Indian-Style Curry with Sweet Potatoes, Green Beans, and Chickpeas
By America's Test KitchenPublished on August 22, 2007
Yield
Serves 4 to 6 as a main course
Ingredients
2 tablespoons curry powder (sweet or mild)1 ½ teaspoons garam masala (see note above)¼ cup vegetable oil 2 medium onions, chopped fine (about 2 cups)12 ounces sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch dice3 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger 1 - 1 ½ serrano chiles, ribs, seeds, and flesh minced (see note above)1 tablespoon tomato paste 1 ½ cups green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces1 medium eggplant, cut into ½-inch pieces1 can (14 ½ ounces) diced tomatoes, pulsed in food processor until nearly smooth with ¼-inch pieces visible1 ¼ cups water 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsedTable salt ¼ cup heavy cream or coconut milk
Before You Begin
This curry is moderately spicy when made with one chile. For more heat, use an additional half chile. For a mild curry, remove the chile's ribs and seeds before mincing. Onions can be pulsed in a food processor. You can substitute 2 teaspoons ground coriander, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom, and 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon for the garam masala. Serve with basmati rice pilaf, passing yogurt and at least one type of chutney or relish at the table.
Instructions
- Toast curry powder and garam masala in small skillet over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until spices darken slightly and become fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove spices from skillet and set aside.
- Heat 3 tablespoons oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onions and potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are caramelized and potatoes are golden brown on edges, about 10 minutes. (Reduce heat to medium if onions darken too quickly.)
- Reduce heat to medium. Clear center of pan and add remaining tablespoon oil, garlic, ginger, chile, and tomato paste; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add toasted spices and cook, stirring constantly, about 1 minute longer. Add green beans and eggplant and cook, stirring constantly, until spices coat vegetables, about 2 minutes longer.
- Add tomatoes, water, chickpeas, and 1 teaspoon salt; increase heat to medium-high and bring mixture to boil, scraping bottom of pan with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits. Cover and reduce heat to medium. Simmer briskly, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in cream or coconut milk; continue to cook until heated through, about 2 minutes longer. Adjust seasoning with salt and serve immediately, passing condiments separately.
Yield
Serves 4 to 6 as a main courseIngredients
2 tablespoons curry powder (sweet or mild)
1 ½ teaspoons garam masala (see note above)
¼ cup vegetable oil
2 medium onions, chopped fine (about 2 cups)
12 ounces sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch dice
3 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
1 - 1 ½ serrano chiles, ribs, seeds, and flesh minced (see note above)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 ½ cups green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium eggplant, cut into ½-inch pieces
1 can (14 ½ ounces) diced tomatoes, pulsed in food processor until nearly smooth with ¼-inch pieces visible
1 ¼ cups water
1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Table salt
¼ cup heavy cream or coconut milk
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
2 tablespoons curry powder (sweet or mild)
1 ½ teaspoons garam masala (see note above)
¼ cup vegetable oil
2 medium onions, chopped fine (about 2 cups)
12 ounces sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch dice
3 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
1 - 1 ½ serrano chiles, ribs, seeds, and flesh minced (see note above)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 ½ cups green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium eggplant, cut into ½-inch pieces
1 can (14 ½ ounces) diced tomatoes, pulsed in food processor until nearly smooth with ¼-inch pieces visible
1 ¼ cups water
1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Table salt
¼ cup heavy cream or coconut milk
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
2 tablespoons curry powder (sweet or mild)
1 ½ teaspoons garam masala (see note above)
¼ cup vegetable oil
2 medium onions, chopped fine (about 2 cups)
12 ounces sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch dice
3 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
1 - 1 ½ serrano chiles, ribs, seeds, and flesh minced (see note above)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 ½ cups green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium eggplant, cut into ½-inch pieces
1 can (14 ½ ounces) diced tomatoes, pulsed in food processor until nearly smooth with ¼-inch pieces visible
1 ¼ cups water
1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Table salt
¼ cup heavy cream or coconut milk
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
Toasting store-bought curry powder in a skillet for our vegetable curry recipe turned it into a flavor powerhouse. Further experimentation proved that a few pinches of garam masala added even more spice flavor. To build the rest of our flavor base, we started with a generous amount of sautéed onion, ghee (or vegetable oil), garlic, ginger, fresh chiles, and tomato paste for sweetness.
Before You Begin
This curry is moderately spicy when made with one chile. For more heat, use an additional half chile. For a mild curry, remove the chile's ribs and seeds before mincing. Onions can be pulsed in a food processor. You can substitute 2 teaspoons ground coriander, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom, and 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon for the garam masala. Serve with basmati rice pilaf, passing yogurt and at least one type of chutney or relish at the table.
Instructions
- Toast curry powder and garam masala in small skillet over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until spices darken slightly and become fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove spices from skillet and set aside.
- Heat 3 tablespoons oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onions and potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are caramelized and potatoes are golden brown on edges, about 10 minutes. (Reduce heat to medium if onions darken too quickly.)
- Reduce heat to medium. Clear center of pan and add remaining tablespoon oil, garlic, ginger, chile, and tomato paste; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add toasted spices and cook, stirring constantly, about 1 minute longer. Add green beans and eggplant and cook, stirring constantly, until spices coat vegetables, about 2 minutes longer.
- Add tomatoes, water, chickpeas, and 1 teaspoon salt; increase heat to medium-high and bring mixture to boil, scraping bottom of pan with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits. Cover and reduce heat to medium. Simmer briskly, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in cream or coconut milk; continue to cook until heated through, about 2 minutes longer. Adjust seasoning with salt and serve immediately, passing condiments separately.
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