Tomato Ginger Curry - Healthy Eating International Style

Part of keeping a healthy eating plan from falling into a rut is to try new dishes.  For my house, we like cuisine of other countries and cultures.  Since we eat a lot of veggie and meat free based dishes, Thai and Indian food is popular for a cheap, delicious healthy meal.  I had never had Indian food until I worked in London for six months on a project for my American employer when I was a young woman.  New friends and I went out for curry at least once a week, and I was surprised at how complex and delicate the different dishes could be, expecting all curry to be strong and/or super hot. So last night, I made a curry dish for my husband, wanting something a little different than our usual Thursday night pasta and meat sauce.  It wasn't super hot but had a nice zing to it and we both enjoyed it.

Red Tomato Curry with Ginger


You can use textured vegetable protein in place of meat, but cooked red lentils would also be really good.

1 large onion (fresh celery root may be substituted)
1 carrot finely grated

1 tablespoon coconut or olive oil

2 Tablespoons curry paste - I use Maesri Thai Red Curry paste, found on Amazon, as unlike many other Thai curry pastes, it contains no dried shrimp (I have a shellfish allergy).  Don't consider just substituting extra curry powder.  The paste contains chili pepper, lemongrass, galangal, coriander seeds, cumin and cardamon, garlic and shallot so it has a really complex taste.

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 Tablespoon curry powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon lemon juice or apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon minced garlic (optional)

2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger (found in the veggie section, it looks like a small thick root)

1 can (14-ish ounces I think) of Muir Glen Fire Roasted Tomatoes (so worth finding and paying a few pennies extra for at the grocers).

1 teaspoon honey or white sugar if you're making a vegan version

Heat oil in large skillet on medium and cook and stir veggies in hot oil until slightly softened and beginning to brown, about 15 minutes.

Mix curry paste and spices, stir into onions and cook on high, stirring constantly until the spices are fragrant (a couple of minutes).

Add tomatoes/tomato paste (if you're using, see note below) and honey, reduce heat and simmer until thickened.

Note:  If you'd like it extra thick as I do, replace a half cup of the tomatoes with 1/4 of a small can of tomato paste.

Add in prepared meat or TVP, heat through and serve on rice with Naan (flatbread).