Recipe of the day: Chef Georgina Hill’s vegan butternut and chickpea coconut curry

Georgina Hill, Executive Chef of the Wild Coast Sun Resort predicts that this year, more and more people will be looking for plant-based options which cater for vegetarians and vegans but also the more health-conscious person.

As a practising vegetarian, Hill is fully on-board with vegan and gluten-free dietary requirements, but she says she has tried all types of meat and is perfectly comfortable cooking everything from a slow braised lamb shank to a mutton curry.

“It is challenging to cook with ingredients you don’t eat, because how can you cook it if you don’t know what it’s supposed to taste like – so I try everything at least once,” the chef says.

She shares her favourite vegan curry recipe, adding that it makes for the perfect bunny chow.

ALSO SEE: Recipe of the day: Curry spiced chicken with fresh peach chutney

Vegan butternut and chickpea coconut curry

Ingredients

• 100 g Onion, chunky chopped
• 1 Tbsp Garlic, crushed
• 1 Tbsp Ginger, crushed
• 100 g Red Pepper, chunky chopped
• 3 Red Chilli
• Whole Butternut peeled and cubed
• Carrot peeled and finely diced
• Potato peeled and chunky chopped
• 1 can Chickpeas, drained
• 1 Tbsp Tomato Paste
• 1 Tbsp Cumin Seeds
• Star Anise
• Cinnamon sticks
• ½ Tbsp Paprika
• 1 Tbsp Harissa Paste
• 1 Tbsp Curry Powder – your favourite blend (heaped)
• 1 tsp Turmeric
• 10 Black Peppercorns
• 1 Tbsp Veggie Stock powder (or Cube)
• 1 Can Coconut Cream
• Salt to season
• 2 Tbsp Oil

Method

1. I cut the butternut into bite size cubes and then toss in oil with cumin seeds, chilli powder, paprika, salt and roast until just soft.
2. Then I make my curry sauce – sweating the onions, garlic, ginger, carrots, red pepper and spices.
3. Add 1 cup of water (with the veggie stock added) and the potatoes. Cook until soft before adding the coconut cream.
4. I leave it to cook slowly – until lightly bubbling finally adding the chickpeas and butternut before serving.

*This recipe was created by Georgina Hill, Executive Chef of the Wild Coast Sun Resort and is courtesy of The Wild Coast Sun.  

Vegan butternut and chickpea coconut curry

This curry makes for the perfect bunny chow!

• Author: Chef Georgina Hill
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 40 minutes
• Total Time: 50 minutes
• Category: Dinner, curry
• Method: Simmering
• Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 100 g Onion, chunky chopped
• 1 Tbsp Garlic, crushed
• 1 Tbsp Ginger, crushed
• 100 g Red Pepper, chunky chopped
• 3 Red Chilli
• Whole Butternut peeled and cubed
• Carrot peeled and finely diced
• Potato peeled and chunky chopped
• 1 can Chickpeas, drained
• 1 Tbsp Tomato Paste
• 1 Tbsp Cumin Seeds
• Star Anise
• Cinnamon sticks
• ½ Tbsp Paprika
• 1 Tbsp Harissa Paste
• 1 Tbsp Curry Powder – your favourite blend (heaped)
• 1 tsp Turmeric
• 10 Black Peppercorns
• 1 Tbsp Veggie Stock powder (or Cube)
• 1 Can Coconut Cream
• Salt to season
• 2 Tbsp Oil

Instructions

1. I cut the butternut into bite size cubes and then toss in oil with cumin seeds, chilli powder, paprika, salt and roast until just soft.
2. Then I make my curry sauce – sweating the onions, garlic, ginger, carrots, red pepper and spices.
3. Add 1 cup of water (with the veggie stock added) and the potatoes. Cook until soft before adding the coconut cream.
4. I leave it to cook slowly – until lightly bubbling finally adding the chickpeas and butternut before serving.

NOW SEE: Meat-free Mondays: Chana Masala Mushrooms