Garam Masala Coco-Carrot and Rice Bowl

Welcome back to the blog! The recipe that I am sharing with you all today has been a massive hit in my home. I made it completely by accident due to not going to the grocery store for about 13 days (I believe this is a record in our home) and all I had on hand were a heck of a lot of carrots and my pantry staples.

What in the world was I going to make?!

I headed to my pantry and I saw a jar of one of my all time favourite Indian cuisine pastes and spices: Garam Masala. Now, you do not NEED this paste or spice mix to make this dish, but I highly recommend it. If you have never tried Garam Masala, I urge you to do so. It has such a magnificent and heavenly taste that knocks every single veggie dish out of the park. If you cannot find this paste/spice at your local store (please ask them to stock it!) you can simply use any curry paste or spice.

What is Garam Masala?

It is a magical warming blend of spices like coriander, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, cardamom and nutmeg.

Speaking of curry powder, did you know that this was invented by the British? Curry powder resembles the Northern Indian spice of Garam Masala (the spice that I urge you all to try!), but it is not a spice that most Indian cooks would recognise or use. The British invented curry powder to make a quick ready-made flavour that would recreate the Indian food that colonists came to love. Another invention of the British? The term “Curry” used for Indian dishes. It seems, wherever you go online, all of the Indian spiced dishes are just lumped into one big “Curry” category. Heads up, if you go to India and order “curry”, they will look at you like you are crazy.

So, with this information, you can bet your butts that I am ready to make a change. Here at WonderMamas, we will absolutely not lump the Indian cuisines into one category that does nothing to honour the amazing culture and cuisine of India. And so, I would like to introduce this beautiful dish to you all as….

“Garam Masala Coco-Carrot and Rice Bowl”

Our family has had this Garam Masala Coco-Carrot and Rice Bowl well over 8 times in two weeks, haha! It is THAT good. This will probably be the only time that I do not recommend adding anything extra to the dish. For some reason, the carrots do ALL of the work. I was tempted to add in potatoes and bell peppers on the second making of this dish but Martin begged me not to. He said to me “Baby, the carrots are too good!!”

Do not forget to add that squeeze of lime at the end, it is well worth it!

Please share a picture with me of the Garam Masala Coco-Carrot and Rice Bow on Instagram by tagging @veganwondermamas!

What you will need for this coconut carrot chickpea curry recipe…

Ingredients Required:

Red onion

Ginger

Garam Masala paste or powder

Turmeric

Carrots

Full fat coconut milk

Chickpeas

Lime

Hemp hearts

Basmati rice

Find more vegan dinner recipes below:

Vegan Taco Salad Recipe

Vegan Black Bean Burger

The 5 Minute Chickpea Burger Recipe

Garam Masala Coco-Carrot and Rice Bowl

A super simple dish that will satisfy all of your cravings!

5 from 2 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: dinner, lunch

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: Curry

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Servings: 4

Calories: 508kcal

Ingredients

• 1 Red onion
• 1 inch Fresh ginger grated
• 2 tbsp Garam masala paste Can substitute 1:1 for powder
• 1 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1 pinch black pepper
• 6 large carrots peeled, and sliced into bite sized chunks (I would opt for cubes Vs discs)
• 1 can Full fat coconut milk
• 1 can Chickpeas  rinsed and drained
• 1 Lime juiced, (start small and add more as you wish)

To serve

• 4 tbsp Hemp hearts hemp hearts to serve over each bowl
• 1 cup basmati rice dry

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Grab a stock pot and heat to medium high heat. Chop up your red onion and add to the pot with 1/4 cup water. Allow the onion to saute for 3 minutes and then add in the grated fresh ginger.
• Add more water as needed to avoid sticking. Allow the ginger and onion to heat for a couple more minutes together and then stir in the garam masala, turmeric and black pepper. Stir well. Once the fragrance is strong, add in all of the remaining ingredients except for the lime.
• Mix well and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer and cover. Allow the mixture to simmer for 15-20 minutes unti the carrots are tender (this does depend on the size of your carrots so please do check in).
• This would be a wonderful time to prep any jasmine or basmati rice that you need, just follow the package instructions. If using an instant pot, cook for 4 minutes on low pressure. I like to always use 1 part rice to 1.5 parts water. Be sure to add a pinch of salt to the pot!
• Once the carrots are tender, remove from heat and squeeze in some lime. Cover again and let sit for a few minutes.
• Add one scoop of rice to each serving bowl and top with a nice big scoop of this garam masala mixture. Sprinkle hemp seeds all over and enjoy!

Notes

**If using a curry paste or powder, just substitute one for one.

**You can absolutely add ANY vegetables to this dish. I do recommend trying it with just  the carrots first though, it's phenomenal!

Nutrition

Sodium: 91mg | Calcium: 98mg | Vitamin C: 14mg | Vitamin A: 18120IU | Sugar: 7g | Fiber: 5g | Potassium: 679mg | Calories: 508kcal | Saturated Fat: 19g | Fat: 28g | Protein: 12g | Carbohydrates: 56g | Iron: 6mg

Benefits of…

Turmeric 

• The main ingredient in Turmeric is Curcumin, which boosts antioxidants and has an extremely strong anti-inflammatory effect. 

• Turmeric reduces inflammation, which is vital in protecting the immune system. Chronic inflammation is the root cause of many chronic diseases, so reducing unnecessary inflammation is extremely important.

• Turmeric dramatically increases antioxidants. It not only neutralizes oxidation of the cells but also boosts a body’s own antioxidant enzyme.

Ginger

• Ginger reduces gas and improves digestion. The enzymes in ginger have been shown to break up gas molecules in the gut and relieve any discomfort and it increases movement in the digestion tract. 

• Helps relieve nausea. Growing up, my mom always made me drink a cup of ginger tea when I had a stomach ache- and now, I know why.

• Ginger has been reported to help ease a cold or the flu. Adding fresh ginger may help protect the respiratory system, but the dried ginger did not have the same impact.

Hemp Hearts

• Hemp hearts are technically a nut, but they are incredibly nutritious nevertheless. They contain over 30% fat, mostly essential fatty acids, which is vital for heart health. 

• Contain significantly more protein than flax or chia seeds. The protein is very high quality as well, so perfect for all my plant-based mamas!

• Hemp hearts have a lot of sneaky nutrients, including phosphorus, vitamin E, zinc, iron, potassium, sodium, magnesium, and calcium.

Are you craving more vegan dinners that are family-approved?

Join us in the WonderMamas Meal Plan Membership Program.

Stop stressing over what you are making for dinner. Having a plan frees up space in your brain and eliminates the daily decision-making, actually leaving you more energy to be present and enjoy meal time with family. Once you join, you get immediate access to hundreds of nutritious, vegan recipes that your whole family will enjoy and love.