A colourful cold-weather feast: Fully-loaded veggie coconut korma.
Eat away the blues.
When winter bites, let’s fight back. Not with gloomy stews or beige broths, but with a riot of colour, a dance of spice, and the creamy embrace of coconut.
Enter: the fully-loaded, vegetable-based coconut korma, proudly South African in ingredients and spirit, and just the thing to make you feel like sunshine lives in your kitchen.
This is a light-hearted, health-conscious dish that celebrates the rainbow — it’s rich, warming, plant-packed, and perfect for a chilly evening. Plus, it’s so pretty you might want to take a photo before you devour it.
Fully-Loaded vegetable coconut korma
Serves 4–6 generous helpings
(The What) Ingredients:
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil (or avocado oil)
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
- 2 tsp mild curry powder
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp turmeric
- ½ tsp garam masala
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ¼ tsp chilli flakes (optional, for a bit of heat)
- 1½ cups chopped carrots
- 1½ cups chopped sweet potato or butternut
- 1½ cups baby marrow, sliced into rounds
- 1 red or yellow pepper, diced
- 1 cup green beans, trimmed and halved
- 1½ cups cooked chickpeas (or canned, drained and rinsed)
- 1 cup chopped spinach or kale
- 1 can (400 ml) coconut cream
- ¾ cup vegetable stock (or hot water with 1 veggie stock cube)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Juice of ½ a lemon (optional, to balance sweetness)
Optional garnishes:
- Fresh coriander leaves
- Toasted coconut flakes
- Crushed cashew nuts
(The how) Method:
- In a large pot, heat your oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook until soft and golden (about 5 minutes). This is your flavour foundation — be patient.
- Stir in the garlic and ginger. Let them sizzle for a minute, releasing their glorious aroma.
- Sprinkle in all your spices (curry powder, coriander, turmeric, garam masala, cumin, and chilli flakes). Stir well to coat the onions in sunshine.
- Toss in your chopped carrots and sweet potato/butternut. Cook for about 5 minutes to let them soak up the spice.
- Add the rest of the veggies: baby marrow, pepper, green beans, and chickpeas. Stir well.
- Pour in the coconut cream and vegetable stock. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 20–25 minutes or until all vegetables are tender.
- Stir in the chopped spinach or kale at the end, just to wilt it through.
- Season with salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lemon juice if you want to brighten the flavour.
Voila! Creamy, golden, fragrant — and packed with goodness.
What do you serve with this golden perfection?
Rainbow Pineapple & Cucumber Salsa
A bright, crunchy, cooling counterpoint to the creamy korma. It’s like sunshine in a bowl.
(The What) Ingredients:
- 1 cup finely chopped fresh pineapple
- 1 cup chopped cucumber
- ¼ cup red onion, finely chopped
- ½ cup red or yellow pepper, diced
- 1 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped
- Juice of 1 lime or lemon
- Salt and pepper to taste
(The How) Method:
Toss everything together. Chill until serving time. Serve on the side or spooned right onto the korma!
Side Dish: Saffron basmati rice
This is comfort food elegance — golden rice with the mildest perfume.
(The What) Ingredients:
- 1½ cups basmati rice
- 3 cups water
- A pinch of saffron threads (or ½ tsp turmeric for colour)
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp oil or butter
(The How) Method:
Rinse your rice until the water runs clear. Combine all ingredients in a pot, bring to a boil, then cover and simmer on low heat for 15 minutes. Let it rest for 5 before fluffing with a fork.
OR: Go local with fluffy yellow mielie rice — just cook white rice with a handful of frozen sweetcorn, a pinch of turmeric, and a sprinkle of butter.
And to drink?
Non-Alcoholic Drink: Ginger & Rooibos Warmer (kids will love it as well)
This gently spiced, caffeine-free tea is pure winter joy in a mug.
To make:
Steep 2 rooibos teabags, a few slices of fresh ginger, and a cinnamon stick in 4 cups of boiling water for 10 minutes. Sweeten with a dash of honey and a splash of lemon juice. Serve hot or iced!
Wine Pairing (for the grown-ups): A South African Chenin Blanc
A chilled glass of unwooded Chenin Blanc is just the thing. With tropical fruit notes and zingy acidity, it balances the richness of the coconut cream and sings with the spices. Look for a bottle from the Swartland or Stellenbosch regions — plenty of good options, and proudly local.
The final flourish:
Dessert: Warm Spiced Baked Apples with Yoghurt & Honey
Finish with something wholesome and sweet, like these comforting baked apples.
(The What) Ingredients:
- 4 apples, cored and halved
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tbsp brown sugar or maple syrup
- A handful of raisins or chopped dried apricots
- Plain double-cream yoghurt (or coconut yoghurt for dairy-free)
- A drizzle of local honey
(The How) Method:
Arrange apples in a baking dish, sprinkle with cinnamon, sugar, and dried fruit. Add a splash of water to the dish and bake at 180°C for 20–25 minutes until tender. Serve warm with a dollop of yoghurt and honey.
Why colour on your plate matters
Eating the rainbow isn’t just for Instagram. Colourful meals are often more nutritious as different pigments can mean different nutrients. Orange vegetables like butternut bring beta-carotene. Leafy greens are packed with iron and folate. Purple onions, red peppers, golden turmeric…they don’t just add flavour, they add health.
And let’s face it. On a grey, windy South African evening, a plate full of colour can feel like a hug from the sun and remind us of the warmer days.
So, this winter, let your kitchen be a bright little island of flavour, fragrance, and feel-good food. Whether you’re cooking for the family, friends, or just yourself, this veggie korma meal is nourishing, grounding, and bursting with joy.
Oh – and you can add chicken if you can’t stomach the idea of skipping meat!
Now grab your favourite apron, pop on a playlist, and start chopping. Happiness is just a curry away.
Also try this recipe: Bottom Drawer Veggie Soup.
