Massaman curry Buddha bowls
Prep time: 25 mins Total time: 
Massaman curry Buddha bowls
Prep time: 25 mins Total time: 
Wholefood Heaven
Wholefood Heaven
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1½ tbsp palm or light brown sugar
- 2 x 400g tins coconut milk
- 2 tbsp tamari sauce
- 2 star anise
- 400g new potatoes
- about 75g seasonal greens (kale, spring greens or sweetheart cabbage), shredded
- 1 x 432g tin pineapple chunks in juice
- 200g firm tofu, cubed
For the massaman curry paste
- 2 whole cloves
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds
- 6 black peppercorns
- ½ cinnamon stick
- 4 green cardamom pods, seeds only
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- ¼ tsp grated nutmeg
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 stems lemongrass, trimmed and finely sliced
- 5 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 tbsp chopped galangal, or galangal paste from a jar
- 5-8 dried red bird eye chillies
- 2 tbsp chopped coriander, plus a few leaves to serve
- 100g (4-5) shallots, roughly chopped
To serve
- cooked brown rice (about 350g dried weight, or 750g cooked)
- 2 carrots, shredded with a julienne peeler
- 2 tbsp mixed seeds
Step by step
-
To make the massaman curry paste, put the cloves, coriander seeds, peppercorns, cinnamon, cardamom and cumin seeds in a hot (dry) frying pan and lightly toast for a couple of minutes until fragrant. Transfer to a spice grinder, or pestle and mortar, and grind to a fine powder. Stir in the nutmeg.
- Heat the vegetable oil in the pan, then add the lemongrass, garlic, galangal, dried chillies, chopped coriander and shallots. Fry for 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the mixture starts to turn golden, adding a splash of water if it gets too dry. Transfer to a blender, add the spice mix and 4 tablespoons of water and blend to a smooth paste.
-
When you’re ready to make the curry, gently melt the coconut oil in a pan, add the curry paste and cook for 1 minute or so, stirring regularly, then add the sugar and cook for a further 5 minutes. Pour in the coconut milk, add the tamari and star anise and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it is saucy and has thickened. Meanwhile, boil the potatoes for 20 minutes or until tender, then drain and cut into chunks. Steam the greens for 5 minutes until tender.
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Add the potatoes, pineapple (and the juice) and tofu to the curry sauce. Bring to the boil and then reduce the heat and simmer for a couple of minutes.
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Serve the curry over brown rice and top with the carrots, steamed greens, coriander leaves and a pinch of seeds.
