Dairy Free,  Main Course,  Recipe,  Vegan,  Vegetarian

Indian Red Coconut Curry + Homemade Pitas (Vegan)

Who’s in the mood for some Indian food?

Because it’s really something you have to love and be in the mood for, although this recipe might be an exception. I’m pretty sure I’d eat this everyday and still not get tired of it. I didn’t get the chance to find out because it was devoured really fast. I’m not sure exactly what it is, maybe it’s the coconut milk, but once you have one taste you just don’t want to stop.

I went with a more mild kick this time because the last time I made a curry I way underestimated the amount of kick in the green curry paste that I was using and it was like a mouthful of fire with every bite. I may be kind of a spice wimp when it comes to really hot food, but my brother basically drinks hot sauce and he even thought it was too spicy. Anyway, let’s just say I learned my lesson and went very light on the red curry paste until I got it to my opinion of a perfect spice level. Yeah, so respect the curry paste but feel free to add as much as you can take.

One of my favorite parts about this is that it’s so easy to make. Okay, I know I say that a lot but I just want you to know that this isn’t some complex and unattainable goal. It’s a very realistic weeknight dinner option and you’ll be so happy you tried it. I added some tofu to mine, which is something I rarely use, but wanted to try. You can skip it altogether or use chickpeas instead.

The pitas do take a bit longer so if you don’t have the time feel free to grab some pitas from the store, or go with rice instead, or both. I mean, the pitas are fabulous but the curry is the star of this show here. If nothing else, you can even eat it alone like a stew but you have to try it. Don’t fear the curry and you’ll thank me later.

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Indian Red Coconut Curry + Homemade Pitas (Vegan)

Try something new tonight and make this, totally from scratch, curry with the softest homemade pitas!

Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
rising time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup warm water
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 2 tablespoon oil
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour

Curry:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 small onion diced
  • 1/2 head cauliflower florets
  • 2 medium carrots diced
  • 1 cup grape tomatoes
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon red Thai curry paste
  • 1 12- ounce can full fat coconut milk
  • 2 cups tomato sauce
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves (plus more for garnish)
  • 4 teaspoons curry powder
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Optional:

  • 1 14 ounce package organic, firm or extra-firm tofu
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • OR
  • 1 15 ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Instructions

Pitas:

  1. Combine yeast, sugar and water in a medium mixing bowl. Stir to dissolve then allow it to sit for about 5 minutes until bubbly. Mix in oil, salt, and flour and stir until it starts to form a dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 3 to 4 minutes. Place in an oiled bowl and cover loosely with plastic or a damp towel then place bowl in a warm spot to rise for about 1 hour. After about 45 minutes, turn oven on to 450 degrees F (230 C) and place a baking tray on the top rack.
  2. Divide the dough into 8 balls and roll out balls into circles, about 10 inch diameter. Remove hot pan from oven and carefully place first 2 pitas (or 3 if they fit) flat on tray and bake for 2 minutes then quickly remove tray from oven, flip pitas, and bake for another 2 minutes. Remove pitas and repeat this cooking process for the rest. Wrap pitas in a foil packet to keep the warm and soft. Store in an air-tight container for up to 1 week. (They can also be frozen.)

~Crispy Tofu~ (optional, skip this step if not using)

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. For crispy tofu, it needs to be pressed first. Wrap the tofu in a kitchen towel or paper towels and place a heavy object on top, like a pan or cans (or use a tofu press). Let drain for at least 15 minutes. Unwrap the tofu and cut into cubes. Place on the baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Set aside until ready to add to curry.

Curry:

  1. Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium high heat and add onion, carrots, and cauliflower. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes until starting to soften, then add tomatoes and cook for about 5 minutes longer.
  2. Stir the curry paste with 1 cup of water and pour into pan, followed by coconut milk, tomato sauce, and cilantro and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and add curry powder, garam masala, salt, and pepper (and chickpeas if using). Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes until sauce has thickened a bit. If including, add the tofu now and continue cooking for about 5 minutes until heated through. Serve hot with warm pitas.



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