Sweet Potato “Eat the Rainbow” Curry

I’ve been making some version of this curry for a very long time. The original recipe came from the October 1995 issue of Vegetarian Times. It was the first place winner for reader submitted recipes that year. Times have changed. The original recipe called for steaming the sweet potatoes, only using 1 cup out of a can of coconut milk, but adding 3/4 cup of water, didn’t include onion, and had no added salt.

As I’ve learned more about cooking and nutrition over the years, I’ve tweaked the recipe accordingly, both to my own palate and to make it less fussy and more satisfying. (Let’s face it, a bit of healthy fat at dinner keeps you from rooting around in the fridge 2 hours later looking for the ice cream).

I’ve been reading recently about the Wahls Protocol, a diet to promote health originally designed for those with multiple sclerosis. It advocates eating 9 servings of fruits and vegetables a day, 3 from each of 3 categories: 3 cups of cruciferous and dark greens; 3 cups intensely colored fruits and vegetables (1 cup red vegetables / fruit, 1 cup blue black vegetables / fruits, 1 cup yellow/orange vegetable / fruits); 3 cups others including 1 cup mushrooms / onion family (for organic sulfur), and seaweed for iodine and trace minerals. This recipe covers most of those bases, in one fabulous “eat the rainbow” dish.

Spinach, overwintered in the garden as an experiment. Not small and tender, but perfect for this dish!

I think that the fresh pineapple this recipe calls for is NOT optional. It makes the whole dish. Watch for them to go on sale. Left over pineapple freezes beautifully for smoothies later. Do NOT use canned pineapple, unless the revolution has come and you can no longer get fresh pineapple where you live! Don’t let the list of ingredients throw you off. This comes together in less than an hour, even with all the chopping and cutting up of the pineapple.

Brown Moon Curry
(modified to bring it 20 years into the modern era)

• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tsp minced fresh ginger (or more to taste)
• 1 tbsp curry powder of choice (I make my own mix based on this recipe). I’m sure any type of Thai Curry Paste (Red, Green, Yellow, Panang) would also be fabulous here
• 1-2 dried Thai or Serrano peppers, chopped small (or fresh, if you have them)
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt (or 1/4 tsp regular salt)
• 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1/2 inch chunks
• 1 15 oz can coconut milk (full fat or reduced fat)
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 1/2 cups fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 3 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped if leaves are large
•  1 cup chopped fresh pineapple
• 5 or 6 fresh basil leaves, cut into thin ribbons (or herb of choice, cilantro or Italian parsley would also work here)
• Cooked brown rice for serving
• Condiments of choice. I personally prefer unsweetened coconut flakes, roasted peanuts, dried raisins or cranberries, and mango chutney from this recipe.

Place a tablespoon of oil of choice (I use peanut oil) in a large skillet. Saute onion over low heat, stirring occasionally, until they start to caramelize, 10-15 minutes. (You can be chopping everything else while the onion is cooking). Once onions are brown and lovely, add garlic and ginger and saute until fragrant, about a minute. Add salt, chilies, curry powder, coconut milk, and sweet potato. Simmer, covered, until sweet potatoes are almost cooked through, 10-15 minutes. Remove cover and add mushrooms and bell peppers. Simmer over medium heat until mushrooms and bell peppers are warmed through and slightly cooked, about 5 minutes. Add spinach and cook until wilted. Stir well and taste for seasoning. Add more salt or curry powder as needed. Stir in pineapple and basil and serve over rice. Don’t forget the toppings. They are so much fun and allow everyone to customize their own meal.

Miles Away Farm Blog © 2014, where we’re making an effort to eat more vegetables, and hopefully live a quality life until we’re 100! We’ve also lost a few pounds by cutting out the sugar and bread. Works for me every time.