Looking for a recipe to warm you up on these cool fall days? Here is a spicy veggie curry that I could easily eat on a weekly basis. With the delicious array of spices, this dish is extremely flavorful and is sure to energize your pallet and get your blood flowing. It is tasty enough to eat on its own, although I prefer to eat it along with some rice, quinoa, or dal to make a complete meal. Of course it is great on a chapti or flat bread as well.
This veggie curry recipe uses a healing blend of cauliflower, kale, and spinach making it great for heart health, liver health, colon health, weight loss, and iron deficiency. Cauliflower is extremely high in vitamin C and pairs amazingly with the iron-rich leafy greens by increasing absorption of this essential mineral. Between these three vegetables alone, you are getting a large spectrum of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, making it an amazing dietary option for maintaining daily health and energy.
This curry dish is calming for Vata due to its warming, (slightly) oily, and well-spiced properties, and reducing for Kapha due to its light, spicy, and energizing qualities. Although cauliflower and kale can often provoke Vata, the well-cooked nature of this recipe, along with the complimentary ingredients (i.e. heating spices, coconut, sesame oil, etc) will help to bring balance, making it easy to digest, less drying, and a bit more grounding.
Spicy Spinach, Kale, And Cauliflower Curry
Spicy Spinach, Kale, And Cauliflower Curry on top of mung dal
Spicy Spinach, Kale, And Cauliflower Curry Recipe
Click here for a printable copy of this recipe.
*Pitta types can enjoy this recipe during the cooler months if the Pitta-specific modifications are followed.
Materials
- Blender (for sauce)
- Large, deep sauté pan
- Knife and cutting board
- Measuring spoons and cups
Ingredients
For the sauce
- 1 cup water
- 2 teaspoons chopped serrano pepper (reduce or omit for Pitta)
- 1/2 cup well-packed chopped cilantro
- 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped ginger
- 1 teaspoon Agni Churna (replace with Vata Churna, Kapha Churna, or plain turmeric)
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin seed
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon shredded coconut
- 2 limes, juiced
For the sauté
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin seed, whole
- 1/2 teaspoon brown mustard seed, whole (omit for Pitta)
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup minced onion
- 2 garlic cloves, minced (omit for Pitta)
- 4 cups chopped cauliflower
- 2 well-packed cups stemmed and chopped kale
- 1/4 cup water
- 4 well-packed cups chopped spinach
- 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
- 1 to 2 tablespoons shredded coconut (omit for Kapha)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Spicy Spinach, Kale, And Cauliflower Curry on top of mung dal
Directions
Click here for a printable copy of this recipe.
For the sauce:
1. Add one cup of water to a blender.
2. Coarsely chop the serrano pepper, cilantro, and ginger and add them to the blender.
3. Add in the water, Agni Churna (or turmeric), cumin, salt, shredded coconut, and lime juice.
4. Blend on high for 1 to 3 minutes until a thick, smooth liquid is formed.
5. Place the curry sauce aside until it is needed for the sauté.
For the sauté:
1. Chop up the cauliflower, stemmed kale, and spinach. Mince the onion and garlic.
2. Heat a large, deep sauté pan over medium heat. Add in the sesame oil and allow it to get hot.
3. Add in the cumin seed, brown mustard seed, black pepper, garlic, and onion. Sauté uncovered for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
4. Add in the cauliflower, chopped kale, and 1/4 cup of water. Continue to sauté over medium heat uncovered for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
5. Add in the curry sauce and the chopped spinach. Stir well and cover the pan. Increase the heat slightly to a medium-high setting. Cook here for 3 minutes, stirring half way through.
6. Uncover the pan and continue to cook for a final 6 to 7 minutes, stirring every 2 to 3 minutes.
7. While cooking, finely mince the cilantro and measure out the coconut and salt.
8. Once the curry is cooked to your desire, turn the heat off but leave the pan on the hot burner. Add in the cilantro, shredded coconut, and salt. Stir well until the ingredients have all been combined.
9. Taste the dish and add more salt, pepper, or lime juice as needed.
10. Serve this veggie curry as a side dish to any savory meal, or enjoy it on its own as a light, healthy snack, lunch or dinner. This recipe is fairly warming and is best during the fall, winter, and early spring seasons.
Pairing tip: My favorite way to enjoy this spicy veggie curry is to add it to a plain bowl of mung dal and basmati rice for a nice blend of simple and extreme flavors (so good!!). This dish also pairs amazingly with the Saffron Spiced Golden Rice, Tridoshic Red Lentil Dal, or even a plain a bowl of quinoa, millet, buckwheat, rice, or any dal. It will surely liven up any dish, boosting both the flavor and the health properties!
Spicy Spinach, Kale, And Cauliflower Curry blended in with mung dal
