Easy Sweet Potato Korma (Vegan!)

This Easy Sweet Potato Korma recipe is the first every vegan dish I’ve served to J that he has described as ‘utterly delicious’ and something he’d like to have again. If this is not a recommendation for this creamy, mild and aromatic curry, I don’t know what is.

I’ve adapting this excellent curry recipe from Yotam Ottolenghi and Ixta Belfrage’s fantastic book Flavour (ad). There, it started life as a tofu meatball recipe with (almost) this fantastic korma sauce. I’ve changed some of the technique a little do both cut it down to serve two (you can always double it up again), to make it a bit richer, and most importantly, to make it much easier to achieve on a weeknight.

If you’d like, you can switch out the sweet potato for any roasted veg, or indeed cooked chicken for a more traditional chicken korma. It’s just simply a delicious vegan, aromatic korma sauce that you can make ahead (if that suits you) to help you make delicious dinners with whatever you fancy. Actually, now I come to think of it, crispy tofu would be rather excellent here too!

You Might Need (ad)
Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon

Easy Sweet Potato Korma

  • Author: Rachel Phipps
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 45 minutes
  • Total Time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: Serves 2
  • Cuisine: Indian
  • Diet: Vegan

Description

This easy Sweet Potato Korma recipe is rich, mild and aromatic. It is also great for making ahead, is ready in under an hour, and is naturally vegan, too!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 large sweet potatoes
  • 2 tbsp light oil
  • sea salt
  • 30g (1 oz) unsalted cashews
  • 3 green cardamom pods
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp coriander seeds
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1 small brown onion
  • 2 large garlic cloves
  • thumb size piece fresh ginger
  • 1/2 green chilli
  • 1 large plum tomato
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • small handful fresh coriander
  • lime wedges, for serving
  • cooked rice, for serving

Instructions

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees (390 fahrenheit). Cut the sweet potatoes into bite sized cubes (don’t worry about peeling them) and toss on a baking sheet with 1/2 tbsp of the oil and a generous pinch of sea salt. Roast in the oven for 40 minutes until tender and slightly caramelised, tossing half way.
  2. Place the cashews in a small saucepan and cover with cold water. Set them over a medium heat and bring to a simmer. Allow to simmer and soften for 20 minutes before draining away the cooking water. Set aside.
  3. In a mortar and pestle grind the seeds from the cardamom pods, the cumin seeds and the coriander seeds into a fine powder. Stir in the tumeric.
  4. Peel and finely chop the onion, and peel and finely grate the garlic and ginger. De-seed and finely chop the green chilli.
  5. Heat the remaining 1 1/2 tbsp of oil in a large non-stick frying pan set over a high heat and fry the onion, garlic, ginger and chilli, stirring often for 5-6 minutes or so until soft, slightly coloured, but not burnt. Stir in the spices and cook for a minute more until aromatic.
  6. Finely chop the tomato and stir it into the onions. Cook for another 3-4 minutes until the tomato has started to break down.
  7. Scrape the onion mixture into a blender or powerful food processor along with the cashews, 1/2 tsp of salt and 100ml  (2/3 cup) water. Blitz until smooth.
  8. Return the sauce to the pan along with another 200ml (3/4 cup) water and the cinnamon stick. Bring to the boil then reduce to a simmer, allowing to bubble away on low for 15-20 minutes until the sauce has thickened.
  9. Stir in the sweet potato and cook for another 5 minutes or so until the sweet potato pieces have heated through. Check the seasoning, and add a little water from the kettle if you feel the sauce needs to be loosened a little. Stir in the coriander – roughly chopped – before serving with cooked rice and the utterly essential lime  wedges for squeezing on top of each portion.

Discussion