Recipe: Curry in a Hurry

This dish makes a quick weeknight dinner that does not sacrifice flavour or nutrition. Use a storebought rotisserie chicken or tofu to save time, as well as every busy home cook’s best friend: a food processor.

Ingredients

Curry:

• 1 tbsp canola oil
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1" chunk of ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 red onion, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
• 1 generous tbsp Caribbean curry powder (or your curry powder of choice)
• 2 400 mL cans coconut milk
• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken or diced extra firm tofu
• Kosher salt (to taste)

Caribbean Curry Powder:

• 4 tbsp whole coriander seeds
• 2 tbsp whole cumin seeds
• 2 tbsp mustard seeds
• 3 star anise
• 1 tbsp fenugreek seeds
• 1 tbsp allspice (pimento) berries
• 3 tbsp ground turmeric

Assembly:

• 2 cups steamed rice
• Cilantro
• Green onion
• Shredded coconut
• Lime wedges

Preparation

Caribbean Curry Powder:

Grind all spices together in a spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle. Store in a sealed bag or jar at room temperature.

Curry:

In a large, low pot, heat the canola oil over medium heat. Place garlic, sliced ginger, chopped onion and chopped bell peppers in bowl of food processor and pulse until the mixture is finely chopped but not pureed. Add vegetable mixture to the pan and saute until softened, 2-3 minutes. Add curry powder, coconut milk and chicken or tofu.

Bring curry to a simmer and cook for an additional 4-5 minutes until thickened. Season with salt to taste.

Assembly:

Serve over steamed rice with cilantro, sliced green onion and lime.