purple sweet potato coconut curry w/ beech mushrooms + bok choy
purple sweet potato coconut curry with beech mushroom + bok choy
Recently I’ve been all about the Thai / Southeast Asian flavors, mainly bright curries with aromatic spices that are as flavorful as they are easy to throw together. Since the spring vegetables have yet to arrive, I am making the best of the last of the winter veggies and using things like purple sweet potatoes to add a bit of color to my meals. This curry is very easy to throw together, and requires little time and just one large pot. The veggies here can easily be interchanged, for example, if you can’t find purple potato, any kind of sweet potato will work. Also, any kind of green such as spinach or swiss chard could sub for bok choy, and the more readily found shiitake or button mushrooms would work to replace the more rare beech mushroom.
SERVES 2-4
INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons of ghee, or a neutral high-heat oil such as avocado oil
1 red onion, sliced
3-4 scallions, sliced
6 cloves of garlic, minced
1” piece of ginger, peeled and mined
3 medium-sized purple or regular sweet potatoes, diced
1 teaspoon of sea salt
1 teaspoon of cumin
1/2 teaspoon of coriander
a pinch of cayenne (optional)
13.5oz can of coconut milk (full-fat)
8oz of beech (or shiitake or button) mushroom, sliced lengthwise
2 large handfuls of greens such as bok choy, spinach, or chard
1/2 a lime, juiced
optional toppings: the reserved green parts of the scallion, and some chopped herbs such as cilantro, mint, and/or basil, sesame seeds
MEDTHOD
Heat the ghee or oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the onion, white white and light green parts of the scallion (reserving the green parts), garlic, and ginger and sauté while stirring for 2 minutes until fragrant and the onion is softened. Add the potatoes, salt, cumin, coriander, and cayenne, and lower the heat just slightly (you don’t want the garlic or onions to burn), and then cook the potatoes while stirring often, for about 10-15 minutes, until the potatoes are fork tender.
Add the coconut milk and mushrooms and simmer on low heat for about 30-45 minutes to allow the flavors to develop. When you’re getting close to serving, add the greens and the lime juice and simmer until the green are wilted, and serve soon after. To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and top with the green part of the scallions and any other toppings you like. This will keep for 5 or so days in an air-tight container in the fridge, and it also freezes well (for up to 3 months). Enjoy!