coconut curry with potatoes, carrots, and crispy collards

This meal started the weekend off right.

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Tons of carbs, spiced curry, and creamy coconut flavor infused into every bite.

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And let's not forget the crispy collard greens piled high on top of everything.

Kale is not the only green that can be turned into a "chip!"

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Roasted potatoes are one of my major comfort food loves.  Especially when I have the patience to let them puff up and turn golden brown on each side. 

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Intimidated by the thought of making curry at home?  I promise it's not as hard as you think!  No crazy techniques, just a little onion slicing, ginger grating, and sauce stirring.  Don't forget the lemon at the end.  It's key!

You've totally got this.

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When you place those creamy, puffed gems in a bath of fragrant curry sauce and top it all off with a pile of crispy collard greens, it's all over.

You win. 

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Print this!

Recipe adapted from my Veggie Coconut Curry

Coconut Curry with Potatoes, Carrots, and Crispy Collards

gluten-free, vegan // yields 3-4 servings

coconut brown rice:

  • 1 tablespoon unrefined coconut oil
  • 1 cup short brown rice
  • 1/2 cup full-fat coconut milk*, or 1 cup light coconut milk
  • 1 1/2 cups water, or 1 cup water [if using light coconut milk]
  • pinch of salt

*Be sure coconut milk is well combined by either whisking all contents in a bowl or vigorously shaking the can.

roasted veggies:

  • 1 - 1 1/4 pounds baby potatoes, sliced about 1/4-inch thick
  • 1 1/2 cups sliced carrots
  • 1 bunch collard greens, de-stemmed
  • ~2 tablespoons melted unrefined coconut oil
  • salt, pepper

coconut curry sauce:

  • 1 tablespoon unrefined coconut oil
  • 3/4 cup thinly sliced yellow onion
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated ginger, small side of your grater or a zester/microplane
  • 2 teaspoons curry powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  • pinch of cayenne pepper, optional
  • 1, 13.5oz can full-fat coconut milk
  • 2-3 teaspoons coconut sugar, or sucanat/honey/maple syrup
  • salt + pepper
  • 1/4-1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1/2 lemon
  1. For the brown rice: Heat oil in a pot over medium and place rice in the pot once hot. Stir frequently for 3-5 minutes until toasted [optional].
  2. Place coconut milk, water, and a pinch of salt in the pot and bring to a boil.
  3. Stir once, cover, and reduce heat to simmer for 50min.  Do not stir or uncover while cooking.
  4. Remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes, then uncover and fluff with a fork. 
  5. For the roasted veggies: Preheat your oven to 400* F.
  6. Place potatoes in a single layer on a baking sheet and toss with melted coconut oil [or other oil], season with salt + pepper, and place in the oven for about 30-40 minutes, tossing 1-2 times while cooking.  Toss carrots with melted coconut oil, salt, and pepper and place on the the potato baking sheet during the last 15 minutes of cook time for the potatoes. Remove once potatoes are golden brown on both sides and carrots are slightly tender.
  7. Stack de-stemmed collard leaves and slice into thin ribbons. 
  8. Place collards on a baking sheet, toss with melted coconut oil, season with salt + pepper, and place in the oven for about 20-25 minutes, tossing 1-2 time while cooking.  Remove once crisped.  
  9. For the coconut curry sauce: Heat a pot over medium and add the coconut oil.
  10. Once hot place the onion in the pan and cook for about 6-8 minutes until softened and translucent.
  11. Add in the garlic, ginger, curry, turmeric, and cayenne [if using] and stir for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
  12. Carefully pour in all contents from the coconut milk can and stir until combined.
  13. Stir in 2 teaspoons coconut sugar and a scant 1/2 teaspoon salt + pepper and bring to a boil.
  14. Reduce heat to simmer for 10-12 minutes until sauce starts to thicken.  Sauce will thicken more when removed from the heat.  
  15. Stir in lemon zest and a big squeeze of lemon juice.
  16. Taste and add more sugar, salt/pepper, or lemon zest if desired.  
  17. Pour sauce onto a large platter, place potatoes + carrots over the sauce, and then top with the crispy collards.  Serve hot with coconut rice. 

notes/substitutions: This recipe has numerous components but they are all fairly simple to make.  The most difficult part is the timing aspect, so read through the instructions and make sure ingredients are prepped and ready when you start.  You could also add roasted chickpeas to this meal.  Toss with oil, s + p, and roast for about 30 minutes with the other veggies.

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I'm thinking this will be an excellent start to your week.  Enjoy!

Ashley

Curry Spiced Lentil Rice Veggie Burger

Veggie burgers are one of my favorite things ever. 

