Leftover Turkey Curry With Coconut Milk

Leftover turkey curry with coconut milk

After the holidays, you have made your first turkey sandwich, now what? There are many other ways to enjoy leftover turkey, but transforming it into a curry takes the top. It’s a great way to make your leftovers more exciting.

You get a wholesome new meal using storecupboard ingredients and enjoy this curry's wonderful aromas. All it takes are a few spices and some ingredients like garlic, ginger, onions, tomato paste, and coconut milk.

I like serving curry with warm naan bread, fluffy basmati rice or jeera rice for a delicious dinner. This is always a hit with my family, and I hope you enjoy it too.

I want you to paint the picture of you scooping the silky and creamy curry with freshly made naan bread or slopping some over a bowl of steamy basmati rice. It is so good, right? I thought so, too, so now let's make some.

Never let your leftover roast go to waste. Make them into curries like these recipes: leftover lamb curry and leftover pork curry.

Why you will love this recipe

Hearty and filled with delicious aromatic flavors you can't resist. It’s creamy, satisfying and healthy.

Simple ingredients and minimal prep: I used two spice blends, curry powder and turmeric to achieve the great flavor. Curry powder contains other ingredients your curry needs to give it that robust flavor.

Ready in 30 minutes: Not only would you reduce waste by using up your leftover turkey to create a new dish, but you will also get dinner fast to the table. It's a perfect meal for a busy weeknight.

Healthy: Turkey is low in fat and a good source of protein, so this curry is light yet filling.

What you will need

You will use the following ingredients to make your creamy leftover turkey curry with coconut milk.

Leftover cooked turkey: cubed or shredded, get as much meat as possible from the carcass.

Coconut milk: I used full-fat coconut milk for richness. Substitute with low fat coconut milk, heavy or half-and-half cream (double or single cream).

Coconut oil: Substitute with ghee, vegetable, or olive oil.

Curry powder: I used hot Indian curry powder. You can substitute it with any curry powder or a mild curry if you don't like heat.

Turmeric

Low-sodium chicken stock

Tomato paste: Substitute with passata or chopped tomatoes if you want the curry chunkier.

Onions: I used brown onion; it is sweet, and the color blends in well into the curry. You can substitute brown onions with red onions.

Garlic paste: Substitute with finely chopped garlic or garlic powder

Ginger paste: Substitute with finely chopped ginger or ginger powder

Chili paste: Substitute with Kashimir chili, red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper.

Fresh cilantro: You will need this to add flavor to the curry and also to serve it.

Frozen peas: It is one of my favorite vegetables to add to curries. Substitute with sweet potatoes, cauliflower, broccoli, spinach or kale.

How to make leftover turkey curry

Heat coconut oil in a shallow skillet over medium heat.

Add chopped onions to the coconut oil and saute until the onions are soft and translucent. Add chopped garlic and ginger paste, and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant, stirring occasionally.

Next, add curry powder and turmeric powder and cook for another 30 seconds, just until fragrant.

Add tomato paste and chili paste to the aromatics, stir to combine, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly so it does not burn.

Pour chicken stock into the pan and stir to combine, deglazing the bottom of the pan to remove any brown bits.

Add coconut milk to the sauce and stir to combine. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add cubed cooked turkey and stir to combine, taste, and adjust seasoning to taste with salt. Simmer for 5-10 minutes or until the sauce has thickened to your liking.

Add chopped cilantro and frozen peas. Stir to combine and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove the heat, and serve warm over boiled basmati rice, naan bread, or roti. Enjoy

What to serve with curry

There are other things you can eat with curry other than rice. Here are a few suggestions you could try.

• Boiled pasta
• Cauliflower rice
• Roasted broccoli and cauliflower
• Boiled potatoes
• Roasted potatoes
• Homemade oven chips
• Serve with any chutney of choice for additional sweetness
• Make a quick raita