This is a super easy recipe from Waitrose magazine which is perfect for a quick meal this winter. It’s warming, filling and not at all heavy. I love the amount of vegetables inside! It makes for a fantastic meal for two (though the original recipe says it is for four) and it’s vegan and gluten-free! I made my own Korma curry paste for this (recipe at the end) but you can also use a ready made one if you are in a rush.

Quick spinach, sweet potato and coconut stew

Serves 2 | Prep 10 minutes | Cook 35 minutes
Easy | Vegan | Gluten and Dairy Free

Sweet potato stew

You’ll need:

  • 1 tbsp vegetable or coconut oil;
  • 1 onion, finely chopped;
  • 1 red chilli, thinly sliced, plus extra to garnish;
  • 3 tbsp korma curry paste (For a homemade recipe see below);
  • 1 red Romano Pepper, deseeded and chopped;
  • 2 medium Sweet Potatoes, peeled and diced into 1.5cm pieces;
  • 400ml can coconut milk;
  • 115g pack baby spinach;
  • 1 lime, juice, plus extra wedges to serve;
  • 4 tbsp chopped coriander, to serve.

Heat the oil in a wide saucepan set over a medium heat. Add the onion and stir-fry for 5-6 minutes until softened. Stir in the chilli, curry paste, Romano pepper and sweet potato, then add the coconut milk. Bring to the boil, then turn down the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes, until the vegetables are soft.

Stir through the spinach and cook for 3-4 minutes, until just wilted. Remove from the heat, squeeze over the lime juice; season. Serve with cooked basmati rice, the chopped coriander sprinkled over and the lime wedges alongside.

Original recipe from Waitrose Magazine October 2018, available online here.

 

Korma Paste

This makes more than you need for the recipe above but you can store it in an air tight container for a few weeks.

You’ll need:

  • 2 cloves garlic;
  • 5 cm piece of ginger;
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper;
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala;
  • 2 tablespoons groundnut oil;
  • 1 tablespoon tomato puree;
  • 2 fresh green chillies;
  • 3 tablespoons desiccated coconut;
  • 2 tablespoons ground almonds;
  • ½ a bunch fresh coriander , (15g);
  • 2 teaspoons cumin seeds , for toasting;
  • 1 teaspoon coriander seeds , for toasting;

First peel the garlic and ginger. Put a frying pan on a medium to high heat and add the spices for toasting to the dry pan. Lightly toast them for a few minutes until golden brown and smelling delicious, then remove the pan from the heat.

Add the toasted spices to a pestle and mortar and grind until fine, or put them into a food processor and whiz to a powder. Either way, when you’ve ground them whiz the toasted spices in a food processor with the rest of the ingredients and ½ a teaspoon of sea salt until you have a smooth paste.

Recipe from Jaime Oliver, available online here.