Curried marrow with tomatoes and onions makes a delicious side dish with a difference! A marrow is like a little sponge, perfect for soaking up all the spices and flavours. Braised gently with tomatoes and onions and a subtle hint of curry, it transforms an otherwise bland vegetable into something warm, fragrant and delicious.
This recipe for a curried marrow has been a long time in coming. I fully intended to publish it last year when I was inundated with marrows from the allotment, but time got the better of me, so it didn't happen.
This year, however, things are different and you'll find a few new marrow recipes on my website, including this tangy marrow and apple chutney, which hubby, who normally avoids this sort of condiment like the plague, is currently smearing all over his normal lunchtime cheese and tomato sandwich. At the rate he's eating it, I'm going to have to make another batch!
But back to the curried marrow with tomato and onion.
This recipe takes inspiration from a similar recipe for baby marrows with tomato and onion that we often made in South Africa, but without the curry. The larger, oversized marrows (or zucchini) can be quite bland and watery and need a little extra spice to oomph up the flavour. And this is where this curried marrow with tomato and onion recipe comes into play.
A tablespoon of shop-bought curry powder, an onion, a couple of tomatoes and a heap of peeled and diced marrow, and you're good to go. I normally add a splash of water at the start, just to form a little steam in the pan to help the marrow soften.
It takes around half an hour to cook this curried marrow. 20 minutes covered, stirring occasionally, and a final 10 minutes uncovered to let the liquid evaporate.
And you end up with a really tasty dish of marrow, with a hint of curry and plenty of tomatoes and onions for extra flavour.
Jump to:
Why you should try this curried marrow
- Quick and easy - the vegetables only take a few minutes to prepare, and most of the cooking time is hands-off while the marrow simmers and softens.
- Full of flavour - the hint of curry and the tomato and onion base make the marrow taste amazing.
- Side dish with a difference - I'm always looking for different ways to prepare vegetables and this recipe is an easy way to liven up what would otherwise be a rather bland marrow.
- Perfect for those oversized marrows - this is a great way to use up an oversized marrow. Make a huge panful and freeze it in meal-sized containers.
Recipe information
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes, which is 10 minutes to soften the onions and tomatoes and 30 minutes to cook the marrow, most of which is hands-off while the marrow simmers.
Yield: 1kg or 2.25 pounds of marrow should yield enough curried marrow to serve 4 people as a side dish for 3 to 4 meals.
Ingredients for curried marrow
You only need 4 ingredients, or 6 if you count the salt and vegetable oil.
**You can find the exact ingredient quantities on the printable recipe card at the end of this post.**
- Marrow - a marrow is simply a courgette that has been left on the vine and allowed to grow. You may know these vegetables as oversized zucchini. The marrow should be peeled and the inner fibrous core and seeds removed, then cut into approximately 2-cm or just under 1-inch pieces.
- Tomatoes - the tomatoes should be cut into 1-cm or half-inch pieces. There is no need to remove the skins from the tomatoes unless you want to do so.
- Onions - I used white (or brown) onions. Red onions would work too.
- Curry powder - use your favourite brand, either mild, medium or hot, depending on your heat tolerance. My preferred brand is Rajah medium blend, which is a South African brand, and the perfect balance of corriander, cumin, turmeric, chilli, ginger, garlic, cassia and fenugreek. It is avalable from Amazon, or you can find it in South African shops.
- Salt - this is to your own taste. I like to add half a teaspoon of salt to the chilli powder before I fry it with the onions.
- Vegetable oil - just a splash - used for softening the onions.
Instructions
Step 1: Heat the oil in a large saucepan (I used a wok for clearer images) and fry the diced onions on gentle heat for about 5 minutes until they turn translucent. Do not allow them to brown.
Step 2: Stir in the salt and curry powder and stir well to coat all the onions. Fry gently for a further minute to help bring out the flavour of the spices.
Step 3: Add the diced tomatoes and fry for a further 3 - 4 minutes until they soften.
Step 4: Add one quarter of a cup of water and stir in the pieces of marrow.
Step 5: Cover the pan with a lid, turn the heat to a moderate simmer and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Step 6: Remove the lid and continue to cook for a further 10 minutes until all the liquid has evaporated. The marrow will be ready when you can see a distinct trail when you draw a spoon through the mixture.
Serving suggestions
I like to serve this easy marrow curry as a side dish with a roast. It pairs beautifully with either chicken or beef, accompanied by roast potatoes and a sweet vegetable such as peas or sweet potato.
It is also good when served alongside a piece of poached firm fish such as cod or haddock, along with a helping of mashed potatoes.
Tips for a successful outcome
Here are my top tips to ensure that your braised curried marrow with tomatoes and onions always turns out perfectly:
- Prepare all the vegetables before you start to cook so they are to ready for adding when you need them.
- Try to cut the marrow into evenly-sized pieces so they all cook at the same time. The marrow will be a very light green colour when you start cooking. Once the marrow has cooked, it will have turned a more yellow colour and become translucent.
- The actual cooking time will depend on the amount of water in the marrow. A more watery marrow will take longer for the liquid to evaporate. If your marrow is on the watery side, reduce the amount of water you add to 2 tablespoons. The water is not intended to cook the marrow, but to prevent the ingredients burning on the bottom of the pan. As the marrow cooks and softens it will release more moisture into the pan.
