Sometimes it is a bit unreal that the sky is grey again, it rains and you have the feeling that it doesn’t get light at all. But such weather has its good sides. Finally again hunger for hearty food. A delicious Yellow Vegetable Curry with lentils, pumpkin, potatoes, carrots and peeled small chickpeas is a highlight on a grey day.
Especially the visit of the vegetable department and the market inspires me to come up with new recipes for autumn vegetables. Above all my beloved pumpkin in the most different variations and colors is again on my menu. From last year you will find some great pumpkin recipes from hearty to sweet. Surely there will be some more until the end of this pumpkin season this year.
When I looked at the vegetables I felt like a spicy Yellow Vegetable Curry with many spices. Hot pepper for the spiciness and some coconut to round it off. All these aromas complement each other perfectly. With the cold temperatures the Hot Pepper also supports your immune system along with the other spices.
The dark season calls for spicy yellow vegetable curry in delicious coconut milk and many spices.
What is Hot Pepper and why is Hot Pepper so healthy?
- Like tomatoes, Hot Pepper belongs to the nightshade family.The “spiciness” in Hot Pepper is the capsaicin
- Capsaicin has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties
- Capsaicin can not only be taken orally, e.g. through food. Locally it is used among other things in plasters against muscle tensions. Capsaicin increases blood circulation and creates a feeling of warmth.
- Before there were refrigerators, dishes were seasoned with Hot Pepper, especially in warmer regions, in order to slow down the growth of bacteria.
- Despite a common opinion, Hot Pepper is healthy for the stomach and intestines.
- Capsaicin supports digestion by stimulating gastric juices.It supports your circulation and prevents heart disease by lowering cholesterol levels.
- Hot Pepper can dilate blood vessels to support blood flow.
To my believe these are all good reasons to cook with more Hot Pepper. Especially together with creamy coconut milk you have the perfect counterpart to the spiciness of Hot Pepper. The spices in yellow curry like turmeric, pepper, pimento, cloves, and cinnamon or buckhorn clover round off the taste. For the taste I grated a lot of fresh turmeric into the vegetable curry. If you don’t have any fresh turmeric, try coconut oil which is spiced with turmeric. Giving you a small tip for making curry. Yellow curry spice, whereby each curry, you should first slightly roast it in a pan without oil, only then the aromas come out correctly.
Hot Pepper does not only make you feel warm, it is also very healthy.
The wine region Occitanie (Occitania) in France
For my wine accompaniment to the curry I made a new discovery. The day before I attended the Roadshow Occitanie Sud de France at the Elysee Hotel in Hamburg. Actually my plan was to surprise my friend Carine Patricio. She was invited to present the wines. I particularly liked the Speed Tasting round because she has a wonderful way of describing the wines and telling more about the region and the winegrowers. Her lectures are so much fun. Further I always come out with new discoveries and more knowledge.
For all who are not familiar with Occitanie or Occitania in France. Since 2016 the former regions Languedoc-Roussillon and Midi-Pyrénées are united in the new region Occitania. The region is not only known for its fantastic wines. There are also beautiful, historical UNESCO sites such as Pont du Gard, Canal du Midi or Nîmes, which has only recently been added. Besides a lot of history there are also beautiful monasteries and abbeys. At some point I hopefully find the time to explore the areas with a bicycle. Whereby beside the historical places above also the wineries interest me. Approximately 80 AOCs and 280,000 hectares of vineyards can be found in the Occitania region. Almost a third of France’s wines are vinified here.
50% of the wines are red, almost 30% white, the rest rosé. Furthermore the terroir varies as much as the landscape. On the coast there is sand, lime and clay, in the valleys slate, marl and river pebbles. Roussillon characterizes its wines by mineral wines due to the granite soils. In addition to the terroir, the climate in the region is very diverse. On the coasts the climate is rather moderate. The Pyrenees and Massif Central have a rather harsh climate. The grape varieties for red are mainly Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Grenache Noir, Cabernet Franc and Mersalan. White is dominated by Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Viognier, Muscat petit Grains, Vermentino or Marsanne. Autochthonous grape varieties such as Gros Manseng, Arrufiac, Petit Courbu and many others have been brought back into focus by the region’s winegrowers.
Muscat à petits grains blancs sec from Domaine de la Recontre was available as a wine accompaniment for my yellow vegetable curry.
Muscat à Petits Grains Blancs Sec 2016 Domaine De La Recontre as wine accompaniment to the Yellow Vegetable Curry
Julie and Pierre Viudes made a particularly positive impression on me at the Occitanie Sud de France roadshow. Their open and cordial nature was just as inviting as their wines. Since 2011 they run their 12 hectare estate Domain De La Recontre. The vineyards are located on the Mediterranean coast in Vic La Gardiole and Mireval, where Gustave Courbet created his famous painting “La Rencontre” in 1854. The two independent winemakers and specialists in Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains, present their wines – a true crescendo of sensations and aromas, from dry to sweet wines, in a decidedly modern and airy style.
Normally I like to drink Riesling or Gewürztraminer with curry. Above all, the spiciness of the Hot Peppers and the many spices are wonderfully complemented by the slight sweetness of the White Muscat. The balance of acidity and an intense, powerful and delicate taste round off the wine. For me a beautiful and somewhat different wine accompaniment to curry.