C H E F !
SWEET POTATO AND AUBERGINE KATSU CURRY SERVES 2 ½ onion 2 medium carrots olive oil 2 garlic cloves ½ tbsp curry powder ½ garam masala 1 tbsp plain flour, plus extra for coating 300ml vegetable stock 2 tbsp coconut milk 1 sweet potato 1 aubergine soya milk breadcrumbs, for coating vegetable oil, for deep frying 150g jasmine rice 1 red chilli, finely sliced 1 spring onion, finely sliced small handful coriander leaves, chopped, to garnish For the kimchi-style ’slaw: 50g white cabbage, finely shredded 20g leeks, finely shredded 10g carrots, finely shredded sriracha, to taste 1 tbsp sesame oil ½ tsp ground ginger
CURRY POWER
Don’t waste time thinking about whether veg counts towards your five-a-day if it’s fried – just get going on this vegan katsu curry by Sam Wormington Barnstaple’s 62 The Bank is a contemporary-style bistro housed in a centuries-old building in the centre of the town. The venue dates back to 1620 when it was built as a merchant’s house and was later converted into a bank (in case that part wasn’t obvious). The menus take inspiration from global cuisines and are created by head chef Sam, who’s been cooking here for four years, and with Brend Hotels (62 The Bank’s parent company) for 14. This is one of the latest additions to the menu, designed to banish those chills in the coldest season.
62 The Bank, 62 Boutport Street, Barnstaple EX31 1HG; 01271 324446; 62thebank.co.uk
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1 Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4 and prepare the ’slaw by combining all the ingredients. 2 For the curry, roughly chop the onion and slice the carrots into ½cm-thick discs, then add both to a frying pan with a splash of olive oil. Fry for 7 minutes on a medium heat. Peel and dice the garlic, then add it to the frying pan and fry for 2 minutes. Add the curry powder, garam masala and plain flour to the pan and fry for 1 minute, stirring frequently. 3 Pour in the vegetable stock and coconut milk, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the carrots are soft. 4 Blitz the sauce and pass it through a chinois to ensure a smooth texture. 5 Slice the sweet potato and aubergine thinly. Coat each slice in flour, then soya milk and then the breadcrumbs. Heat the vegetable oil in a heavy-based pan to 190C and deep-fry the veg until golden and crispy (about 4 minutes). This will need to be done in batches. Then, transfer the vegetable slices to a baking tray and bake for 15 minutes. 6 Cook the rice as per the packet instructions and warm the curry sauce. 7 To plate up, place the hot rice in a dome mould and flip into a bowl. Fill the edges of the bowl with the sauce and add the sweet potato and aubergine slices. Finally, add the kimchi ’slaw, and scatter the sliced chilli, spring onion and coriander on top.