Weeknight potato and broccoli curry! Ground almonds are the secret to a creamy sauce without the cream. Prepped and ready to eat in about 40 minutes.

Photography Credit: Sheryl Julian

Years ago, when I asked my friend Arthi for her favorite curry recipe, she gave me this sauce, which she adjusted to make what I call her “supermarket” version. That meant I could grab the ingredients at my local market without a special trip to her Indian grocery.

I love this sauce! It’s rich, but there’s no cream. It’s spicy, but not too hot. When it’s done cooking, you want to eat it with a spoon.

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Arthi comes from Madras, in the south of India. Her original recipe contained chicken, but I use the sauce with all kinds of vegetables.

Since I adore potatoes in curry, I’ve used them in today’s version, along with some broccoli for crunch and color. You can also switch up the vegetables I’ve used here with carrots, peas, cauliflower, or any other favorite.

The secret to the creamy sauce without the cream is almonds, which are ground in a food processor with canned tomatoes and ginger. After you mellow the spices in oil, stir the pureed mixture into the pan, add vegetable stock, and let everything simmer briefly.

Then add the vegetables (steam the potatoes first or they’ll soak up all your sauce!), and simmer again. Don’t throw away your broccoli stems; they’re a tender and deliciously crunchy addition to this curry.

I make a big pot of basmati rice while the gingery sauce is cooking and the kitchen smells divine from all the aromas. Sprinkle the curry with chopped roasted almonds and cilantro and you have bowls loaded with flavor and lots of texture.