Skip to content

Vegetarian, South and Southeast Asian

Khmer vegetable curry with baguette

Khmer vegetable curry with baguette is a Cambodian dish of sweet potato, green beans and eggplant simmered in a coconut sauce scented with kroeung paste. It serves 4, is easy to make, ready in 50 minutes, for €2.70 per person. The key to success is the kroeung, that pounded paste of aromatics that flavors the whole sauce.

Tonight, a Khmer vegetable curry, sweet potato, green beans and eggplant in a fragrant coconut sauce, eaten with bread just like in Cambodia.

Khmer vegetable curry with baguette
Total time
50 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€2.70
Calories per person
690 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Fall, Winter
The kids
They generally like it

This Khmer curry is all about tenderness. The sweet potato falls apart at the touch of a fork, the eggplant turns silky, and the green beans keep a bit of bite. The coconut sauce, scented with a kroeung of lemongrass, ginger, garlic and chili, coats every vegetable without ever feeling heavy. Crushed peanuts add the crunch the dish would otherwise miss.

This is a dish to set in the middle of the table on a weeknight, with baguette for scooping up the sauce just like in Cambodia. Kids usually like the sweetness of the coconut and sweet potato, you can simply leave out or cut back on the fresh chili when cooking for them. For guests, pound the kroeung in a mortar, the aroma makes all the difference.

The ingredients

4 people

Fruits and vegetables

  • Sweet potato 500 g
  • Green beans 200 g
  • Eggplants 2
  • Onion 1
  • Lemongrass 2 stalks
  • Fresh ginger 20 g
  • Garlic 4 cloves
  • Fresh chili 1
  • Lime zest 1

Pantry

  • Coconut milkoften in the pantry 40 cl
  • Turmericoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Peanuts 30 g
  • Neutral oiloften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Bakery

  • Baguette 1

Allergens Peanuts

The step by step recipe

  1. Pound or blend the lemongrass, ginger, garlic, turmeric, chili and lime zest into a kroeung paste.

    Add a spoonful of oil so the paste blends more easily.

  2. Cook the kroeung in the oil with the sliced onion for a few minutes. 5 min

    The paste should sizzle in the pan.

  3. Add the diced sweet potato, pour in the coconut milk and a glass of water, and let it simmer covered. 15 min

    The sweet potato naturally thickens the sauce.

  4. Add the chopped eggplant and the green beans cut in half and continue cooking. 15 min

    Add them later, they cook faster than the sweet potato.

  5. Serve the curry topped with crushed peanuts with fresh baguette for scooping up the sauce.

    Warm the baguette in the oven for five minutes so it turns crusty.

Our tips to get it right

  • Cut the sweet potato into even inch cubes so it cooks at the same rate as the other vegetables.
  • Taste the sauce before serving and adjust the salt, coconut milk brands vary a lot in saltiness.
  • If the curry looks too thin at the end, simmer uncovered for another five minutes so the sauce reduces.

The variations

  • Swap the green beans for shredded white cabbage for a softer texture.
  • Add bamboo shoots or diced firm tofu for a heartier version, the dish stays vegetarian.
  • For a quick version, use a store bought yellow curry paste instead of homemade kroeung and skip the mortar step.

What to serve it with

  • Steamed white rice
  • Sliced raw cucumber
  • Hot green tea

Storage

The curry keeps for 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. It freezes well for up to 2 months, without the baguette. Reheat it gently in a saucepan, adding a splash of water if the sauce has thickened.

Questions about this dish

Can you make the kroeung ahead of time?

Yes, you can pound or blend it the day before and keep it in a sealed jar in the fridge. It also freezes well in small portions.

Can you swap the peanuts for something else?

Crushed cashews work well and give the same crunch. Keep in mind they're still a tree nut, so an allergen to watch just like peanuts.

Does the chili make the curry very spicy?

Not necessarily, it depends on the amount and the chili you use. You can seed it or leave it out entirely at the end for a milder version.

Can you make this curry without a mortar?

Yes, a small food processor or blender works just fine for the kroeung. Just add a spoonful of oil so the lemongrass fibers break down more easily.

How long does it take to make a Khmer vegetable curry with baguette?

Count 50 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a Khmer vegetable curry with baguette?

About 690 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a Khmer vegetable curry with baguette cost?

About €2.70 per serving, or €10.80 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains peanuts. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

South and Southeast Asian Cuisines

See all

Recipes with eggplant

See all