I just love the endless possibilities for flavor combinations and their versatility.  You can eat them with a bun, with out a bun, hot, cold, crumbled on salad, stuffed in a tortilla, smothered in ketchup, or crumbled over rice/quinoa/polenta, etc.  The best part is doubling the recipe takes hardly any extra time and then you have a stocked fridge for quick meals and lunches.  Or, you can freeze the leftovers. 

I could go on but let’s just get to it.

curry spiced lentil rice veggie burgers // edible perspective
curry spiced lentil rice veggie burgers // edible perspective

I commonly find myself in flavor ruts. 

Well, not really ruts, but maybe “flavor overuse.”  The most typical overused flavors in my kitchen are Italian + Mexican seasonings.  I always feel like Asian + Indian flavors are a bit harder to nail, so when I do cook with them I like to keep things very simple.

curry spiced lentil rice veggie burgers // edible perspective
curry spiced lentil rice veggie burgers // edible perspective

A year or so ago I discovered garam masala and fell in love.  A little goes a long way with its warm but potent flavor profile.  This spice mix can vary but typically includes things like coriander, cinnamon, cloves, black pepper, and cardamom.  It can be quite spicy depending on the brand. 

Mixing garam masala with curry is a definite favorite combination of mine and it works well to season the rice and hearty lentils in this veggie burger.

curry spiced lentil rice veggie burgers // edible perspective
curry spiced lentil rice veggie burgers // edible perspective

I highly recommend adding roasted red pepper + goat cheese on top.

curry spiced lentil rice veggie burgers // edible perspective
curry spiced lentil rice veggie burgers // edible perspective

And sandwiching it in between homemade, no-rise flat bread.

curry spiced lentil rice veggie burgers // edible perspective
curry spiced lentil rice veggie burgers // edible perspective

Print this!

Curry Spiced Lentil Rice Veggie Burger

gluten-free, vegan // yields ~8 medium patties

  • 1 cup green or black lentils, cooked
  • 1 cup + 2 tablespoons short grain brown rice, cooked
  • 1 large clove garlic, peeled
  • 3/4 cup chopped yellow onion
  • scant 1/2 cup chopped carrots
  • 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons tahini
  • 1 tablespoon curry powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt + pepper
  • 1/4-1/2 cup partially ground gluten-free rolled oats
  • 3 tablespoons sunflower seeds
  • oil for cooking

toppings: roasted red pepper, goat cheese, cashew cream sauce, avocado, etc.

  1. Place the garlic clove in your food processor and turn on for a few seconds until minced.
  2. Add the onion, carrots, and pepper, then pulse about 10-15 times until everything is diced close to uniform in size.  Scrape the sides of the bowl 1-2 times.  Do not puree.  Refer to photo 1.
  3. Rinse, drain, and pat the lentils dry with a kitchen towel.  Do not skip or burgers may fall apart.
  4. Add the lentils, brown rice, tahini, and spices to the bowl of the food processor.
  5. Pulse about 15-20 times until everything is ground to about the size of a grain of rice.  Scrape the sides of the bowl 1-2 times and pulse again if needed.  Refer to photo 1.
  6. Empty the mixture into a large bowl and mix in 1/4 cup ground oats and sunflower seeds.
  7. Add more oats, if needed, until a patty is easily formed.  You want a fairly moist mixture but not watery or dry.  I used 1/3 cup ground oats.
  8. Heat a large pan over medium heat with a thin coating of oil.
  9. Form a ball then gently press into a patty [about 3-4-inch diameter and 1/4-1/2"-inchthick] helping form/compress the outside edges by cupping your hand around the burger. 
  10. Place in the hot pan and cook for 4-6 minutes per side until golden brown.  Carefully flip with a large metal spatula and cook the other side until golden brown.  Do not overcrowd the pan or burgers will be hard to flip.
  11. Let cool slightly then serve with whatever toppings you choose.

notes/substitutions:  Unsalted sunflower seed butter or almond butter can be subbed for the tahini.  Partially ground oats can easily be made by grinding rolled oats about halfway to flour.  This can be done in a food processor, blender, or coffee grinder.

curry spiced lentil rice veggie burgers // edible perspective
curry spiced lentil rice veggie burgers // edible perspective

This was the day I was also working on the flat bread and naan recipes.

curry spiced lentil rice veggie burgers // edible perspective
curry spiced lentil rice veggie burgers // edible perspective

Slightly chaotic.

curry spiced lentil rice veggie burgers // edible perspective
curry spiced lentil rice veggie burgers // edible perspective

Hugely messy.

curry spiced lentil rice veggie burgers // edible perspective
curry spiced lentil rice veggie burgers // edible perspective

Completely worth it.

Hope you had a lovely weekend with a little relaxation thrown in!

Ashley