Name: Creamy Coconut Curry Sauce
Prep time: 9 min
Cook time: 21 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 5 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 2 tbsp coconut oil (or any vegan cooking oil); 4 null garlic cloves (, minced); 2 tsp fresh ginger (, finely grated); 0.5 null onion (, finely chopped (brown or yellow)); 400 ml coconut milk ((full fat)); 1 cup vegetable broth; 0.5 cup passata ((tomato puree) (Note 1)); 400 g brown lentils (, drained); 250 g pumpkin ((~3 cups), cut into 2cm / 4/5" cubes); 2 cups baby spinach ((tightly packed)); 0.5 cup cashews (, unsalted (roasted or raw) (Note 2)); 0.5 tsp kosher salt (+ black pepper); 0.5 tsp black pepper (+ kosher salt); 1 tbsp garam masala ((Note 3)); 2 tbsp curry powder ((mild or spicy, your choice, Note 4)); 2 tsp cumin; 1 tsp coriander powder; 1 tsp paprika ((sweet, or hot for spice!)); 0.5 tsp turmeric powder; null null cilantro leaves (, whole or chopped); null null chopped cashews ((optional))

Creamy Coconut Curry Sauce

This incredible Coconut Curry Sauce is rich, creamy, and boasts a profound depth of flavor from a simple blend of everyday spices. It's an utterly addictive Indian-style sauce that can be prepared in just 30 minutes from scratch. While delicious with pumpkin, lentils, spinach, and cashews, this versatile sauce pairs wonderfully with various vegetables, legumes, or your favorite plant-based proteins. Its low spiciness ensures a comforting meal, perfect for any night of the week.

Instructions

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1

Heat the coconut oil (2 tbsp) or any vegan cooking oil in a deep skillet or pot over medium-high heat. Add onion (0.5), cloves (4 garlic) and fresh ginger (2 tsp). Cook for 2 minutes until the onion is slightly golden.
2

Add garam masala (1 tbsp), curry powder (2 tbsp), cumin (2 tsp), coriander powder (1 tsp), paprika (1 tsp), and turmeric powder (0.5 tsp). Stir for 1 minute to cook off the spices.
3

Add coconut milk (400 ml), passata (0.5 cup), and vegetable broth (1 cup). Stir until fully incorporated. Add brown lentils (400 g) and pumpkin (250 g). Bring to a simmer, then adjust heat to maintain an energetic simmer.
4

Simmer for 10 minutes or until the pumpkin (250 g) is tender but not mushy, and the sauce has thickened to your desired consistency.
5

Stir in baby spinach (2 cups) until wilted, then add cashews (0.5 cup). Season with kosher salt (0.5 tsp) and black pepper (0.5 tsp), adding more if needed.
6

Serve over rice, garnished with [cilantro leaves] and optionally [chopped cashews].