Alex's response to this dish was: did you just throw a bunch of random shit together and call it a curry? I'm happy to report that I do research on my recipes, thank you very much, husband.
Curries are popular in India, Asia, Africa, Europe, the Caribbean, and beyond. This is definitely a Caribbean-leaning recipe, with a little bit of Mexican/Yucatan inspiration. Curries are a great way to clean out the veggies (and/or animal protein) in your fridge, or if you need to throw together a quick weeknight meal.
You can use green plantains, but I would wait until they turn black. The sweetness of the ripe plantains goes so well with the spiciness of the roasted poblano peppers and the creaminess of the sauce. Trust me on this one.
Ingredients:
3 poblano peppers, roasted and skins removed
3-4 blackened plantains, roasted
4 cloves of garlic
2 inch piece of fresh ginger root
6 green onions, divided (whites sliced thin, greens in 1 inch bites)
1 bunch of fresh cilantro
8-10 fresh basil leaves
1.5 tsp salt, divided
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 cans full-fat coconut milk
2 tbsp coconut or avocado oil, divided
2 cups low sodium vegetable stock
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
2 cups of sugar snap peas
8 oz. Shiitake mushrooms, sliced
2 cups, packed, fresh baby spinach
Turn your oven on to broil. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and add the whole poblano peppers. Broil for 8 minutes, flip, and broil for another 8 minutes until the skin is black. Immediately remove from the oven and transfer the peppers to a glass bowl with a lid. Allow to cool to the touch.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Peel and slice the blackened plantains into 1 inch chunks. Place on the baking sheet, add 1 tbsp. of the oil and 1/2 tsp of the salt and mix to coat. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes. Once done, remove and set to the side.
While the plantains are baking, peel off the skin, remove the seeds and stems of the poblanos and add to a high-speed blender along with the garlic, ginger root, basil, 1 tsp salt, turmeric, coriander, cumin, black pepper, and coconut milk. Blend on high until smooth and creamy.
Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil and the sliced white part of the green onions. Sauté for a minute, and then pour the sauce into the pot. Stir to combine and add vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer lightly.
Add red bell pepper, sugar snap peas, mushrooms, and baked plantains to the pot. Cover and lightly simmer for 20-30 minutes. Remove from heat, add the fresh spinach and stir. Add more salt and pepper to taste, if you think it needs more.
You can serve this by itself as a curry stew, or serve with brown jasmine rice or quinoa. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week!