Pink Curry

Suitable for vegans and vegetarians. Serves 2.

Although spring is very much springing at the moment, there are still some great root vegetables in season and I wanted to put together a dish that takes this root veg out of its comfort zone. You don't usually find curry recipes that feature beetroot and parsnip but the flavours actually work very well with the spice and heat. And the colour from the beetroots is pure magic.

One of the unique elements of this dish is the crispy chickpeas. A lot of one-pot curries can be delicious, but somewhat monotonous texture-wise, especially if they have been stewed for a long time. Therefore, toasting the chickpeas in the oven separately leads to a great texture contrast and a much more interesting dish.

Ingredients:

• 2 medium sized beetroots, peeled and chopped into small chunks, 
• 1 parsnip, peeled and chopped into small chunks, 
• 1 onion, thinly sliced, 
• 6 cloves of garlic, minced, 
• 1 green chilli, finely chopped, 
• 2 tbsp grated ginger, 
• 1 stalk lemongrass, ends trimmed and chopped in half, 
• 2 tsp cumin seeds, 
• 2 tsp mustard seeds, 
• 1 tsp fennel seeds, 
• 2 tbsp tamari or soy sauce, 
• 1 can chickpeas, 
• 1 can coconut milk (425ml), 
• 1 cup vegetable stock, 
• 0.5 cup roughly chopped fresh coriander (reserve some for garnish), 
• juice of 0.5 lime.

Method:

• Preheat oven to 190 C
• Place a large pot over medium high heat and add 2 tbsp of oil.
• Add the cumin seeds, mustard seeds, and fennel seeds and toast for 3-4 minutes or until they start to pop.
• Add the onions and cook for 4-5 minutes or until soft.
• Add the garlic, chilli, and ginger and cook for 2-3 minutes or until fragrant.
• Add the tamari or soy sauce along with the beetroots and parsnip and mix thoroughly to combine.
• Add the coconut milk and vegetable stock and mix. Add the lemongrass stalk.
• Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Let simmer for 35-40 minutes or until the beetroot softens. Stir occasionally.
• Meanwhile, drain and rinse the chickpeas and spread them on a baking tray. Place in the oven and roast for 25-30 minutes or until dry. Remove and drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place back into the oven for a further 10 minutes or until golden and slightly crunchy. Shake the tray every so often to ensure even cooking.
• Once the beetroot is soft, remove the curry from the heat. Remove the lemongrass stalk and add the lime juice and coriander. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Add the crispy chickpeas and serve over rice. Garnish with some reserved chopped coriander.