An Everlasting Meal: Cooking with Economy and Grace

by Tamar Adler

End-of-the-week vegetable curry 1/2 onion, cut into large dice peanut oil or olive oil salt 1/2 teaspoon, combined, ground turmeric, ground cardamom, and ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon flaked chile; if you have a whole, fresh chile, mince it and use instead 1/2 cup cooked chickpeas or black-eyed peas, canned or cooked from dried 1/2 to 1 can coconut milk 1 cup other liquid (chicken stock, strange liquid requisitioned from cooking vegetables, or water) 2 or 3 pieces lemon rind optional: 1 teaspoon Thai or Vietnamese fish sauce 2 cups cooked vegetables 1/2 cup toasted peanuts Fresh lemon juice Fresh mint or basil leaves Cook the onion in peanut or olive oil, adding salt as soon as you add the onion. Add the spices and the chile. Once the spices are fragrant, add the beans, then add all the liquid and lemon rind. Cook, stirring occasionally, at below a simmer until the beans are very tender, about 1/2 hour. Add the fish sauce if you are using it. Add the vegetables and peanuts and cook for 15 minutes on low heat. When everything seems integrated, taste the curry. Add salt if it needs it and a big squeeze of lemon juice. Serve on rice, topped with fresh herbs.