When I was growing up in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, our curry vegetables were cooked in coconut milk made from scratch. We’d grab sun-dried coconuts that had fallen from the trees, remove the husks, and crack the nut open. Then we’d grate the pulp with a hole-punched piece of metal, mixing with water, squeezing, and straining it to make coconut milk. These days, I rely on the canned stuff (Native Forest for aroma and consistency and Trader Joe’s for its concentrated coconut flavor) to make this Caribbean-style curry with a mix of vegetables: zucchini, carrots, cauliflower, eggplant, okra, mushrooms. It’s got a brilliant yellow hue from grated fresh turmeric (or ground turmeric in a pinch), an assertive curry flavor (look for Chief or Lalah's brands), and a little heat. But if the music is playing a bit too loud and you want to turn it down, that’s what coconut milk does. It balances out sharp, intense, or spicy flavors. —Rawlston Williams
What you’ll need
Small Saucepan
$160 At Amazon
Large Skillet
$90 At Amazon
OXO Good Grips® Smooth Edge Can Opener
$25 At Amazon
Rimmed Baking Sheet
$33 $31 At Amazon
Microplane Grater
$19 At Amazon
Recipe information
Yield
4 Servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat oven to 425°. Melt 3 Tbsp. coconut oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Transfer oil to a large bowl, add vegetables, and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Divide vegetables between 2 rimmed baking sheets and roast until almost tender and starting to brown in spots, 10–12 minutes. Set aside.
Step 2
Heat remaining 3 Tbsp. coconut oil in a large skillet over medium. Add turmeric, curry powder, and coriander and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add onion, garlic, and ginger, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring often, until onion is translucent and spice mixture starts to look dry and clumpy, 6–8 minutes.
Step 3
Add chile, coconut milk, and broth to skillet and bring curry to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced by about one third (it should be almost thick enough to coat a spoon), 13–17 minutes. Stir in honey; taste curry and season with more salt and pepper if needed.
Step 4
Add pigeon peas and reserved roasted vegetables to skillet and return curry to a simmer. Cook until vegetables are fork-tender, about 4 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and stir in cilantro. Let sit 5 minutes, then stir in lime juice if using. Serve curry vegetables with roti alongside.
