Healthy Vegan - Curried Root Vegetable Stew with Chilli-Coriander Dumplings

I made this Indo-Anglo Curried Vegetable Stew on Sunday for the working week ahead, the recipe serves 6, but D is a greedy man and can eat for 2, so it ended up being a meal for 2 days (including this evening), rather than 3.  

Stews have been on our evening menu quite a bit lately.  Some of you may remember that I made one early on in the month with Butternut Squash and Kale.  Another reason its been on the menu is that we have both been enjoying the lightness of the dumplings.   This time thought I wanted to give the stew an Anglo-Indian twist with chillies, curry powder and coriander!

Of course you can make your own curry powder, but there are plenty of brands about and if there is one that you like, use it.  I have to be honest, I don't make my own curry powder at all.  My mother or sister in laws give me some when they make it, which in fact is not that often as they don't really use curry powder in their cooking, so I rely on those packets from South Asian and Oriental grocers.  

Anyway, I found the Curried Root Stew was mild for my taste, a little more chilli would have been desired on my part, but it was good none the less.  For me though, the zingy lemony coriander dumplings were the stars as they managed to elevate the stew flavours further.  

The root vegetables were tender, but not quite falling apart melting in your mouth.  I prefer that - had they been over-cooked they would be erring on baby food for me and i am not into mushy food that much. 

D liked this Curried Root Vegetable Stew but suggested serving with something like pickled onions, I'd probably serve it with some mango or lime chutney! 

Anglo - Indian Root Vegetable Stew with Garam Masala, Chilli - Coriander Dumplings

Serves 4

For the Stew

Ingredients

1 large onion, peeled and finely sliced

2 tablespoon olive oil

2 – 4 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 - 4 teaspoons Madras Curry Powder
1 teaspoon chilli flakes or to taste

2 carrots, peeled and chopped into small bite size cubes
2 parsnips,  peeled and chopped into small bite size cubes
1/2 celeriac, swede or turnip,  peeled and chopped into small bite size cubes

900ml vegetable stock

1 tablespoon tomato paste

Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: 2 tablespoons plain flour (to thicken)

1 x 400grams canned chickpes, drained and rinsed
Optional: Fresh Corainder
Optional: Extra Garam masala for serving

Method

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil and add the onions and garlic and cook until soft, then stir in the spices and heat through for a few minutes before stirring in all the chopped vegetables.  Cook on medium heat until the vegetables are beginning to look translucent around the edges. Then pour in the vegetable stock, tomato paste and yeast and bring to the boil, turn down the heat and simmer with the lid on for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
Optional:  in a small bowl whisk the flour with a little stock from the pot, then whisk into the simmering pot to thicken.
Stir in the chickpeas to heat through.
Season to taste. 
Whilst the stew is simmering, make the dumplings.

Chilli Coriander  Dumpling
Makes 8 - 12 depending on size you roll
110grams self raising flour
50grams vegetable suet
1 tablespoon fresh coriander, minced
1 teaspoon garam masala 
Good pinch of chilli flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
Cold water 
Method
Put all the ingredients into a bowl and give it a good stir to combine, then slowly pour in a tablespoon of cold water at a time until it begins come together, be careful not too much water - just enough to combine to make into balls
Divide into 8 - 12 balls, they will seem small, but they do puff up.
Drop gently into the simmering stew.
Put lid on and simmer for 15 - 20 minutes until puffy.
Serve immediately with optional extra garnish of fresh coriander and garam masala.