250 gm portobello mushrooms
2 tbsp vegetable oil
½ onion, finely chopped
2 potatoes, peeled and
coarsely chopped
1 large carrot, peeled
and coarsely chopped
200 ml coconut milk
1 Asian eggplant, diced
1½ tbsp coconut sugar
500 gm leafy greens, such
as Chinese broccoli, spinach
or bok choy
MARINADE
10 cm piece ginger,
finely grated
2 lemongrass stalks,
finely chopped
1 tbsp chilli powder
1½ tbsp ground turmeric
1 tbsp tamarind concentrate
2 tsp coconut sugar1 Combine the marinade
ingredients in a bowl, add the
mushrooms, cover and leave
for 1 hour.
2 Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil
in a char-grill pan. Add the
mushrooms, reserving the
marinade, and grill until golden
brown (4-5 minutes). When
cool enough to handle, cut
mushrooms into quarters.
3 Heat the remaining oil in a
saucepan. Add the marinade
and stir over medium-low heat
until browned and fragrant
(4-5 minutes). Increase the
heat to medium, add the onion
and stir-fry for 4 minutes.
Add the potatoes, carrot
and mushrooms and stir
gently to combine.4 Pour in the coconut milk,
bring to the boil and stir,
scraping the bottom of the pan.
Add 100ml water and return to
the boil. Reduce the heat and
simmer for 15 minutes, then
add the eggplant and simmer
until the carrot and potatoes are
cooked (15 minutes; add more
water if the sauce is reducing
too quickly). Stir in the coconut
sugar and season to taste. Add
the greens, stir until wilted and
serve at once.Vietnamese yellow currySERVES 4
“If there is one restaurant in Hong Kong that believes in sustainability and wellness and
still cooks delicious food, Grassroots Pantry is it,” says Tan. “Owner-chef Peggy Chan is
setting an excellent standard with her plant-based menu. While she is an eco-warrior with
years of fine cooking under her belt, she doesn’t brandish her beliefs like a zealot. Instead,
she lets her outstanding food do the talking. This delicious curry calls for hedgehog
mushrooms, but as these are hard to find in Australia I use portobello mushrooms instead.”120 GOURMET TRAVELLER