Root Veggie Recipe
Rutabaga, parsnips, taro—their names are familiar, but how do you prepare them? Renowned cooking teacher Joanne Weir demystifies the lesser-known, plucked-from-the-soil veggies
Curried Root Vegetables
- ½ pound taro
- ½ pound carrots
- ½ pound parsnips
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 cardamom pods, crushed
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- 2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and finely chopped, fresh or canned
- ½ jalapeño pepper, halved lengthwise
- ¾ cup coconut milk
- Cilantro sprigs
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Prep time: 26 minutes
Cooking time: 28 minutes
Serves 4 to 6
Serve with steamed basmati rice.
1. Peel taro, and cut into large chunks. Simmer in boiling salted water until almost tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain, cool, and cut into 1-inch cubes. Peel the carrots and parsnips; cut into 1-inch cubes.
2. Heat the oil in a large soup pot over low heat. Add the ginger and garlic. Cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Add the taro, coriander, cumin, salt, cardamom, cinnamon, red chili powder, paprika, pepper, turmeric, tomatoes, jalapeño, coconut milk and 1 cup water. Cover, and simmer until the taro is tender, about 4 minutes. Add the parsnips and carrots; simmer until cooked, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove cover, and continue to simmer until the sauce has thickened slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Place in a bowl, and garnish with the cilantro sprigs.
