airtight container. The flavors often improve after a day.
Freezer: 2 months — Potatoes may become slightly grainy upon thawing.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stove over medium-low heat, adding a splash of water if the sauce has thickened.
Troubleshooting
Sauce is too thin
Cause: Coconut milk brand was low in fat or vegetables released too much water
Fix: Simmer uncovered for an extra 5-10 minutes, or mash a few potato chunks against the side of the pot to thicken the sauce naturally
Prevention: Use full-fat coconut milk; don't cover the pot during the final simmer
Potatoes are hard but cauliflower is mushy
Cause: Potatoes were cut too large relative to the cauliflower
Fix: Remove cooked cauliflower with a slotted spoon, continue cooking potatoes until done, then return cauliflower to pot
Prevention: Cut potatoes into smaller 2cm cubes and keep cauliflower florets slightly larger
Cultural Context
While this recipe utilizes the flavor profile of South Indian cuisine (coconut milk, turmeric, ginger), it is a streamlined adaptation designed for Western home kitchens. It fits into the tradition of 'Sabzi'—vegetable-based dishes that are a staple in Indian households, serving as a primary source of nutrition and comfort.
