Warming Fall Curry
Welcome to our first dish to help inspire your autumnal table! When deciding on what direction I wanted to go with the main dish for our feast, I definitely felt drawn to the hearty, heart and soul warming vibe of fall comfort foods. I wanted to capture that cozy feeling of sitting by a warm bonfire, while also offering something that could be made easily for the busy witches we are. A suggestion from a close friend to create a recipe that utilized the good ole’ slow cooker was just the strike of inspiration I needed!
I LOVE my slow cooker; it has saved me more times than I can remember when I am having a chaotic day, so this seemed like the perfect vessel to build around for a sabbat meal done easy. As for what I centered on for the recipe itself; none other than a rich and hearty curry that literally only gets better as it bubbles away in the slow cooker.
Now, don’t panic if you’ve never made a homemade curry before. It might seem a bit intimidating at first glace, but it is a lot more simple than the amount of ingredients will lead you to believe and trust me, it is absolutely worth the prep work. Honestly, the waiting period for it to be done will be the hardest part, but you will be so happy you did when it is all served up! Admittedly, my curry isn’t super authentic, as I decided to pull different aspects from some of my favorite curries from around the world, but I do promise that this dish feels like a big hug from the inside out when you enjoy it and really sets the mood for the autumn season.
That being said, let’s take a closer look at some of the stars of our fall inspired curry and the intentions behind this dish.
The Ingredients
Meat (chicken or pork): I don’t often speak about the intentions behind using animal based protein in our dishes. I am not a explicitly vegetarian, however I often eat more leaning that way when I am cooking for spellworking purposes. In this dish, I decided I did want to use the protein to draw in the intention of celebration and community into the curry, as meats are classically associated with feasting times, however you can absolutely bulk up the amounts of the vegetables in the dish and omit the meat entirely or use a plant based protein of your choosing.
Sweet Potato: Packed with minerals, vitamins, and free radical fighting antioxidants, sweet potatoes are not only super delicious but great to add more of to your all year diet. Intentionally, I am using them in this dish to promote the balancing of energies, both internally and externally, as well as fostering a nurturing and comforting energy to the curry. I also wanted to pull a little color magick into the dish, as orange is associated with joy and passion. If you looking for more sweet potato recipes, be sure to check our recipe for Smokey Sweet Potato and Toasted Onion Hummus.
Carrots: Well known for their health benefits, especially in regards to eyesight, carrots are packed with vitamins A, C, and K and the antioxidant beta-carotene which also helps bust free radicals and has anti-aging properties. For our curry, the addition of the carrots is going to intentionally assist us in opening lines of healthy and positive communication, which I think is particularly important at sabbat times. They are also wonderful for balancing emotional states during these times of communication and much like sweet potatoes, their orange color will help draw in more joy from our interactions.
Apple: I can imagine that this ingredient may surprise some people, however grated or finely diced apples are a common ingredient in Japanese curries to add a bit of sweetness to the dish. I have always adored that slightly sweet touch and felt that they would be the perfect addition to our curry since apples are very much associated with the autumnal equinox. Beyond this association, I also wanted to draw in the energies of beauty that apples carry; in this case with the purpose of seeing and appreciating the beauty and gifts of life around us.
Pumpkin: Perhaps the most common symbol for the fall season is the all-mighty pumpkin. We start seeing all sorts of drinks, baked goods, and dishes featuring this hearty squash around this time of year and well into the winter season and for good reason. This humble vegetable offers vitamins E, C, folate, iron, and our good friend beta-carotene again which all help boost your immune system and help it work more efficiently. I chose to use it in this curry for these reasons, but also to imbue our dish with mellow, joyful and warming energies while banishing unwanted ones.
Curry Powder/ Garam Masala: I think it would be fair to say that these ingredients are what makes this dish what it is. I personally associate the rich flavor elements of curry with autumn, so this was an easy choice for me to incorporate into our dish. Both curry powder and garam masala are combinations of various different ground spices that are commonly used in dishes in India, as well as Sri Lanka, Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and the Caribbean; however each has differing blends. Yellow curry powder consists of at least fenugreek, turmeric, coriander, cinnamon, black pepper, cumin, ginger, and cardamom, while garam masala is typically a blend of fennel seed, bay leaves, cumin, cloves, cardamom, mace, coriander, black and white peppercorns, and red pepper flakes. I chose to use both blends because I like the amplification of the flavor components, but I also wanted to draw from the powerful energies of all of the spices. Most specifically, I want to reinforce the elements of fostering communication we already have in the dish, as well as bring greater success and courage into our spellwork.
The Intention
As I said at the beginning of the post, I really wanted to imbue this curry with the energy to bring comfort and a sense of community to your fall table. Beyond this, we discussed in our previous post Mabon 2022: Harvesting Gratitude that our focus this year is on showing gratitude for all of the beautiful facets this life has in store for us all. This dish offers you the opportunity to gather with your loved ones and enjoy a warm, hearty meal, as well as some much needed quality time, because you don’t have to labor over it in the kitchen the entire time. Even if you just make this curry for an easy fall weeknight meal, it definitely will help remind you to slow down and appreciate the view that your life has to offer.
Warming Fall Curry
Ingredients
- 3 oz. olive oil (prosperity, health)
- 1 lb. 3 oz. boneless chicken or pork, sliced into bite size pieces *see note (celebration, prosperity)
- 8 oz. peeled carrots, sliced into half moons (communication, balance, confidence)
- 10 oz. sweet onion, diced (clearing negative blockages)
- 12 oz. Yukon gold or red potatoes, cut into quarters (grounding)
- 8 oz. sweet potato, diced (balancing of energies)
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped (protection from negative energy, promotes health)
- 5 oz. sweet apple, peeled and diced finely (seeing the beauty of life)
- 2 oz. golden raisins (harvesting luck and success)
- 3 oz. pure pumpkin puree (banishing undesired energies)
- 4 oz. lite unsweetened coconut milk (renewal, clarity)
- 12 oz. chicken or vegetable stock (healing, prosperity)
- 3 Tbsp all purpose flour *see note (abundance, prosperity)
- 2 Tbsp salted butter *see note (nurturing, protection)
- 2 tsp yellow curry powder (strength, communication, success)
- 2 tsp garam masala (courage, abundance, banishing negative energies)
- 2 tsp garlic powder (protection, banishing negative energies)
- 2 tsp sea salt (purification, protection)
- 1 tsp black pepper (lifts anxiety, removes fears, clarity)
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander (clearing of obstacles, eases fears of change)
- 4 cups cooked white or brown rice (prosperity,
Instructions
- In the bottom of your slow cooker, whisk together the olive oil, curry powder, garam masala, coriander, garlic powder, black pepper, salt, pumpkin puree, and coconut milk.
- Add in the meat (can omit for vegetarian curry), vegetables, garlic, diced apples, and raisins and gently stir to combine with sauce.
- Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and add in the butter and gently stir to combine again.
- Slowly add stock to the mixture and stir until everything is evenly coated.
- Cover and set your slow cooker to HI for 4 hours or LOW for 8 hours.
- Serve hot over white or brown rice and enjoy!
Notes
- I used chicken when I made this dish, however pork would also work beautifully. You can also omit the meat and/or butter entirely and increase the vegetables or use plant based protein to make this dish vegetarian/ vegan friendly.
- Gluten free flour can be substituted to make this dish GF friendly
