Meatless Monday: Masala Potatoes and Peas

This week we wanted to include a favorite new dish that we make: Masala Potatoes and Peas. We mix up coconut milk with potatoes, peas (or spinach) and some Indian spices and WOW yummy and delish! We made this quite a lot last winter, and now that the weather is getting cooler in some areas around the country (but apparently NOT Tucson) we wanted to post it for a different kind of Meatless Monday meal.

We serve this with brown rice (to soak up all the sauce) and also want to let you know that it is just fantastic the next day if you want to take it for lunch (or eat the leftovers again for dinner… we do that sometimes).

Masala Potatoes and Peas

What you need:

• 1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes (Trader Joe’s usually sells the tiny ones- that is what we use)
• 1 medium sweet onion, diced
• 1 can Trader Joe’s coconut milk
• 1-2 cloves fresh garlic, minced fine (use the Microplane for best results)
• 1-2 Tbs. fresh ginger, minced fine (use the Microplane for best results)
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• ½ bag frozen sweet peas, or 1 6oz bag fresh spinach
• Olive oil, salt and pepper

How to:

1. Wash (and cut potatoes into 1 inch cubes if using large ones) and steam until just tender.

2. Heat 2 Tbs olive oil in large pan over medium heat. When hot add onions and sauté for 5-8 minutes or until soft and a golden brown color.

3. Add the garlic, ginger and dry spices and continue to cook 1 more minute. Add coconut milk and potatoes stirring gently to combine all the ingredients. Bring back to a boil and then turn the heat down and simmer for 10 minutes or until thickened slightly. Add the peas or fresh spinach and cook 2 more minutes until everything is warm.

Variations:

The original recipe called for adding a bunch of other items that you might like such as 1 jalapeno pepper (add with the ginger and garlic) or the juice of 1 lime and ¼ cup chopped cilantro (add at the end just before serving).

We just love the creamy-rich taste of coconut milk and this sorta “soupy” meal is very nice on a cool night. If you have more time on the weekends, this would be a great meal to make on Saturday and serve later on during the week.

What did you make this week for Meatless Monday? Share you details in the comments below