Buy-nothing-new curry

Don’t be bound by my ingredients list – make this curry your own by using any limp veg. For a yummy soup, add another cup of stock, remove the cinnamon stick at the end, and blend on high for a few seconds.

Buy Nothing New curry Credit: Murdoch Books / Rob Palmer

• serves

  4

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  40 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 60 ml (2 fl oz/¼ cup) coconut oil
• 6 cardamom pods, bruised with the back of a knife
• 1 cinnamon stick
• ½ tsp fennel seeds
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2.5 cm (1 in) piece ginger, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp your favourite curry powder
• 1 large red chilli, sliced,  or ½ tsp chilli flakes (optional)
• 4 fennel fronds
• 4 limp, unpretty celery stalks, cut into 2.5 cm (1 in) chunks
• 12 left-over silverbeet (Swiss chard) stalks, cut into 2.5 cm (1 in) chunks
• 125 g (4½ oz/1 cup) ugly green beans
• a few beetroot leaves (or any other leaves)
• 200 ml (7 fl oz) coconut cream
• 250 ml (9 fl oz/1 cup) vegetable, chicken or beef stock
• 250 ml (9 fl oz/1 cup) filtered water
• 125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) tomato passata (puréed tomato)

Instructions

Heat the coconut oil with the cardamom pods, cinnamon stick and fennel seeds in a large saucepan over low–medium heat, then fry the onion for about 20 minutes, until very golden but not burnt.

Add the ginger, garlic, curry powder and chilli (if using), and cook for 1–2 minutes, until aromatic. Add the veg and stir until well coated with the spices. Add the remaining ingredients and stir until everything is warmed through and the vegies start to soften. Simmer for 15 minutes.

Top with garnishes such as black sesame seeds, sliced spring onion (scallion), sliced chilli and coriander (cilantro) leaves, and serve as is, or with rice, quinoa or flat bread.

Image and recipe from Low Tox Life by Alexx Stuart (Murdoch Books, RRP $35), with photography by Rob Palmer.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.