South Indian-Style Vegetable Curry

This easy one-pot meatless main gets it's complex flavour from a combination of spices including coriander, cumin, turmeric, cayenne and cinnamon. The spices marry in a rich, flavourful sauce that has a comforting, belly-warming appeal.

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp cooking oil
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 4 medium cloves garlic, minced
• 2 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated (1tbsp)
• 1 tbsp ground coriander
• 1½ tsp ground cumin
• ¾ tsp ground turmeric
• ½ tsp cayenne
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 3 inch cinnamon stick
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 small cauliflower, broken into 1½ inch florets (about 4 cups)
• 450g sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes (about 3 cups)
• 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into ½ inch thick rounds ( about 1 cup)
• 2 medium tomatoes, cored, seeded, and coarsely chopped (about 1½ cup) 
• 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 115g baby spinach (about 4 lightly packed cups)
• 2 tbsp finely lime juice
• 1 tsp finely grated lime zest
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander

Method:

In a heavy duty pan, heat oil over a medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 3-4 minutes.

Reduce the heat to medium (or medium low if necessary) and cook until the onion is richly browned, 5-7 minutes more. Add the garlic and ginger, cook, stirring for 1 minute to blend the flavours. Add the coriander, cumin, turmeric and cayenne, stir for 30 seconds to toast the spices. Add the tomato paste and stir until well blended with the aromatics, about 1 minute. Add the broth, coconut milk, cinnamon stick, 1tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low or low and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the cauliflower, sweet potatoes, tomatoes and carrots. raise the heat to medium high and return to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low, cover and simmer until the vegetables are tender, 20-25 minutes. Discard the cinnamon stick.

Stir in the chickpeas, spinach, lime juice and zest, cook until the spinach has wilted, about 3 minutes or more. Season to taste with salt. Serve garnished with the coriander.