Golden Curry With Cauliflower and Mustard Greens

​One of the main goals of this blog, and the taste cart at the Saturday Morning Market, is to expose people to seasonal produce that they may not be familiar with.  Including me!  For instance, I’ve never cooked with mustard greens before.  The Evans Farm next to the taste cart has the biggest bunches of mustard greens, along with collards, and huge heads of cauliflower and romanesco broccoli.  So I wanted to pick a recipe this week that would feature these big bright green leaves.  

I consulted Nava Atlas’ cookbook, Wild About Greens, for inspiration.  This cookbook is an excellent companion for anyone who shops at farmer’s markets and wonders about all the different types of greens out there, and what to do with them.  The first section describes each type of green vegetable, how it is best used, and tips for preparing them.  This is what she says about mustard greens:  “The flavor of mustard greens has been described as pungent or peppery, though I’d characterize it as sharp, like horseradish.  Like many greens that have a certain bite to them, mustard greens mellow quite a bit when they’re lightly cooked.”  I read through some of her suggested recipes, and settled on making a curry, which I adapted from her recipe, “Coconut Cauliflower Curry with Mustard Greens & Spinach.”  

Golden Curry With Cauliflower and Mustard Greens

1.5 T olive oil
1 large onion, sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
3 large carrots, chopped
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
1 bunch mustard greens, chopped
1 small jalapeño, seeded and minced (optional)
2 t ginger root, grated
1 can chickpeas, drained
1 can light coconut milk
2-3 t curry powder, or to taste
1/2 t turmeric
Salt and pepper, to taste

Heat the oil in a large soup pot, add the onion and sauté until translucent, then add the garlic.  Add the sweet potato and carrots, 1 cup of water, cover and simmer 10-15 minutes, until they are half tender.  Add the coconut milk, chickpeas, cauliflower and jalapeño (if using), ginger, curry powder, turmeric and salt.  Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.  Then add the mustard greens and simmer another 5-10 minutes until tender.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  

Adapted from Nava Atlas’ recipe “Coconut Cauliflower Curry with Mustard Greens & Spinach” from Wild About Greens