Wild Garlic and Potato Curry

Foraged Wild Garlic, simple spices, comforting potatoes - ideal lunch time meal

Wild Garlic and Potato Curry (vegan)

Another seasonal wild garlic recipe to make the most of the delicious harvest before it vanishes back underground for another year. You can substitute spinach for the wild garlic leaves at other times of the year and in that case you might want to add a crushed clove of garlic to the frying onions at the start of the recipe.

As always, please forage responsibly. Take your pick from an area where dogs and walkers don't go, and don't take all the leaves from one plant or denude an whole patch. A little goes quite a long way!

Combine with other curries in different sauces for a Curry Night Feast with friends and family; or make a simple meal with some warm naan and home-made chutneys and relishes.

Chutneys and relishes could include: 

• grated cucumber, squeezed and drained, mixed with yoghurt and mint;
• chopped tomatoes and red onions with a sprinkle of chilli powder;
•  blended coriander and mint leaves with salt and lemon juice;
• sweet mango chutney from a jar;
• lime pickle from a jar;
• fresh mango diced small and mixed with chopped red chilli, chopped red onion and lime juice.

 
Serves 4 as a lunch or as part of a combined curry meal                 Timings:  30 minutes

• 100g wild garlic leaves, washed and the centre rib torn out
• 1 x medium onion, about 150g, peeled and chopped fine
• 400g potatoes, peeled and cut into 2cm dice
• 1 tablespoon brown mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 mild green chilli, chopped
• 3 teaspoons medium curry powder or your own mix of ground turmeric, chilli, coriander and cumin powder
• Lemon juice, salt and pepper

 
In a wide flat pan, fry the mustard seeds and cumin seeds in vegetable oil for a few minutes while they sizzle. Tip in the chopped onion and chilli, and fry for a few minutes. Add the cubed potato and pour in water from the kettle to just cover the cubes.

Mix the powdered spices with some water in a glass to give you a light paste and pour into the pan of potatoes. This avoids you burning the ground spices in the hot oil and gives a more balanced flavour.

Add the lemon juice, a sprinkle of salt and a grind of pepper, then put the lid on and leave over a low heat to simmer for about 15 minutes. The potatoes will absorb the water and flavourings. Don’t let the pan boil dry, keep topping up with a little water if it’s all absorbed. After 15 minutes the potatoes should be tender and cooked and there should be a little flavoured gravy in the bottom of the pan. Add the torn up wild garlic leaves and put the lid back on again for a few minutes as they wilt down and cook.

Adjust the seasonings and serve with plain rice, fluffy naan and your relishes.