CREDIT LINE: Excerpt from VEGETABLES UNLEASHED by José Andrés and Matt Goulding. Copyright 2019 by José Andrés.

Excerpted by permission of Ecco, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

V EG E T A B L E S U N L E A S HE D

S E R V E S 4

CARROT CURRY
A Spanish chef is as lost in India as an Indian chef is lost in Spain. The former isn’t prepared for the
spice and the intensity, the latter isn’t ready for the subtlety. Luckily I’ve met some great Indian chefs
over the years, people like Sanjeev Kapoor and KN Vinod, who have guided me into the complex world
of spices, a world where, honestly, I sometimes feel lost. This curry is a result of such a journey, with
big spices like star anise and garam masala that were unknown to me for the first half of my life. You’ll be
shocked by how well they play against the sweet meatiness of the carrots. (And how well it pairs with
other vegetables like pumpkin squash, and cauliflower.)

CURRY SAUCE FOR THE CURRY SAUCE

10 star anise pods
8 cardamom pods
2 cinnamon sticks
1½ tablespoons garam masala
2 pounds plum tomatoes,
halved lengthwise
2 tablespoons canola oil
6 shallots, minced (about ¾ cup)
4 cups pure carrot juice
¼ cup fresh lime juice
Pinch of saffron threads
1¹∕³ cups unsweetened
coconut milk
Kosher salt
8 large carrots, peeled and
cut into 2- to 3-inch chunks
Put the star anise, cardamom, cinnamon sticks, and garam masala in a small dry
skillet and toast over medium heat, stirring, just until fragrant, about 30 seconds;
be careful not to burn the spices. Scrape onto a plate and set aside.
Grate the cut sides of the tomatoes on the large holes of a flat or box grater set over
(or in) a bowl; discard the skins. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium
heat. Add the shallots and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Stir in the
tomato puree and the toasted spices, then add the carrot juice and lime juice,
bring to a simmer, and cook gently again until the sauce can easily coat the back of
a spoon, about 30 minutes.
Add the saffron and cook for 1 minute, then stir in the coconut milk and cook for
another few minutes to let the fl vors get friendly. Remove from the heat and pick
out and discard the whole spices. With an immersion blender, blend the sauce
until smooth (or use a regular blender), then pour it into a smaller saucepan. Season
with salt.
TO FINISH THE DISH

GARNISH Add the carrots to the curry sauce and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook over

Coconut milk medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the carrots are tender, about 35 minutes.

Cilantro leaves Spoon the curry into bowls and drizzle each serving with a bit of coconut milk.
Fresh lime juice and zest Garnish each bowl with cilantro leaves, lime zest, and lime juice. Serve with rice.
Really Good Garlic Rice (page 343)