Weeknight Coconut Lamb Curry with Winter Veggies and Greens

This is a simple curry recipe chock full of delicious winter veggies and perfect for weeknights. The coconut milk is a nice addition and adds an exotic note to the end of a long day. Peeling and chopping the vegetables will take the most time. If you are in a rush, peel and chop the veggies the night before or in the morning to save time at dinner time. Add the spinach just before serving. Serve on brown or white rice.

This is a large recipe loaded with lots of vegetables. It will feed at least 6 and makes great leftovers. If you want to make a smaller amount, cut down on the veggies.

1 medium onion
5 cloves garlic - minced
1 pound Leyden Glen ground lamb
1 1/2 Tablespoons curry powder *
1 Tablespoon grated ginger
1/2 butternut squash
4 small carrots 
1 sweet potato
1 cup chicken stock or water
1 can coconut milk (13 1/2 oz.)
Large handful of spinach or greens of your choice

Prepare the vegetables: Chop the onion. Mince the garlic. Peel the sweet potato, carrots and squash. Cut the orange veggies into pieces of a similar size so that they will cook at the same rate. The smaller the pieces are, the quicker they will cook. 

Cook onion in a large pan until just beginning to soften. Add the minced garlic. Cook for a minute. Stir the curry powder and grated ginger into the onions and cook until it begins to smell good - this doesn’t take long. Add the ground lamb. Break into crumbles and cook until it is no longer colored. Add the stock and coconut milk. 

Add the sweet potatoes, squash and carrots. Cook until all the veggies are done to your liking - about 15 minutes depending on the size of the veggies. If it gets too dry, add a bit more water. The goal is to have a bit of sauce to sink into the rice. Just before serving, add the handful of spinach and let wilt. 

The curry can stay overnight in the fridge. If holding it until the next day, omit the spinach. Warm on stovetop and add the spinach just before serving. Serve on white or brown rice with hot sauce. 

* Curry Powder - You can make your own curry powder. Here is a recipe I have made from one of my favorite cookbook authors Patricia Wells. Give it a try.