Indonesian Curry

When you make this recipe, you may add to it those foods that will best compliment your taste buds. Feel free to add only tofu, chicken meat substitute, plant-based sausages or a combination of all of them. You may also add veggies like bok choy, kale, and long string beans. You may try other things as it hits you, but this is the basic recipe.

An Indonesian sister I know blessed me while I was out of town by sharing her meals with me. This was my first taste of this delightful fare! I was immediately hooked. I had to have it again!!! I searched for the recipe, but it included spices that are not a part of my diet, like cinnamon sticks and hot peppers. However, I didn’t remember any hot peppers in mine; so, I substituted those for the sweet red peppers. To mimic the cinnamon, I added cardamom to kick up the coriander that the recipe already called for and I added a bit more than the amount of coriander prescribed. I am a big believer in making any recipe you try your own.

This is definitely reminiscent of the dish that the sister let me try, but not spot on by any means. I let my discriminating taster (my brother) try it and he was also hooked on mine. If he liked mine, I know he would have loved hers. Last Friday, he asked for this dish and though I did not oblige him then, I made it today for dinner. I hope you like it as much as we do!

Be smart and add whatever you desire that is within the health guidelines and this should be wonderful!!

Now, without further ado, below is the curry recipe!

Indonesian Curry

Ingredients

• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 4 small sweet red peppers, seeded and chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 piece fresh ginger, about 1-inch, peeled and thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons expeller organic neutral oil of choice
• 1 stalk lemongrass, tied into a knot or lemongrass tea in a tea ball
• 2 cups coconut milk
• ½ cup pure water (or up to ½ c. more)
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander or to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon cardamom powder
• 3⁄4 teaspoon salt or more to taste

Add optional ins:

• 1 cup compressed tofu, cubed or rectangle
• 4 plain chicken substitute patties, cubed, optional
• 2 plant-based sausages, cubed, optional
• 2 cups chickpeas, optional
• Veggies of choice, optional
• Brown rice, for serving

Instructions:

1. Reserving a ¼ cup onions and 1/8 cup diced sweet red peppers, in a small food processor, process the remaining onions, peppers, garlic, and ginger into a puree paste, adding 1-2 tablespoons of water as needed.
2. Heat the oil in a large casserole or saucepan with lid, over medium-low heat, add reserved onions and peppers and sauté until onions are translucent 2-3 minutes. Lightly salt and add the pureed paste, lemongrass, coriander, and cardamom and cook for an additional minute, stirring occasionally.
3. Add in the tofu or any other meat substitute, veggie, or chickpeas (if using) and combine until well coated.
4. Stir in 1 cup of coconut milk, water, and salt and simmer on medium for 10 minutes.
5. Add the remaining coconut milk and cook for 2 additional minutes.
6. Let cool for 15 minutes before serving over brown rice, discarding the lemongrass stalk or tea ball.