Vegetable Curry (Kenya)

From: “The Africa News Cookbook, African Cooking for Western Kitchens”.

SERVES 8 -12

* 2 large onions, finely chopped
* 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
* 1 teaspoon cumin seed
* 1 teaspoon mustard seeds (the black kind, if possible)
* 8 medium potatoes, quartered
* 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh ginger, crushed
* 1 large garlic clove, minced and crushed
* 1 tablespoon ground cumin
* 1 tablespoon whole coriander seed, crushed
* 2 chili peppers (I will used a lesser amount of crushed red pepper flakes.) or 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (I will used a lesser amount of crushed red pepper flakes.)
* 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 4 cinnamon sticks
* 6 cloves
* 4 ounces tomato paste
* 1/2 lb fresh green beans, trimmed
* 1/2 small cauliflower, broken into pieces
* 1 medium eggplant, cut into chunks
* 8 ounces green peas (fresh or frozen)
* 8 ounces leafy greens, chopped (small bunch, fresh or frozen, kale, spinach, collards, swiss chard, etc.)
* 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, drained (garbanzo beans)

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a large, heavy skillet or pot, brown onions in moderately hot oil along with the cumin seeds and mustard seeds.

Add the potato pieces and stir to coat each piece with spices.

Add remaining spices and continue to stir for several minutes.

Thin the tomato paste with 2/3 cup of water and stir into the pot.

Add vegetables, one at a time, cooking for a minute or so between each addition, add chickpeas last.

If your pot isn’t oven proof transfer mixture to one that is and cover with a lid or seal with foil, and bake for about 45 minutes, checking after the first 20 minutes.

The consistency of this curry should be thick, rather than watery, but add more liquid if needed to prevent burning. Stir occasionally to keep ingredients from sticking to the bottom of the pot.

Serve over rice or with Indian bread.

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