- Stir the marrow frequently as it cooks and keep your eye on the level of the liquid, especially in the final 10 minutes when the marrow is cooked with the lid off. If the marrow seems to be drying out, don't add more water or you will upset the balance of flavours, rather lower the temperature of the hob.
- Use your own judgement as to the exact cooking time needed. The marrow will be cooked when it is translucent and can be easily pierced with a fork.
Storage
Curried marrow can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheated in a saucepan. You could pour away any excess liquid that may have been released, or allow the marrow to boil for a minute or two so the liquid can evaporate.
You can also freeze the marrow curry. Pack it into meal-sized freezer containers and freeze for up to 4 months. Allow it to defrost and reheat as above.
Equipment
To make this easy marrow curry you will need a sharp knife and chopping board for cutting up the vegetables. I find it easier to use a vegetable peeler rather than a knife to remove the skin from the marrow. The seeds come out of the marrow easily if you scoop them out with a tablespoon.
For braising the marrow you will need a large saucepan with a lid, and a spatula or wooden spoon for stirring.
FAQ
There is no difference other than the size! Marrows are simply courgettes (or zucchini) which have been allowed to grow to a larger size.
Courgettes (or zucchini) are usually harvested when they are small, i.e.15 to 20-cm or 6 to 8 inches in length.
Marrows on the other hand, are allowed to grow to a much larger size. They have a thicker skin than a courgette, and the flesh is much firmer. The firmer flesh makes them ideal for this marrow curry recipe.
Smaller, softer courgettes would be inclined to turn mushy in the time the marrow takes to cook.
The marrow I used weighed around 3 kg or 6.5 pounds, and measured 23 inches in length.
I would suggest that you look for a marrow that has been allowed to grow to at least 16 inches so it has a firm enough flesh to peel and seed easily, and soak up all the flavours.
The curry can be as mild or as spicy as you want to make it!
For a mild to medium curry, use a mild to medium curry spice blend. For more heat, use a hot blend. If you want even more heat, fry a finely chopped chilli pepper with the onions or add a touch of cayenne pepper.
Save for later
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Related recipes
Visit my sides and salad recipes page for other easy side dishes. Here are a few you might enjoy:
📋The recipe
Braised curried marrow with tomatoes and onions
(Click the stars to rate this recipe)
Equipment
- Sharp Knife
- Chopping Board
- Vegetable peeler
- Large saucepan with lid
- Spatula
Ingredients
- 2 pounds / 900 grams marrow (oversized zucchini) Peeled, deseeded and diced into 2-cm pieces
- 1 cup diced tomatoes 3 medium tomatoes
- 1 cup diced onions 1 large or 2 medium onions
- 1 tablespoon medium curry powder
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- ¼ cup / 60 ml water
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan and fry the diced onions on gentle heat for about 5 minutes until they turn translucent. Do not allow them to brown.2 tablespoons vegetable oil, 1 cup diced onions
- Stir in the salt and curry powder and stir well to coat all the onions. Fry gently for a further minute to help bring out the flavour of the spices.1 tablespoon medium curry powder, ½ teaspoon salt
- Add the diced tomatoes and fry for a further 3 - 4 minutes until they soften.1 cup diced tomatoes
- Add one quarter of a cup of water and stir in the pieces of marrow.¼ cup / 60 ml water, 2 pounds / 900 grams marrow (oversized zucchini)
- Cover the pan with a lid, turn the heat to a moderate simmer and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the lid and continue to cook for a further 10 minutes until all the liquid has evaporated. The marrow will be ready when you can see a distinct trail when you draw a spoon through the mixture.
- Serve hot as a side with roast chicken, beef or poached fish.
Notes
- Prepare all the vegetables before you start to cook so they are to ready for adding when you need them.
- Try to cut the marrow into evenly-sized pieces so they all cook at the same time. The marrow will be a very light green colour when you start cooking. Once the marrow has cooked, it will have turned a more yellow colour and become translucent.
- The actual cooking time will depend on the amount of water in the marrow. A more watery marrow will take longer for the liquid to evaporate. If your marrow is on the watery side, reduce the amount of water you add to 2 tablespoons. The water is not intended to cook the marrow, but to prevent the ingredients burning on the bottom of the pan. As the marrow cooks and softens it will release more moisture into the pan.
- Stir the marrow frequently as it cooks and keep your eye on the level of the liquid, especially in the final 10 minutes when the marrow is cooked with the lid off. If the marrow seems to be drying out, don't add more water or you will upset the balance of flavours, rather lower the temperature of the hob.
- Use your own judgement as to the exact cooking time needed. The marrow will be cooked when it is translucent and can be easily pierced with a fork.
- Curried marrow can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheated in a saucepan. You could pour away any excess liquid that may have been released, or allow the marrow to boil for a minute or two so the liquid can evaporate.
- You can also freeze the marrow curry. Pack it into meal-sized freezer containers and freeze for up to 4 months. Allow it to defrost and reheat as above.
Nutrition
I am not a nutritionist. The nutrition information has been calculated using an on-line calculator, and is intended for information and guidance purposes only. If the nutrition information is important to you, you should consider calculating it yourself, using your preferred tool.
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