INGREDIENTS

Curry paste
4 cardamom pods
2 teaspoons coriander seeds
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
2 cloves
3 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons hot curry powder (use 1 teaspoon if you prefer a milder curry)
2 medium red chillies, seeded and finely chopped
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 tablespoons tomato paste (concentrated puree)
40 ml white wine vinegar
30 ml vegetable oil

Rest of the dish
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 onions, chopped
175 g tin chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon caster (superfine) sugar
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
650 g boiling potatoes, peeled and chopped into 3 cm dice
100 g English spinach or silverbeet
chopped coriander, to serve

TO MAKE 

For the curry paste, toast the cardamom pods and the seeds in a dry frying pan until fragrant. Transfer to a mortar, add the cloves and pound. Discard the empty cardamom pods, shaking out the seeds, and pound to a powder. Add the remaining paste ingredients and pound to a wet paste. Set aside.

Heat the vegetable oil in a large lidded pan and gently cook the onions for ten minutes, or until very soft and golden at the edges. Add the curry paste and stir for three minutes, being careful not to burn the paste. Add 455 ml water, the tomatoes, sugar and salt and gently simmer for ten minutes. Add the potatoes – they need to be just covered with liquid, so top up with a little water if necessary. Cover with the lid slightly ajar and cook for 20 minutes. Remove the lid and simmer for ten minutes more, or until the potatoes are tender and the sauce thick. Taste for seasoning and add more salt or sugar if needed.

Add the spinach to the pan, cover and cook until just wilted. If your pan is not large enough to hold the curry and the spinach together, wilt the spinach separately and then add. Gently stir to combine the vegetables. Serve immediately, sprinkled with coriander. Delicious with vegan naan bread.

Serves 2–4.

Recipe and images from Easy Vegan by Sue Quinn. Published by Murdoch Books.