Winter Vegetable Curry Rice (Printable)
A comforting blend of winter vegetables and spices, served alongside fluffy basmati rice.
# What You'll Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 2 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash
02 - 2 medium carrots, sliced
03 - 1 peeled and diced parsnip
04 - 1 cup cauliflower florets
05 - 1 cup chopped kale, stems removed
06 - 1 medium diced onion
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1 inch piece fresh ginger, grated
→ Spices
09 - 2 tablespoons curry powder
10 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
11 - ½ teaspoon ground coriander
12 - ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, to taste)
13 - ½ teaspoon turmeric
14 - ½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
15 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Liquids
16 - 1 can (14 fl oz) coconut milk
17 - 1 cup vegetable broth
18 - 1 tablespoon tomato paste
→ Rice
19 - 1 cup basmati rice
20 - 2 cups water
21 - ½ teaspoon salt
→ Garnishes (optional)
22 - Fresh cilantro, chopped
23 - Plain yogurt or plant-based yogurt
24 - Lime wedges
# How To Make:
01 - Rinse rice under cold water until clear. Combine rice, 2 cups water, and ½ teaspoon salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand covered for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving.
02 - Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat with a splash of oil. Sauté diced onion for 3 minutes until translucent. Add minced garlic and grated ginger; cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add curry powder, cumin, coriander, cayenne pepper (if using), turmeric, salt, and black pepper. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute to release aroma.
04 - Stir in butternut squash, carrots, parsnip, and cauliflower; coat evenly with the spice mixture.
05 - Mix in tomato paste, then pour in coconut milk and vegetable broth. Bring to a simmer.
06 - Cover and cook for 20 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.
07 - Add chopped kale and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes until wilted. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
08 - Plate the curry over cooked rice. Garnish with fresh cilantro, a dollop of yogurt, and lime wedges as desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It turns humble winter vegetables into something deeply comforting and surprisingly vibrant.
- The whole thing comes together in one pot, which means less cleanup and more time to enjoy the meal.
- Leftovers taste even better the next day once the flavors have had time to settle in.
02 -
- Toasting the spices before adding liquid is essential, skipping this step leaves the curry tasting flat.
- Add the kale at the very end so it stays bright green and doesnt turn bitter or slimy.
- Rinsing the rice thoroughly removes excess starch and prevents it from clumping together.
03 -
- Cut all the vegetables to a similar size so they cook evenly and nothing turns to mush while others stay hard.
- Let the rice rest off the heat for five minutes before fluffing it, this makes it impossibly light.
- Taste the curry before serving and adjust the salt, a little extra can make all the flavors come alive.