What to cook on those busy days – curry in the slow cooker

When I was growing up, no one had a slow cooker. Many of the moms stayed home and had plenty of time to cook soups and chili all day. Now, time is THE commodity, even more than money. A slow cooker, aka Crock Pot, is a necessity in the kitchen. Simply put all the ingredients in the slow cooker before you head out the door for work, dropping kids off at school, or heading to the gym. When dinnertime rolls around, you have a delicious meal already finished. One of my family’s favorite dishes is Malaysian Beef Curry. All you need to do after your busy day is to make some rice, and dinner is ready in 20 minutes. It’s great on the first day, even better on the second day, freezes well, and is a good dish to take when someone needs a meal after surgery or a new baby or a death in the family. Here’s my recipe.

• 1 lb. beef stew meat
• 4 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 1 lb. carrots, peeled and chopped in rough chunks
• 1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed
• 2 large cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp. paprika
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. cumin
• 1 Tbsp. cinnamon
• 1 Tbsp. Thai red curry paste
• 1 14 oz. can coconut milk
• 1 Tbsp. ketchup
• 1 can water
• 2 tsp. sea salt
• cilantro, for garnish, optional
• fried shallots, for garnish, optional

Put vegetables in bottom of crock pot, Top with beef. In a medium bowl, mix coconut milk, spices, curry paste, ketchup, salt, and water. Pour over meat and veggies. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-6 hours. Serve over rice with sauteed shallots and cilantro on top.

Photo credit: myinnerfatty, on Flickr