Peanut Thai Roasted Vegetables

Having your firstborn join the army is a lot like experiencing child birth for the first time. Logic tells you that thousands of women have been in the same position but, despite this knowledge, you feel like the only mother in the world to experience these emotions. Of course, having a child in uniform also means taking on the persona of an Israeli soldier's mother, with all the responsibilities that go with the title. "What do you want for your first meal at home?" I messaged my chayelet, as I frantically ran around the supermarket last Friday morning. "Anything that wasn't made in an army kitchen," came her reply. Non-army food she asked for, and non-army food she got, unless the cooks did their basic training in Thailand. While the ingredients list for this showstopping Thai Roasted Vegetables In Spicy Peanut Sauce may sound daunting, everything is easily available, and the recipe itself couldn't be simpler.

Invest the effort whether you're feeding a hungry soldier or not....I promise that it's well worth it.

Ingredients

• 8 cups assorted vegetables, cut in chunks

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• Salt and coarse black pepper

• 1 tablespoon grated ginger

• 2 teaspoon crushed garlic

• Generous pinch chilli flakes/splash of Sriracha

• 1 teaspoon turmeric

• 3/4 cup coriander leaves

• 1/4 cup lemon or lime juice

• 1 onion, chopped in wedges

• 1/4 cup peanut butter

• 1 tablespoon sesame oil

• 2 tablespoons soya sauce

• 1/2 can coconut milk

• 1/4 cup parev chicken stock

• Coriander or basil leaves to garnish

• Basmati rice to serve

Method: 1: Toss chopped vegetables in olive oil and season with salt and pepper then roast at 200 C for approximately 30 minutes till soft and starting to turn golden. 2: Meanwhile process the ginger, garlic, chilli, coriander, peanut butter, sesame oil, soya sauce, onion, and lime juice together to make a paste. 3: Stir coconut milk and chicken stock into paste, then remove roast vegetables from the oven, toss through sauce and return to the oven for 5 minutes to heat through and allow sauce to thicken. 4: Serve on Basmati rice garnished with fresh herbs. Cook's Notes: I used a mixture of chunks of cauliflower, carrots, zucchini, sweet potatoes and mushrooms but you can also use broccoli, pumpkin, green beans and more. Tofu makes a great addition. This recipe makes a lot of sauce which would be great too with cooked chicken or beef strips to make a satay dish. Recipe serves 6 - 8.