A Rich Leek Curry

The richness of this leek curry is nicely offset with pickled carrots and a chickpea salad.

You'll need about 5-6 large-ish leeks to begin. (The recipe below can easily be halved if desired). Slice the leeks in to about 1/2" thick slices. Use all of the white portions and a bit of the very pale green tops. Rinse well to dislodge any sand or dirt. Drain.

Heat 2-3 T. of vegetable oil in a wide skillet over medium high heat. Add to the pan the sliced leeks along with 4-5 chopped small green chilies (you can substitute 3 sliced jalapenos I suppose) and stir-fry for 1 minute. Throw in 2 t. ground cumin along with 1 t. turmeric and about 1/2 t. cayenne pepper. Season with salt and cook, uncovered for 10 minutes. 

Now stir in 1 cup coconut milk, lower heat and simmer, still uncovered, for about 10 minutes more. The leeks should be tender but still hold a bit of shape and the sauce thickened. Delicious sprinkled with chopped cilantro or mint leaves.