Roasted Banana Veggie Curry

Cooking the bananas develops a roasted sweetness that is perfectly complemented by fruity, spicy Thai aromatics like ginger, lemongrass, and red chili peppers. Acidic pickled onions cut through the sweetness while eggplants, carrots, and fluffy stea… — Cooking the bananas develops a roasted sweetness that is perfectly complemented by fruity, spicy Thai aromatics like ginger, lemongrass, and red chili peppers. Acidic pickled onions cut through the sweetness while eggplants, carrots, and fluffy steamed rice soak up all the flavor. (Photo source: Jared Kent)

| Yield: 4 servings | Time: 1 hour and 15 minutes |

Ingredients

Pickled onions

1 red onion, thinly sliced

1 cup rice vinegar

¼ cup sugar

2 teaspoons salt

Banana curry

2 cups dry basmati or jasmine rice

6 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided in half

4 bananas, peeled and diced into large chunks

4 cloves garlic, whole

1 4-inch knob of ginger, peeled and diced into small chunks

1 white onion, quartered

4 red Thai chili peppers, stems removed and split in half (or 2 red jalapenos or Fresno chile peppers)

1 stalk lemongrass, sliced into ¼ inch-thick rings

6 kaffir lime leaves, whole

1 bunch cilantro stems, saved from picking the leaves

4 cups water

4 cups coconut milk

1 tablespoon turmeric powder

3 Japanese eggplant (the longer, skinnier, light purple kind, you can also use one medium-sized globe eggplant) sliced into ¼ inch-thick half moons

3 carrots, peeled and sliced into ¼ inch-thick half moons

salt and pepper to taste

For serving

1 bunch picked cilantro leaves, stems reserved

1 bunch Thai basil, picked (optional)

1 lime, cut into 4 wedges

Note: All of these ingredients can be found at your local Asian market or online.

Preparation

For the pickled onions

In a small pot, combine the vinegar, sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil, add the onions to the pot and boil for 2 minutes.

Transfer the onions and liquid into a container and chill in the fridge until ready to serve.

For the banana curry

Cook the rice according to the instructions on the packaging. Once cooked, leave warm in a pot on the stove until ready to serve.

Heat 4 tablespoons of the oil over high heat in large pot. Add the bananas and cook on high for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. They should be slightly brown on the outside and beginning to break down.

Add the garlic, ginger, onion, chili peppers, lemongrass, lime leaves, and cilantro stems to the pot, cook for 3-4 more minutes, stirring occasionally.

Pour the water and coconut milk into the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes.

Transfer the contents of the pot to a blender and blend until smooth. Transfer the blended curry back into the pot and add the turmeric powder.

Stir to incorporate the turmeric, bring to a simmer and simmer for 15 more minutes.

As the curry is simmering, heat the rest of the oil over high heat in a large separate pan.

Add the eggplant and the carrots to the pan, season with salt and pepper, and stir-fry over high heat for 4-5 minutes, just until cooked.

Once cooked, add the cooked vegetables into the pot with the curry. Season to taste with salt and pepper and keep warm until ready to serve.

For serving

Ladle the hot curry into bowls over a scoop of the rice. Top each bowl with a handful of the pickled onions, a generous scattering of cilantro and Thai basil leaves, and a lime wedge.

Zero-waste tips

• Use bananas that may be a little brown or soft to put into the curry.

• Feel free to add other vegetables to the curry like cauliflower, broccoli, red peppers, squash, potatoes, or any other vegetable you need to use up.

• Steep the ginger peels in hot water to make a refreshing ginger tea.

• Save the banana peels to make vegan “pulled pork”.