This Sri Lankan recipe for spicy stir-fried courgettes makes courgettes the star of the show. This recipe gives the humble courgette a starring role on my plate. No more bit parts packing out soups and sauces or substitutes – I’m looking at you courgetti.
Courgettes are part of the squash, marrow and cucumber family. Although courgettes are available all year round, now is the time to buy courgettes. They are at their best between June to October.
What I love about courgettes are they are easy to cook and are a perfect partner for spices. This recipe for spicy stir-fried courgettes is packed full of flavour. The spices will sing of your tongue. And the best thing? This recipe for spicy stir-fried courgettes takes minutes to make.
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Try this quick and easy Sri Lankan recipe for spicy stir-fried courgettes
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 people 1x
- Category: Side dish
- Cuisine: Indian, Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 red onion (sliced)
- 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
- 1 cm fresh ginger, finely chopped
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- a generous pinch of curry leaves
- 2 fresh red chills (de-seeded if you prefer a mild heat)
- 400 grammes courgettes, finely sliced
- pepper and salt to taste
- juice of one lime
Instructions
- In a large frying pan, heat the oil over a medium flame.
- When the oil is hot add the mustard and cumin seeds, the fresh red chilli and curry leaves.
- The seeds will start to pop and release their fragrance, this is when you need to add the sliced onions.
- Stir the spices and onions until the onions start to turn translucent – this will take around two to three minutes.
- Add the ginger and garlic, stirring frequently for another two minutes. Be careful not to let the garlic burn (turn down the heat if needed).
- Now add the finely sliced courgettes. Stir quickly and frequently so all the courgettes are coated thoroughly with the spices, onion, ginger and garlic.
- Keep stir frying until the courgettes start to get a golden brown sheen.
- Sprinkle the turmeric over the courgettes. Keep stir-frying, for around three to five minutes for the turmeric to evenly coat the courgettes.
- Finally, add salt and pepper to taste and a good strong squeeze of lime (you’ll need the juice of one lime).
- Serve immediately with rice and an accompanying curry such as dhal.
Notes
- The trick with this recipe is to use finely sliced courgettes
- What really makes this recipe is the juice of the freshly squeezed lime, it really complements the spices and courgettes
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