Carrot Curry

This carrot side dish takes a different path than your typical curry. Instead of simmering in a heavy sauce, the carrots get steamed until tender, then tossed in walnut oil with plump raisins and coated in a bright glaze of curry powder, Dijon mustard, and citrus juice.

Walnut oil gives the dish a nutty richness that regular cooking oil can’t match. It pairs naturally with the sweetness of the carrots and raisins while standing up to the warmth of the curry powder.

The fructose in the glaze is a smart touch for a diabetic-friendly recipe. It sweetens the sauce without the blood sugar spike of regular granulated sugar. Combined with the acidic kick from lime or lemon juice and the heat of Dijon, the glaze is complex enough to make plain steamed carrots feel like a proper side dish.

Chef Tips

• Don’t overcook the carrots. Steam them just until a knife slides through with slight resistance. They’ll cook another two minutes in the skillet, so pull them a touch early.
• Use fresh lime juice over lemon if you can. Lime brightens the curry flavor in a way that lemon doesn’t quite replicate.
• Walnut oil burns easily. Keep the skillet at medium heat when tossing the carrots. High heat turns walnut oil bitter.

Variations

• Add toasted walnuts for crunch that echoes the walnut oil flavor.
• Swap raisins for dried cranberries for a tarter, less sweet version with a pop of color.
• Spice it up with a pinch of cayenne in the glaze for a curry with real heat.