Day 324: Coconut Curry Casserole

Once I’d perfected a representative dish from each region of my history – sambar from South India, chana masala from North India, tabouleh from Arabia and brownies from America – there was no stopping this woman in the kitchen. After The Exile, I was so happy to be back in my own house that cooking seemed the most proper way of celebrating the return. So, my favorite things to do now are sitting at home in my favorite armchair to work on crosswords, read, trip the internet fantastic or watch TV, and dreaming up new recipes with an Indian twist.

In honor of Sunday’s Krewe de CRAPS pool party (and the fact that I was craving veggies), I looked at the contents of my pantry and refrigerator and invented Coconut Curry Casserole. It’s amazing, if I should say so myself, and takes about 20 minutes to prepare if you have the right ingredients handy. Then again, masalas, spices and canned vegetables are never in short supply at my house, so this isn’t a problem.

Here’s the recipe. Go ahead, give it a shot, and send me feedback. Tilo, my favorite foodie, if you like it, feel free to spread the dish far and wide.

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Coconut Curry Casserole by Maitri Venkat-Ramani

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp. cumin seeds
• canola oil / light vegetable oil
• 1 can whole kernel, sweet, unsalted corn
• 2 cans cut green beans
• 2 cans French Style green beans
• 1 can Patak“s Coconut Curry Sauce
• 2 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1 tbsp. raw sugar
• 3 heaping tbsp. grated coconut; extra grated coconut for garnish
• salt to taste

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 325º
• Drain all of the water from the vegetables prior to preparing this dish.
• Start with a low flame, i.e. the flame should barely touch the bottom of your pan.
• Pour canola / vegetable oil in a sautee pan enough to lightly cover the entire pan. Once the oil is slightly warm, add the cumin seeds. Wait until the seeds start to turn brown and sizzle on the oil.
• Add drained vegetables to the pan. Make sure to stir the veggies until they are warm all the way through, but not crisp, browned or blackened (this is why I use canned veggies – they retain moisture better).
• Add half of the can of the Patak“s Coconut Curry Sauce to the vegetables. Stir until the sauce is mixed in with all of the vegetables. Next, add 2 tsp. of garam masala powder to the mix and, again, stir thoroughly. Then, add 1 tsp. of raw sugar, stir thoroughly.
• Allow the mixture to cook for approx. 3 minutes, stirring occasionally for even and thorough cooking.
• Finally, add 3 heaping tbsp. of shredded coconut and stir the entire mixture for a minute. Do not overcook the coconut or it will lose its fresh flavor.
• Transfer the mixture to your favorite casserole dish and stick in the preheated oven for 10 minutes.
• Let cool, refrigerate if you are not serving the dish for a while. Reheat (stick in oven) until warm before serving. Feel free to sprinkle on a bit more shredded coconut right before serving for freshness.

Serves 4-6 at a meal; works as a great side dish at a potluck or buffet of 15-20 people. Add salt to individual taste.

A Note On Indian Spices:

Patak“s Coconut Curry Sauce (in a can) and Garam Masala Powder are available at International Foods in Metairie, some Whole Foods locations and finer grocery stores.

Grated coconut powder and cumin seeds should be available in the spice/baking aisle of the average grocery store. If not, the Indian store and/or Whole Foods definitely carries them.

Email me with questions!