This quick and easy vegetarian curry is a saviour on busy weeknights. Made from a handful of ingredients we often have in the fridge and pantry, it's on the table in 25 minutes. Serve with boiled rice or quinoa, or your favourite gluten-free flatbreads.
IMPORTANT - PLEASE ALWAYS CHECK YOUR INGREDIENT PACKETS TO ENSURE THEY ARE GLUTEN-FREE
Ingredients
- 400 g halloumi cut into 1-2 cm cubes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 green cardamom pods
- ½ cinnamon stick
- 2 cloves
- pinch chilli flakes
- 1 onion diced
- 1 green capsicum / pepper diced
- 2½ cm fresh ginger finely grated
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon tomato puree / paste
- 400 g tin chopped tomatoes
- 240ml (1 c ) water
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- handful baby spinach
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
To Serve
- cooked rice
- fresh coriander
Method
- Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium-high heat, add the bay leaf, cardamom pods, cinnamon, cloves and chilli flakes and fry until fragrant – around 1 minute.
- Add the onion and capsicum / pepper, turn the heat down slightly to medium and cook for 5-7 minutes, until soft.
- Add the ginger and garlic and cook for a minute then add the ground cumin and coriander and cook for another minute.
- Stir in the tomato puree / paste, then tip in the tomatoes and water and add the salt. Bring to a boil then turn the heat down and simmer for 10 minutes, until thickened.
- 5 minutes before the curry is ready, fry the halloumi slices: Place a non-stick frying pan over a high heat and add the cubes of halloumi (no oil needed). Fry for 3-5 minutes until golden all over.
- Remove the whole spices from the curry. Add the baby spinach and stir to wilt, then stir in the cooked halloumi cubes and garam masala.
- Serve the curry straight away spooned over boiled rice.
Notes
Don't let the list of whole spices put you off! They are spices that are used in many flavourful curries and I am sure you will use them! If you don't have any of them, feel free to leave them out.
This curry is best served fresh when the halloumi is still warm and soft.
However, leftovers can be stored in the fridge, covered, for up to 3 days. If you want to make the curry ahead, make the sauce and then reheat and fry the halloumi at the last minute.
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