Pungent mustard greens are paired with mild spinach, and with the addition of mellow cauliflower, the result is a gorgeous and satisfying curried stew. Mustard greens, which are in fact a green often used in curries (as is spinach) most often come in really large bunches, so use as much as you’d like; the sharp flavor is well tamed by cooking. If you're not a fan of mustard greens, or just want to use a more familiar type of leafy green veggie, see the variations following the instructions. Recipe from Wild About Greens. Photo by Hannah Kaminsky, from her original review of this this book.
Recipe
Coconut Cauliflower Curry with Mustard Greens and Spinach
Ingredients
- 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion quartered and thinly sliced
- 2 to 3 cloves garlic minced
- 3 medium-large potatoes peeled and diced
- 3 medium carrots sliced
- 15- ounce can light coconut milk
- ½ medium head cauliflower cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 small fresh hot chili seeded and minced, optional
- 1 to 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger to taste
- 2 to 3 teaspoons good-quality curry powder or to taste
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ to 1 bunch mustard greens depending on size and how much you like them!, cut into bite-sized pieces or ribbons
- 4 to 6 ounces spinach any variety, stemmed and chopped, or equivalent amount of baby spinach, left whole
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large soup pot. Add the onion and sauté over medium heat until translucent.
- Add the garlic and continue to sauté until the onion is golden.
- Add the potatoes, carrots, and 2 cups water, and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer gently for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are about half tender.
- Add the coconut milk, cauliflower, optional chili, ginger, curry powder, and turmeric. Continue to simmer gently for 10 minutes, covered, then stir in the mustard greens. Simmer for 10 minutes longer, or until the they and the vegetables are tender but still retain their colors.
- Mash some of the potatoes against the side of the pot with a wooden spoon to thicken the base. Add the spinach and cover; let it wilt down, stir it in, then season with salt and pepper. Serve at once.
Nutrition
Variation: Substitute escarole for the mustard greens; or, if you'd like a milder green, use chard.
- See more recipes for Global Stews.
- Explore other ways to use Hardy Greens.
Jan says
Another great recipe. The broth is fantastic and would be great on brown rice on its own. It turns out my favorite organic market does not stock mustard greens so I used a hardy kale instead. The spinach, surprisingly, added a lot, I won't be tempted to skip it next time. I also used yams instead of potatoes, I am on a yam kick, which I added to the dish's beautiful hue. I used coconut oil instead of olive oil (and only 1 tablespoon) to add another layer of coconut flavor. Thanks Nava!
Nava says
So glad you're continuing to enjoy these recipes, Jan! Thanks for your comments and feedback.
Laureen says
I made this dish this week and loved it! I substituted a can of chick peas for one of the potatoes to add some protein. Next time, I'll use a low sodium veg broth for the 2 cups of water. This would be good over rice, quinoa or couscous, but i enjoyed it without. Great recipe - thank you!
Mizz P says
A recipe that is very filling but not "heavy." I made it as written and it was very tasty. It has a lot of room for customization, e.g, add frozen peas, kale, and as others have tried chickpeas and sweet potatoes. I put some chutney on the side and this would also be great with some naan (from the grocery store, of course!) Bookmarked!