Vegetables Stewed In Coconut Cream…

Once in a while, I do love to turn vegetarian for a while. Though it usually lasts about one meal, on rarer occasions it has gone on for about a day and a half. My body craves something light, soupy, fresh and clean – something that will make you feel healthy the minute you smell all that goodness.

Couple of days back, such a rare transformation did happen. And I decided to try out a recipe I have been meaning to for a long long while. Perfectly cut strips of vegetables in a broth of coconut cream. Served with a side of steamed white rice. Goodness in a bowl!

Vegetables in Fragrant Coconut Cream Stew:

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of any vegetables of your choice, cut into roughly 1 inch thick fingers.
• 1 cup coconut cream or thick coconut milk.
• 1 green chilli.
• 1 inch piece of ginger.
• 3-4 cloves of garlic.
• A half inch piece of lemon grass (optional).
• Few peppercorns.
• 1 star anise & 1 length of cinnamon.
• 1/4 cup beaten yogurt – better if its a bit sour.
• Salt to taste.

Procedure:

1. Grind together the ginger, garlic, lemon grass (if you like the taste of lemon grass, otherwise skip this), peppercorns & chilli to a fine paste.
2. In a heavy bottomed pan, boil 2 cups of water with the star anise & cinnamon. When the water bubbles over, add in the coconut cream and the ground paste from step 1. Let this bubble away for a minute before adding the vegetables.
3. Let the stew bubble away till the vegetables are cooked through but are still firm to the tooth – not mushy!
4. When the vegetables are cooked, add a bit of salt, then quickly stir in the beaten curd and mix it into the stew. Add salt to taste.
5. Serve hot with a side of hot steamy rice.

Note: If you think the stew is too runny, let it bubble away till desired consistency is obtained.

I had a lovely light lunch, and went back for seconds too. The coconut cream was sweet and the yogurt was sour and the chilli added heat. A perfect balance of flavors. I also loved the way me & M cut the vegetables:

Note the lovely waves. Pretty!

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