Learn how to make this Caribbean inspired curried potato using your slow cooker. This recipe delicious, hearty, packed with a medley of healthy vegetables along with red kidney beans for an extra boost of vegan friendly protein.
Who doesn't love some potatoes, thrown into a pot with some vegetables?
I'm talking about healthy root based vegetables along with some kidney beans (or peas as we call them) and a host of spices to boot.
Well that's what I'm bringing to you, an island inspired gluten free, vegan curry with potatoes and vegetables that's filling and wholesome.
In my humble opinion, dishes with potato make some of the best tasting comfort food.
I like potato based meals because they are incredibly filling, especially if they are made with sweet potatoes.
Yes, definitely filling to the point of my tummy bursting and equally as tasty might I add.
About this recipe
The plan was to initially make the dish with potatoes and a small serving of vegetables.
Then my creative juices began to flow, next thing you know I'm adding , cho cho (a small pear shaped root vegetable) known as chayote/christophene like in this Roasted Cho Cho (Chayote)with bell peppers and kidney beans to the party with a boat load of warm spices resulting in a sweet curry.
It all seems like a tall order but...... there's nothing more healthy and wholesome food in a pan/pot.
This is the type of Caribbean potato curry that you can make in bulk or even serve at a dinner party. Your guests would be amazed by the taste and bold flavours.
Ingredients you need
- Jamaican Curry Powder - As this is a curry recipe, you will need some type of curry. I like to use my homemade Jamaican curry powder for most recipes, including this one.
- Kidney beans - Also known as ""peas" in the Caribbean community, in this case we are using red kidney beans that are canned and cooked already.
- Sweet potatoes - Typically I would use the red skinned sweet potatoes are they are more akin to Caribbean cooking but I couldn't find them at the time when making this recipe so the orange flesh ones were used instead.
- Cho cho - also known as christophine or chayote depending on whereabouts you are from, this is a fruit which is eaten like a vegetable.
- Bell peppers - You can use any colour that you like but I used red and green peppers.
- Lime - A squeeze of lime juice for a hint of zestiness.
- Onion/scallion/garlic/ginger - These are the base ingredients for the recipe
- All spice - Known as pimento, for this recipe, you will need it in ground form not the berries.
- Cinnamon stick - This gives the recipe some warmth.
- Coconut milk - Full fat coconut milk is needed don't use the light stuff.
- Thyme/bay leaves - Fresh thyme and a few bay leaves give the recipe that herbaceous feel to it.
- Black pepper and pink salt - Flavour enhancers
Recipe preparation
When using my slow cooker as a general rule of thumb I ALWAYS saute my base notes - onion, garlic etc.. on the stove.
Although not everyone does this, having tried omitting this step. I can quite confidently tell you that, cooking your base vegetables before adding them to your crock pot is well worth those the extra hassle in terms of taste.
Alternatively, you can always do this overnight if you are pushed for time, leave the vegetables once done to cool and then just set them aside.
Speaking of vegetables, one thing of forgot to mention and there is a reason why I used canned kidney beans and not dry ones which is for convenience.
Also, if you do plan on using dried beans then it is really really important to soak them overnight, discard the water and par boil them for 10 minutes before adding them to the slow cooker.
This is a very important step that will remove lectins which are high in kidney beans.
Now that is out of the way, let's talk about the base ingredients and starting the recipe. As I previously mentioned, it is important to saute your base ingredients - onion, scallion, garlic and ginger.
These ingredients are the backbone of the recipe and will impart an aromatic depth of flavour when sauted so don't skip this step.
Once they are sauteed, move onto adding your curry powder, cinnamon stick, black pepper, pink salt, allspice, thyme and bell peppers.
Transfer those ingredients from the frying pan/skillet to your slow cooker then add the bay leaves, cho cho, kidney beans, sweet potato coconut milk, water and juice of a lime.
Then the entire content is slow cooked on high for 4 hours, this gives enough time for the flavours to meld.
Some people shy away from slow cooking coconut milk for a long periods of time because the milk may split.
Trust me, coconut milk splitting in a recipe isn't a bad thing, you see the fat separate in many Caribbean recipes particularly stews, where you can stir in to blend it in.
