Global
Curry with Homegrown Veggies
A warming, vibrant curry featuring tomatoes, spinach, ginger, and aromatic spices.
Estimated. Worked out from the ingredients using the UK food composition tables, so treat it as a guide rather than a measurement. A typical recipe lands within about a quarter of the true figure. Makes about 1.
Ingredients
- 2 tomatoes
- 1 onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 thumb of ginger
- 2 cups spinach
- 1–2 tbsp oil or ghee
- Spices: turmeric, cumin, coriander, chili
- Optional: potatoes, lentils, coconut milk, cilantro
Cooking Steps
Prep aromatics
Finely chop onion, garlic, and ginger.
Sauté
Cook aromatics in oil until fragrant.
Add spices
Toast turmeric, cumin, coriander, chili.
Add tomatoes
Simmer until they break down into sauce.
Add spinach or vegetables
Cook until wilted and coated in sauce.
Finish
Adjust seasoning. Optionally add coconut milk for creamy texture.
Optional Enhancements
- Creamy: add coconut milk
- Protein-rich: add chickpeas or tofu
- Spicy: increase chili or add fresh green chilies
- Mild: reduce spices and add yogurt
Plant & Growing Tips
Spinach
- Cool-season crop.
- Sow spring or fall.
- Needs moist soil; partial shade in heat.
Tomatoes
- Full sun; regular watering.
- Rich compost improves flavor.
Onions
- Grow from sets; easy for beginners.
Garlic
- Plant in fall; mulch over winter.
Ginger
- Grow from rhizome pieces.
- Needs partial shade and rich soil.
- Water frequently but avoid waterlogging.
Natural Pest Control
- Marigolds & basil deter nematodes and leaf miners.
- Neem spray effective against leaf-eating pests.
- Hand-picking caterpillars helps protect spinach.
Harvest
Spinach
- Pick outer leaves regularly; plant will continue producing.
Ginger
- Harvest rhizomes when leaves yellow and die back.
Tomatoes
- Harvest at full color and aroma.
Onions & Garlic
- Harvest when tops dry or flop over.
Storing & Freezing
Keeps 3–4 days in fridge. Freezes well without dairy for up to 3 months.
