This matcha coconut curry is the ultimate comfort food, making you more relaxed and alert while slowly but steadily boosting your energy. The gorgeous green brings an extra burst of color to your meal and is sure to pique the interest of all your meal-time buddies.
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You know autumn is on its way when you start wearing sweatpants and long-sleeves, pumpkin spice made its comeback, and all you want to eat at night is a hearty bowl of curry.
This one is for all of you lovely people, embracing the cozy attitude that cool weather demands. I’m so glad there are more of you out there.
About a year ago, when I moved into my apartment, I was determined to use the crockpot all the time. What could be better than throwing a bunch of stuff into it in the morning and coming home to a ready meal that doesn’t even have to be reheated? It sounds like the ultimate college student’s dream, right? Why taking the time to cook pasta is the norm instead of just investing in a decent crockpot beats me. If you think about it, there are actually more active steps involved in making a box of pasta, because you have to boil the water, pour in the pasta, stir it, and drain it.
But I digress. We were talking about curry, specifically matcha coconut curry.
Do you remember when green ketchup was a thing? I never had it, since it grossed me out too much to even consider letting it cross my lips. Don’t worry, there’s no green ketchup going into your curry. I just wanted to make sure that the green color wasn’t dredging up traumatic memories for anyone.
Unlike that other (blessedly discontinued) green stuff, matcha is a powdered green tea from Japan or China. In fact, it’s the purest form of green tea around; only one cup contains the equivalent benefits of ten cups of standard green tea! Um, say what?? Yeah, it’s true, no need to rub your eyes and do a double take.
The tea quickly gained popularity, particularly as a substitute for coffee among those battling their cup-‘o-joe addictions. Since matcha is green tea, it has caffeine, making it a good alternative. If you’re anything like my mom, though, then you are adamantly against having caffeine past a certain time of day. So…. then this won’t be good for dinner? Not quite that simple.
Matcha has a lower caffeine content than other tea and coffee drinks. Additionally, it has high levels of L-theanine, an amino acid responsible for that distinct green tea taste and that can balance the effects of caffeine for some. According to The Food-Mood Solution, L-theanine is mainly used to help you relax, reduce stress and anxiety, and improve mental focus. It’s like an all-natural happy drug, increasing your body’s levels of serotonin, dopamine, and GABA. It also causes your brain’s alpha waves to be more active, which makes you feel much more relaxed and perceptive. Creatives are actually shown to produce higher levels of alpha waves during problem-solving.
From my busy student perspective, matcha is gold. Green gold, to be exact.
Oh, did I mention how easy this is to make? If you’re feeling really pressed for time, you could really just throw everything in together at the same time and call it a day. In my opinion, though, the extra 10 minutes is worth it so that you can sauté the onion, garlic, and ginger a little bit first. Even just smelling it is reason enough to factor in the time to your schedule.
Coming from a girl with a penchant for eating, that’s one mega bold statement.
Despite the lack of dairy, this curry is really thick and creamy (aka DELICIOUS) from the coconut milk base. Please trust me when I say to use full-fat, otherwise the consistency just won’t be what your curry-loving heart desires. Then, of course, there’s my second favorite part of crockpot curries. Shredded chicken. That’s right, juicy and flavorful like nobody’s business. It literally melts in your mouth.
Hey, here’s a thought. Why don’t we all take a moment to ponder this matcha coconut curry situation that could conceivably be taking place in our kitchens right now? Because I have a strong feeling that there’s just no way around it, we all need to put our crockpots to good use. Then everyone could sit contentedly with crockpot-curry-smiles on their faces.
If you try this recipe, I’d love your feedback. Leave a comment below, save it on Pinterest, or tag #lensesandlentils on Instagram to share! And don’t forget to show some love and vote for my recipe here!
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- ½ medium onion, sliced thinly
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ inch ginger, minced
- 1 medium sweet potato, diced
- 1 small eggplant, chopped small
- 1 (13.5 oz) can full-fat coconut milk
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 1½ lbs chicken breast
- 2½ tsp matcha powder**
- 1¾ tsp curry powder
- 1¼ tsp garam masala
- ¾ tsp coarse kosher salt
- OPTIONAL (for serving): brown rice
- Turn the crockpot to high and melt the coconut oil in it.
- Put in the onion, garlic, and ginger to cook for 4-5 minutes. Add the sweet potato and eggplant, stirring to coat with oil.
- Mix in the remaining ingredients, making sure to distribute the spices and cover the chicken.
- Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours.
- Using a fork, shred the chicken and stir the curry. Adjust any seasonings as needed.
- OPTIONAL: serve with a side of brown rice.
- Cool fully and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
**Make sure to use culinary grade matcha, not ceremonial.
Is there any way to do this without a crock pot? (#collegelife). I know itll take longer, but i realllly want to try this
Totally get that. It actually will take you less time! The recommendation for slow-cooking on the stove is to use a heavy-bottomed pot. I would bring it to a boil, then simmer for about 30-40 minutes, covered. Check it every once in a while and stir. You’ll be good to go once the vegetables are all soft and the chicken shreds easily. Enjoy! Let me know how it goes 🙂