3-5 garlic cloves, chopped
1 125ml jar home canned or 156ml can commercial tomato paste
2 tblsp. curry powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground coriander
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
generous pinch each sea salt and ground black pepper
1 750ml jar home canned or 786ml can commercial diced tomatoes
3 medium carrots, diced into ½-inch pieces
3 celery stalks, diced into ½-inch pieces
1 large white potato, unpeeled, washed and diced into ½-inch pieces
6-8 large white mushrooms, sliced
1 can regular (not light) coconut milk
1 bunch curly kale, center veins cut out and chopped into ½-inch pieces, leaves torn into small pieces
3 cups vegetable stock
Put the rice or quinoa in a medium saucepan with the vegetable stock and bring to a full boil. Then turn heat down to the lowest setting, cover the saucepan and let sit undisturbed while you prepare the curry.
Sauté the onion and garlic in a little olive oil in a large soup pot until fragrant and translucent.
Add the tomato paste and stir constantly until paste begins to caramelize and darken a little. Add curry powder, cumin, coriander, cayenne, salt and pepper and continue stirring until a thick paste forms. Add the diced tomatoes and continue stirring, scraping up any bits that may have stuck to the bottom of the pot. Turn heat down to medium and let simmer for 10 minutes.
Check the rice or quinoa and give it a stir. There should still be some liquid left to absorb, so put the lid back on the saucepan and leave to sit undisturbed again for another 10 minutes or so.
Meanwhile, add all the chopped vegetables except the kale leaves to the simmering tomato curry sauce. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil before turning the heat back down to medium again. Cover and let simmer for about 10 minutes.
Check on the rice or quinoa again and turn off the heat if done, otherwise, give another quick stir, cover and let sit again.
Add the can of coconut milk to the vegetables, increase the heat and bring to a boil. Add the kale leaves, cover and simmer for 5 minutes or so or until the kale turns bright green. Reduce the heat back to medium, stir the kale down into the curry and allow to simmer for another 5-10 minutes.
Fluff rice/quinoa with a fork and divide amongst 4 serving bowls. Top each bowl with a couple of ladles full of the curry. Top with a squeeze of fresh lime and some chopped fresh cilantro leaves.
Serves 4
