slow-cooker cauliflower, carrot and green bean korma

… The Viking and I have taken to our sickbeds.  It’s not often that both of us get ill at the same time but in some ways it’s quite sweet because neither of us can claim that they are more ill and both of us are being extra-specially nice and helpful to the other… but still not much is being done, it’s just a lot of laying around and drinking tomato soup.  At times like this I think that more than 24 hours in the same bed-sheets is a recipe for cyclical germ-spreading, so I opened the bedroom windows, forced us out of bed and down into the living room and in a move of what I like to think of as monumental heroism, I dragged my tired and flu-ravaged arse into the kitchen to make curry.  It’s all done in the slow-cooker so all I actually have to do is bung in the ingredients and let it do the work.  With The Viking laid flat with a feverish flu and me with more of an old-fashioned cold I wanted something strong enough that I could taste but mild enough not to knock the socks off us both… and so I thought the classic Korma a perfect option.  I’ve always adored the mild and nutty Korma but of course it’s fallen out of favour recently but I think it’s high time for a revival…

slow-cooker cauliflower, carrot and green bean korma
this recipe is inspired by the wonderful recipe for chicken korma in Miss South’s brilliant homage to the slow cooker, Slow Cooked.  If you don’t have a slow-cooker yet and have been thinking about purchasing one then this is the book that will help you be creative and ensure that you’re not just turning out a series of tasty brown sludge.  I’ve obviously adapted the recipe to make it vegetarian and have made the humble cauliflower the star of the show.  The cauliflower works really well in the slow-cooker and i’ve treated it is exactly the same way as Miss South treats the chicken so it’s packed with flavour and beautifully rich… oh and I can’t tell you how glorious the aroma was that filled the house this weekend.  It made us both feel so much more alive.

1 medium cauliflower – cut into florets
5cm piece of fresh ginger – peeled and grated
2 cloves of garlic – peeled and grated
100ml TOTAL Greek yoghurt
5 or 6 chantray carrots – sliced lengthways
100g green beans
2 medium onions – peeled and chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried chilli flakes
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
2 tablespoons ground almonds
200ml coconut milk
1 tablespoon ghee or butter
2 teaspoons Garam Masala

place the yoghurt and stir in the grated ginger and garlic plus half a teaspoon ground tumeric and some salt and pepper then tip in the cauliflower florets and stir it all together using your hands – cover with cling film and place in the fridge for as long as possible, if not overnight

to make the sauce for the Korma, puree the onions using a hand blender along with about 2 tablespoons of water so that it’s thick enough to scoop not pour – add the chilli flakes and coriander seeds at the end to break them up a bit

once you’re ready to cook the curry, tip the cauliflower into slow-cooker, cover with the onion and spice mix and sprinkle the ground almonds over them, stir it all together well along with the remaining turmeric, then pour the coconut milk into the crock and add the ghee or butter

put the lid on and cook on low for 8 hours, about 30 mins before the dish is ready add the garam masala over it all

serve with some curried potatoes or rice

i’m linking this dish to the brilliant slow-cooked challenge co-hosted by Janice from Farmersgirl Kitchen and Lucy the Baking Queen

as this dish has green beans in it, i’m linking it to Eat Your Greens hosted by Shaheen at A2K

and finally i’m linking it to the Extra Veg link-up…founded by Michelle from Utterly Scrummy and Helen from Fuss Free Flavours and hosted this month by Kate from Veggie Desserts

eat and of course, enjoy!