Curry Is One of the Best Easy Meals, Hands-Down
I mean, you’ve probably had curry before, but a healthy, spicy, nutritious, and filling summer vegetable Japanese curry? It’s one of my favorite go-to meals. There are multiple ways to enjoy curry, but in general, curry is a combination of spices and herbs that frequently includes ground turmeric, cumin, coriander, ginger, and chilies.
Curry freezes well (as does rice), so it’s great to make in bulk and pull it out when you’re feeling tired or don’t have the energy to cook a nutritious meal.
In my summer vegetable version, I used Japanese sweet potato, eggplant, tomatoes, carrots, broccoli, paprika, and green pepper. I usually have chopped vegetables in my fridge as meal-prep to save me time when I want to cook, as I find chopping and cutting the most tedious part of cooking– this preparation makes cooking a lot more enjoyable and it becomes a fun activity for me, rather than a necessary chore.
This recipe doesn’t specifically include a protein, but feel free to add in anything you want as it goes well with almost anything. Some combinations I do are boiled eggs, steamed and shredded chicken breast, salmon, or shrimp.
It’s so easy and there are multiple combinations you can do so you won’t get bored from eating it. It’s very difficult to ruin so it’s perfect for beginner cooks who are starting out making meals for themselves.
Health Benefits of Curry Powder
Curry powder refers to not a single ingredient, but a medley of spices and herbs.
Turmeric in curry powder helps to reduce inflammation, as it’s active ingredient curcumin is a powerful antioxidant that has also been shown to reduce cancer risk. Some studies also show that curcumin has the potential to control blood sugar. Coriander is a great source of fiber, manganese, iron, and magnesium. It promotes liver functions and bowel movements, and it also contains powerful anti-inflammatory properties. Cumin helps with indigestion, is a rich source of iron, and contains lots of plant compounds such as phenols, flavonoids and alkaloids, which serve as antioxidants.
In addition to the vegetables you choose to add, this makes curry a real powerhouse meal, that’s chock-full of health benefits.
Fool-Proof, Super Easy & Super Healthy: My Summer Vegetable Curry
Ingredients (4-5 servings):
- 4 cubes (1 pack, ½ box) of Japanese curry roux
- 1 can of crushed tomatoes
- 1 small onion, cut into strips
- 1 sweet potato, cubed
- Other sliced or cubed vegetables of choice (I used: eggplant, broccoli, paprika, green pepper)
- Pat of butter (or oil of choice)
- Rice, cooked to instructions
Directions
- Medium heat. Cook the onions in butter in a large pot. Add the potatoes, cook until soft
- Add the rest of the vegetables, cook until soft. Add extra butter if needed
- Low heat. Add can of crushed tomatoes (with tomato juice)
- Add extra water until you just cover all of the vegetables. Medium heat until it starts simmering
- Low heat. Add the roux cubes, stir until they’re melted in.
- Should smell and taste like curry, with a thick consistency. If it’s watery, let it simmer with the lid off, so some water evaporates. If it’s too thick, carefully add more water.
- Serve with rice and enjoy!
Additional Helpful Notes
- Curry freezes well! If you have leftovers, transfer to tupperware, let cool, and put it in your fridge.
- Sometimes I’ll add salt to the potatoes, especially if I’m adding in a lot of vegetables. The sweetness of sweet potato and salt compliment each other well which brings out its flavor.
- I suggest starting with low heat and stirring frequently so the bottom of the pot doesn’t burn– if it starts to, I’ll add a bit of water to cover the bottom.
- Proteins that go well: Soft-boiled eggs, beef-wrapped lotus root, steamed and shredded chicken breast, pan-fried salmon
If you have any questions, comments, concerns, advice, or thoughts– email me at kokumura@kakikata.space! I respond to every email I get!
Kind regards,
Kaki
