Curry favourite
Quick veg curry with Vouvray Dilettante, Breton
This is a great recipe for using up odds and ends. It is simple and quick to make as well. The vegetables should be introduced into the sauce so that they just cook through and have a little bite to them
½ sweet potato peeled and cut into cubes
3-4 new pots quartered
Small handful of green beans
1 carrot diced
1 onion
2 spring onions
2 small cauliflower florets
Some peas
1 small courgette
2 clove of garlic
1 green chilli
1 tin of coconut milk
3 tomatoes deseeded and diced
Knob of ginger peeled and finely chopped
Bay leaf
1 teaspoon of coriander seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon garam masala
Small bunch of fresh coriander, roughly chopped
Chopped pistachio nuts (optional)
Grind the spices together in a mortar and pestle and mix with the turmeric and garam masala
Heat some olive oil in a pan
Add the diced onions, garlic and chilli and fry gently for 3-5 minutes until soft
Add the dried spices and fry for a further couple of minutes
Add the diced sweet potato, new potatoes and carrots and coat in the spice mixture
Pour in the coconut milk, diced tomatoes, season with salt and pepper and add bay leaf
After ten minutes add the courgette and cauliflower
Test the potatoes, when it is cooked add the beans
Before serving add the fresh coriander and the chopped pistachios if required
This is an aromatic, creamy, mild curry where the dried spices subtly infuse the coconut cooked vegetables. The ginger and chilli adds a note of heat, the tomatoes confer a touch of acidity (I occasionally add the juice of half of lemon to give a further lift) and the potatoes and carrots provide the sweetness. Matching this to wine is not a tricky exercise, but after a lot of experimentation I have found one wine that hits the spot best of all.
Vouvray La Dilettante, Catherine et Pierre Breton
This is the style which one would now recognise as sec tendre. It is truly tender (I love that word) with mellow, quince, pear and yellow plum-laden fruit. The ripeness is offset by the most delicious natural acidity. The wine seems to be a perfect fit for the curry: off dry with a hint of leesy spice, texturally rich, yet elegant and very fresh, ripe fruits with a clean citric balance, it retains its flavour and form whilst allowing one to taste all the discrete elements of the curry.