Tomato Coconut Curry--Easily Adapts for Shrimp, Veggie or Chicken Lovers!

 Tomato Coconut Curry--Work Your Core Recipe to Easily Adapt for Veggie/Chicken/Shrimp Lovers 

Work Your Core...Recipe

Easy Core Basic Recipe with Endless Options for Different Preferences

Core tomato coconut curry shown here with cannellini bean/broccoli option.  Served on a bed of white rice or pile of sweet potato mash.

CORE INGREDIENTS:

• 5 cloves chopped garlic
• 5 T. Olive Oil
• 1 (28 oz) large can chopped tomatoes, or whole tomatoes that have been blitzed in blender, or squished by hand. 
• 1-2 T cumin or curry powder (cumin is wonderful on its own, or use curry powder which contain cumin and other spices depending on brand)
• 1 can coconut milk (regular or light--but light has more water so you may have to cook longer. Full disclosure--full fat tastes better, but light does have fewer calories.)
• 1/2 tsp or more of salt to taste

This items above make up your core recipe.  Whether or not you add chicken, shrimp, beans, veggies, or even all of the above is your choice to make.  Here are some of your options, followed by cooking instructions.

WORKING YOUR CORE OPTIONS:

• protein option: 1 can rinsed, drained beans of choice (i.e., cannelini beans, chick peas) OR 2-3 chopped chicken breasts OR 2 C raw shelled shrimp. 
• veggie option: 2+ large handfuls favorite chopped veggies (I used broccoli but cauliflower, string beans, zucchini would also be wonderful
• carb/starch option: serve on bed of cooked white, basmati, or brown rice, or Asian noodles. I served with choice of cooked white rice, and pile of sweet potato mash for my daughter who loves sweet potatoes with anything. 
• herb option: excellent with chopped cilantro or chopped Italian flat leaf parsley
• seasoning option: taste and add more cumin after 1 T.  If you have never tried cumin or curry, start with a little and taste at the end to see if you like more.  Also, if you are like me, you may want to experiment with all those little jars of Indian curry blends you see at the store.  I also like to occasionally blow my head off with a liberal dose of cayenne pepper.  But my kids wouldn't like that! 

In fact, you may want to reserve some of this stew with no cumin or spices, and give a sweet, creamy bowl over plain rice to your small children.  

COOK:

In a large pan, saute garlic in oil until fragrant, then add veggies/beans (vegan) or raw, chopped chicken breast until cooked. Add canned  tomatoes and cook for about 20-30 minutes until thick and rich.  Add 1 T. cumin, 1/2 tsp salt and taste.  Add more seasonings to your liking.  

*If you are adding shrimp, do so now, and cook a couple of minutes until shrimp is opaque.

Finally, add can of coconut milk, stir to combine,  and turn off heat.

Serve over bed of cooked white/brown/basmati rice, or a bed of sweet potato mash.  Top with freshly chopped cilantro for a heavenly aroma. 

I used beans and broccoli here but simple chicken or shrimp is delicious.

Added to a pile of sweet potato mash for my vegetarian daughter, Olivia.

STORY:

This is one of my favorite easy go-to dishes that never fails to impress.  I learned it from my friend in England who wowed us all at a dinner party by choosing to add only a party size portion of raw prawns (shrimp) at the end which cooked in a couple of minutes when they turned opaque. She served it all on a  bed of rice with chopped cilantro.  

The smell was incredible and everyone wanted the recipe.  My friend was embarrassed by how easy it was! Just cook the tomatoes, garlic, oil for 20-30 minutes, add cumin/salt to taste, raw prawns/shrimp until opaque, and swirled in a can of coconut milk at the end.   

The core heart of this dish is canned tomatoes, garlic, cumin and coconut milk.  What you choose to put in this curry is limited only by your imagination.  My friend served hers with shrimp and added no vegetables. As you may know, I am always trying to pump up the veggies.  But if you wanted a super simple dish, you could serve a heroic dinner by sticking with the core ingredients, then adding a bag of of raw shrimp, cook for a couple of  minutes until shrimp is opaque, then serving on a bed of cooked rice just like my British friend did.  

For tonight's dinner, I looked in my cupboards and fridge to see what I could use up.  Sometimes I have a week where feel overwhelmed by the bits and pieces of abundant food in my freezer, cupboards and pantry, and this is one of those weeks.  I therefore challenged myself to get through all week night meals on canned or boxed items, freezer items, leftover rice,  and wilting veggies that I need to rescue.  So I made tonight's meal with cannelini beans and broccoli, but you could easily replace this combination with chicken cubed and sauteed with the garlic, and any other colorful veggies you have to hand. 

I made the sweet potato mash for my vegetarian daughter who does not like rice.  Take two large sweet potatoes, pierce all over, microwave until soft (I pressed "potato" four times), slice open and scoop out insides, mash with a little butter and season with salt. (Butter/salt optional). 

Delicious simply mashed with a spoon and combined with a little butter and salt.

Microwave pierced sweet potatoes, then split and let cool a little before mashing.

Add beans, veggies, chicken, shrimp, or all of the above! Stir in coconut milk and cumin for heavenly curry with a powerful veggie twist.