Creamy baked macaroni and crisp-tender broccoli in a rich coconut red curry sauce made silky with blended sunflower seeds, brightened with lime and cilantro.
15m prep · 1h 5m cook · 6 servings
Ingredients Instructions
1 ½ cups Sunflower Seeds 2 can (14 oz) Coconut Milk ½ cup Red Curry Paste ½ cup Fresh Cilantro 2 whole Lime ½ tsp Salt 1 lb Elbow Macaroni 1 lb Broccoli 1 pinch Curry Powder 3 tbsp Nutritional Yeast 1 tsp White Sugar
Instructions 1 Prep: cut the broccoli into bite-size florets, chop the cilantro and juice the limes. Bring a kettle of water to a boil. 2 Place the sunflower seeds in a heatproof bowl, cover with the just-boiled water by about 1 inch and soak for 30 minutes, until the seeds are plump and soft enough to crush easily between your fingers. Steps 3 to 5 happen while the seeds soak. 3 While the seeds soak, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and bring a large pot of water to a boil, salting it generously (about 1 tbsp of salt from your supply beyond the 1/2 tsp measured). 4 Also while the seeds soak, combine 1 1/2 cans coconut milk, 1/4 cup red curry paste, 1/4 cup cilantro, the juice of 1 lime and 1/2 tsp salt in a large saucepan. Whisk until the curry paste dissolves, then simmer over medium-low heat, stirring often, for 8 to 10 minutes, until reduced by about a quarter and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon and leave a clear line when you draw a finger through it. Taste: if it is too mild add more curry paste a teaspoon at a time; if too hot, you can use less paste in the blender sauce later. Keep warm over the lowest heat. 5 Still during the soak, measure the remaining 1/2 can coconut milk, 1/4 cup curry paste, 1/4 cup cilantro, juice of the second lime, nutritional yeast and sugar into a blender so it is ready to go. 6 When the seeds have soaked, add the macaroni to the boiling water and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 6 minutes, 1 to 2 minutes less than the package says (it finishes in the oven). Add the broccoli florets to the same pot for the last 2 minutes, until bright green and just crisp-tender. Before draining, scoop out 1 cup of pasta water and set aside. Drain the pasta and broccoli well. 7 While the pasta cooks, drain the sunflower seeds, add them to the blender and blend for 2 minutes in a high-speed blender, or 4 to 5 minutes in a regular blender, scraping down the sides, until thick, creamy and completely smooth with no grit. If the blender struggles, add 2 to 4 tbsp of the reserved pasta water. Taste and adjust with salt, a little more lime juice or sugar so it is savory, tangy and balanced. 8 Sprinkle the curry powder over the drained pasta and broccoli, then add them to the warm curry sauce in the saucepan along with the blended sunflower sauce. Stir over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes until everything is evenly coated and hot. If it looks tight or pasty, stir in reserved pasta water a few tablespoons at a time until loose and creamy (it thickens in the oven). Taste and add salt if needed. 9 Spread the hot mixture evenly in a 9x13-inch baking dish and bake for 15 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling at the edges and the top is lightly set. 10 Rest for 5 minutes before serving so the sauce thickens slightly. Estimated nutrition (per serving) Calories 855 kcal
Protein 24g
Carbs 82g
Fat 52g
Fiber 11g
Sodium 740mg
Sugar 10g
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