Simple Madumbi Curry
A comforting, earthy South African root vegetable curry simmered with warm spices and tomatoes.
A simple, comforting madumbi curry made the way I grew up eating it—warm spices, humble ingredients, and so much flavour. This foundational recipe is deeply comforting on its own, or you can easily customise it with green beans, sugar beans, or peas!
Before you start
Get your mise en place ready so nothing catches you out mid-cook.
Method
- 1
Sauté Aromatics & Bloom Spices
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan over medium heat. Add 1 sliced onion, 2 sprigs of curry leaves, and 4 slit green chillies, sautéing until softened and translucent.
- 2
Stir in 1 tsp turmeric, 2 tbsp Bombay masala, salt to taste, and 1 heaped tsp ginger and garlic paste. Cook gently for 30–60 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to burn the spices.
- 3
Cook Base & Add Madumbis
Add 1 chopped tomato and cook down for 3–5 minutes until soft and breakable.
The rest of this recipe
There’s 6 more ingredients and 3 more steps to go.
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Ivana Sanshia’s note
Wear gloves or rub a little oil on your hands when peeling raw madumbis (taro root), as the natural sap can cause mild skin irritation for some people!
Mum’s note
Madumbis naturally thicken curry gravy as they simmer! Keep an eye on the water level while it cooks—especially if you add broad beans or sugar beans, which absorb liquid quickly—and add a small splash of warm water if the pan gets too dry.
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