Creamy curry and crispy, cheesy polenta combine in this “meal of leftovers.” Both parts of this recipe can be prepared ahead of time and stored overnight in the fridge; cook the polenta but don’t fry it until the reheated dish is ready to serve.
Curry:
- 300 g new potatoes, baked or boiled until soft
- 225 g diced squash, tempeh, seitan, or baked tofu
- 1 red onion, diced (optional)
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 3/4 C coconut milk or cream
Spices for the Curry:
- 1 1-inch cube ginger root, peeled and grated or minced
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 shallot, diced
- 1 1/2 tbsp Vindaloo powder or your favorite spicy curry powder
- 4 tbsp canola oil, coconut oil, or your favorite cooking oil
- 2 black cardamom pods, slightly crushed
Polenta:
- 1 C Polenta
- 6 oz Goat cheese
- 1/2 C Parmesan/Asiago
- 4 1/4 C water or bouillon
- 1/2 C olive oil (or enough to fill a frying pan 1 cm)
Equipment:
- A large frying pan with lid
- A spatula
- A cutting board
- A chef’s knife
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- A large spoon
- A serving plate or platter
- A ginger grater or garlic mincer
Preparing the Curry:
- Warm the cooking oil to low-medium heat in a large frying pan.
- Add the ginger and garlic, and sauté until the garlic has started to caramelize.
- Add the potatoes, the squash, the shallot, the onion, and the curry powder, and sauté until the shallot (and onion) is translucent.
- Add the tomatoes and the cardamom pods. Cook for 5 minutes, then lower the heat and simmer for another 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the coconut milk and cook, stirring frequently, for another 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat.
Preparing the Polenta:
- Follow the preparation directions in this post on making cheesy polenta, just double the ingredients. Alternatively, you can cook your batches of polenta as needed, following the usual recipe.
- 10-15 minutes before serving, fry your polenta in the olive oil on medium heat for 5-8 minutes on each side or until they turn a crispy, golden brown. Cover the frying pan with a lid during frying to prevent splashes.
Plating:
- Arrange the polenta squares on a plate.
- Spoon the curry over the polenta.
- Garnish with fines herbes, fresh cilantro, or fresh parsley.
- Serve immediately.
Cooking Notes:
- This recipe makes 6-10 servings, depending on portion size.
- Frozen butternut squash works well in this recipe.