This recipe is one of our favourite really simple recipes that everyone loves. Medium hot Madras curry powder provides the spice flavour profile and turmeric gives it and extra colour and gut health boost. You can vary the veggies you put in here endlessly, but red pepper is a really delicious one to keep as part of the mix. It brings a lovely sweetness to the party that only Ms. Red Pepper can.

Ingredients

All the vegetable ingredients are in approx quantities. You need about 700-1000 g total.

• 300 g onion, finely sliced

• 50 g garlic, crushed to a paste or very finely chopped

• 50 g ginger, crushed to a paste of very finely chopped

• 2 normal sized tomatoes roughly chopped, or half a tin of chopped ones (better in winter)

• 3 tbsp ground nut oil or similar — coconut oil also works well

• 1 tsp cumin powder or ground seeds (if using seeds toast these lightly before grinding)

• 1 tsp coriander powder or ground seeds (if using seeds toast these lightly before grinding)

• 2 tbsp medium Madras curry powder

• Ground chilli or chilli flakes to taste

• 1-2 tsp sweet paprika powder

• A good handful of fresh or dried curry leaves if you have any around

• 1 vegetable stock cube

• Sea salt to taste.

• 300 g of chickpeas (dry weight) soaked over night in light brine or 500 g (two tins) of tinned ones

• Approx. 600 ml of water (add more to top up along the way as needed until chickpeas are fully cooked — if using soaked chickpeas)

• 1 tin of coconut milk

• 1 large red pepper, in 1x1 inch. dice

• 300 g or half a head of cauliflower, cut in little florets

• 300 g or so of butternut squash in bite sized chunks

• 200 g or so of white cabbage, sliced in 1cm x 3cm strips or thereabouts

Method

As with any other curry, stew a casserole, start by sweating the onions for a good long while in the oil until they are a light to medium golden. The more you brown them the deeper the flavour. Add your spices, sweat for a few mins then follow with the garlic and ginger paste. Once it doesn’t smell raw anymore add the tomato and reduce and burn off acidity for a good five to ten minutes. Then add veg stock and water. Cook for 20 minutes or so then add the chickpeas. When they are sort of there add the coconut milk. Cook until it’s nice and thick. Then add all the veg. This will give off liquid that bring the sauce to it’s final viscosity. Cook until the veg is tender. Adjust seasoning.

Serve e.g. with rice and a nice lime and yoghurt slaw.