Frugal cooking - vegetable curry

With food supplies affected by natural disasters, the price of bananas at a shortage and costing $12 per kilo, and the milk wars in the big supermarket chains, it's really important we continue to support our local grocers and farmers. Eating well doesn't have to be expensive though.

Last night I made a kick arse healthy vegetable curry for less than $7 (for three serves) and most of my ingredients were bought from the local grocer or from my parents' garden. All ingredients were in my fridge, freezer or pantry.

I chopped a clove of garlic and one onion (from grocer), and softened these in a small bit of olive oil in a ceramic pot on the stove.

Then I put all these things in the pot:

These organic carrots were on sale from my grocer - a bunch for $1.50. This is half a bunch and I chopped them roughly.

I had four spears of corn (from grocer) that I used in a stirfry last week. I chopped them in half.

Mum gave me a few fat white zucchinis from the garden. I cut this in half lengthwise, and in half again and sliced it.

I used half a tin of chickpeas and the end of a piece of ginger.

And about six dates, chopped in half. Dates from Coles.

I used up a small amount of frozen peas - also from Coles.

And some Greek yoghurt (Coles) - about two tablespoons. I hardly ever eat flavoured yoghurt. The thought of the artificial 'fruit' and sugars that go into flavoured yoghurts scare me.

The curry sat on low heat for an hour. I spiced it up with a mix of cumin, coriander, sumac, sesame, salt and fresh chilli (from the jar). It smelt so delicious.

And this is the end meal, served with rice. Tasted very yummy and so healthy too. It was sweet and mildly spicy and really comforting