Roasted Veges with Coconut Turmeric Sauce

Designers want me to dress like Spring, in billowing things. I don’t feel like Spring. I feel like a warm red Autumn.”
– Marilyn Monroe

Apologies for the radio silence, but I have a good excuse. We’ve just moved – both house and state – with all of the chaos that entails. After almost six years in Brisbane we’re back down south, back in the land of great coffee and cold winters, black outfits and flat vistas. Back home. Luckily, we’re down in time for autumn, my very favourite Melbourne season – purple twilight, red autumn leaves, wine bars, crisp mornings and sunny afternoons.

I was staying at my mum’s place a couple of weeks ago while house-hunting. It’s always unsettling cooking in someone else’s kitchen – you’re not sure where the ladles are, the oven actually works properly (!), the spice drawer is different. But my brother and sister-in-law were coming over and I didn’t feel like takeaway so I threw together a rice & vege bowl. Nothing fancy, however I did improvise the most delicious coconut turmeric sauce. That was a couple of weeks ago, and I’ve made the sauce four or five more times since! I’ve served it with red rice, with a side of roasted chickpeas, or just drizzled generously over a big bowlful of deeply roasted vegetables. Turns out, it is the ideal sauce to make when your kitchen is still in boxes but you want to turn your plain grain bowl into something really damn good.

This particular iteration of Roasted Veges with Coconut Turmeric Sauce is a most decidedly autumnal dish. Shades of orange and gold echoing the leaves falling from the branches and crackling underfoot. The earthy taste of turmeric paired with the apple overtones of cinnamon. Vegetables roasted to the point of caramelisation. There is a lot to love in this bowl.

Enjoy!
Sarah x

Roasted Veges with Coconut Turmeric Sauce

This golden turmeric sauce is forgiving – I’ve thrown in cardamom, cayenne pepper, chilli, used onion instead of shallots. Likewise you can add pumpkin or parsnip to the roasted veges. And the recipe easily doubles or triples if you’re cooking for more. If you have any leftover sauce keep it in the fridge and use as a salad dressing, over noodles, over rice, whatever!

Ingredients

3 carrots
8 – 10 baby golden beetroots
1 sweet potato
2 shallots
1/2 tsp sweet paprika
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsps extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt & cracked pepper, to taste

Golden Turmeric Sauce
1/3 cup coconut cream
1 shallot, diced
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 large piece ginger, peeled (approx. 3cm)
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp sweet paprika

Method

Preheat oven to 200°c/400°f.

Cut the carrots, beetroot, sweet potato and shallots into even-sized chunks. Toss together with paprika, cinnamon, turmeric, olive oil, plus salt & pepper to taste. Lay in a single layer on a baking tray and roast in pre-heated oven for approx. 40 minutes, until veges are deeply caramelised.

In the bowl of a food processor or using a handheld mixer, combine the coconut cream, diced shallot, garlic, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon and paprika. Blend until smooth. If it is a little too thick add a splash of coconut milk or water to achieve a pour-able consistency.

To serve, divide the vegetables between two bowls and top with golden turmeric sauce to taste.

Serves: 2