In terms of flavour it doesn't ruin the dish, but I am speaking from experience and feedback from my readers who have yet to complain about ANY of my slow cooker recipes which contain coconut milk.
The steps
- Add olive oil to a large frying pan or skillet on medium heat.
- Proceed to saute the onion, garlic, scallion and ginger until soft and translucent.
- Then add the curry, cinnamon stick, all spice, black pepper and pink salt then stir until fragrant.
- Add the thyme and bell peppers and cook until they begin to turn soft.
- Transfer everything into the slow cooker.
- Add the bay leaves, cho cho, kidney beans, sweet potato, coconut milk, water and juice of a lime then stir.
- Switch on the slow cooker, select HIGH and cook for 4 hours with the lid on.
- Once cooked, do a taste test and add additional pink salt and black pepper, if needed.
- Discard the thyme stems, cinnamon stick, bay leaves and serve.
Notes and tips
- This is the recipe that you will need if you plan on using my Jamaican Curry Powder.
- If you cannot find cho cho/christophine/chayote then simply use a zucchini/courgette instead.
- Remember to do a taste test of the curry and add any additional pink salt or black pepper, if needed.
- If you are using dried kidney beans, you will need to soak them overnight and cook them for 10 minutes before using them in the recipe.
- Any leftovers can be refrigerated for 1-2 days.
- This particular recipe is best eaten fresh and not frozen.
More vegan curry recipes to try
- Poudre de Colombo (Colombo Powder)
- Broad beans Curry
- Curry Gungo Peas
- Curry with Soya Chunks
- Black Eyed Peas Curry
- Caribbean Curried Butter Beans
- Caribbean Plantain Curry
- Pumpkin Curry
- Jamaican Curry Chickpeas
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Caribbean Curry Potato Recipe (Potato Curry)(Slow Cooker)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2 scallion chopped
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon ginger minced
- 2 tablespoon curry powder
- 1 cinnamon stick
- ½ teaspoon all spice (ground pimento)
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon pink salt
- 5 sprigs of thyme
- 2 bell peppers chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cho cho peeled and chopped, or use 1 zucchini
- 1 can of kidney beans (400g) drained
- 1 large sized sweet potato chopped and peeled (or 2 medium)
- Juice of a lime
- 1 14oz coconut milk (400ml)
- ⅓ cup water (80ml)
- additional pink salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add olive oil to a large frying pan or skillet on medium heat.
- Proceed to saute the onion, garlic, scallion and ginger until soft and translucent.
- Then add the curry, cinnamon stick, all spice, black pepper and pink salt then stir until fragrant.
- Add the thyme and bell peppers and cook until they begin to turn soft.
- Transfer everything into the slow cooker.
- Add the bay leaves, cho cho, kidney beans, sweet potato, coconut milk, water and juice of a lime then stir.
- Switch on the slow cooker, select HIGH and cook for 4 hours with the lid on.
- Once cooked, do a taste test and add additional pink salt and black pepper, if needed.
- Discard the thyme stems, cinnamon stick, bay leaves and serve.
Video
Notes
- This is the recipe that you will need if you plan on using my Jamaican Curry Powder.
- If you cannot find cho cho/christophine/chayote then simply use a zucchini/courgette instead.
- Remember to do a taste test of the curry and add any additional pink salt or black pepper, if needed.
- If you are using dried kidney beans, you will need to soak them overnight and cook them for 10 minutes before using them in the recipe.
- Any leftovers can be refrigerated for 1-2 days.
- This particular recipe is best eaten fresh and not frozen.
Roy says
Brill recipe, need some bread to soak up the delicious sauce!
Charla says
Aww I am humbled, you are most welcome Roy!
Atlanta says
I cooked this dish for my mum's birthday. She loved it. I didn't expect the dish to be so tasty and the recipe was easy to follow. Would definitely make this again. Thank you.
Charla says
Thank you so much. I'm so happy your mother enjoyed it!!
La says
Hello do I need to use pink salt? Or can I use sea salt?
Charla says
All my recipes use pink salt unless stated otherwise but you can use sea salt instead.