A leek recipe isn’t just for St David’s Day (1st March). Actually now is the perfect time to cook leeks. Leeks are in season and are at their best during the colder months of the year. If you are looking for a quick, easy and delicious leek recipe, then give this spiced leek recipe a try.
Are leeks good for you?
Leeks are packed with nutrients, vitamin K,  manganese, vitamin B6, copper, iron, folate and vitamin C. Leeks are also a good source of vitamin A, dietary fibre (we need to eat more of that don’t we), magnesium, vitamin E, calcium and omega-3 fatty acids. They are the perfect vegetable to eat when trying fight off coughs, colds and the dreaded flu.
Is this a Sri Lankan leek recipe?
This isn’t strictly a Sri Lankan recipe, but it’s one way I like to cook leeks. I like the fact they get to be the star of the show, rather than playing second fiddle or stuck out back in the chorus line. Leeks work really well in my recipe for homemade bone broth chicken stew.
What spices go with leeks? For this recipe, I have married the leeks with cumin and caraway seeds but leeks work well with paprika, coriander, basil, garlic, marjoram, or sage. You can also pair this leek recipe with my recipe for Sri Lankan black pork curry or if you are vegan or a vegetarian, this spiced leek recipe would work well with my recipe for Sri Lankan chickpea and spinach curry or my recipe for Sri Lankan beetroot.
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A fragrant, spiced leek recipe
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4 as a side dish, 2 as a main 1x
- Category: Side dish
- Method: Pan-fried
- Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients
- 3 tbs vegetable oil
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1/2 tsp caraway seeds
- A generous pinch of curry leaves
- 1 red chilli crushed
- 1 yellow onion, sliced
- 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 2 leeks, outer layer removed and the white part sliced into rounds
- A pinch of turmeric
- Salt and pepper
- juice of half a lime
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large solid bottomed frying pan
- Add the whole spices, curry leaves and crushed chilli cook until the fragrance unfurls across your kitchen
- Lower the heat and add the sliced onion and garlic, and cook until they are soft and transparent
- Add the leeks, and the turmeric, stir until the turmeric has blended into the leeks, gently fry until the leeks are soft
- Season with salt and pepper, and add the squeeze of your lime, give the leeks a quick stir and serve immediately