Green Apple Curry

Granny Smith apples give this green apple curry recipe some tartness. Simple and easy, it's best served on Indian roti bread.

By
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise founded Simply Recipes in 2003 and led the site until 2019. She has an MA in Food Research from Stanford University.
Learn about Simply Recipes' Editorial Process
Updated May 17, 2022
Elise Bauer
green apple curry recipe

Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

Years ago I visited the Caribbean island of Trinidad and was struck not only by the music of steel drums filling the air everywhere, but also by a street food called "roti", which is sort of like an east Indian version of a burrito. A curry pocket of sorts.

I recently reconnected with a Trini friend, Asher, who with her husband Keith, brought me some wonderful homemade curries and roti for dinner.

One of Keith's favorites is curry apple, or a simple curry made with tart green Granny Smith apples, taking the place of tart green mangos, which is one of the most common and well loved curries for roti in Trinidad.

granny smith apples

Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

What I love about this simple curry is just that, it is so simple, nothing fancy. Granny Smiths tend to mush up as they cook, which actually creates the thickness of this curry.

I followed a fairly bare bones approach here. You could easily dress this up with chopped cilantro, chile flakes or habanero, mustard seed, or other spices.

simple green apple curry

Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

Traditionally this curry is served with Indian roti bread.

If there are any Trinis out there reading this who have a favorite recipe for either the roti "skin" (the thin, tortilla-like bread) or other roti-friendly curries to share, please let us know about them in the comments!

For more information on which apple varieties are best for baking, check out our Guide to Apples.

More Indian-Style Curries

From the Editors Of Simply Recipes

Green Apple Curry

Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 40 mins
Total Time 45 mins
Servings 4 servings

Just a standard yellow curry powder mix will do here. Use your favorite.

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

  • 2 large cloves garlic, smashed and roughly chopped

  • 1/4 cup onion, finely chopped

  • 2 tablespoons yellow curry powder

  • 2 tablespoons water

  • 1 teaspoon butter

  • 4 tart green Granny Smith apples, cored and roughly chopped (peel ON)

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1 1/2 cups water

  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar, packed

Method

  1. Infuse the oil with garlic:

    Heat the oil in a large sauté pan on medium heat. Add the garlic and let cook until the garlic starts to get browned. Use a slotted spoon to remove the garlic from the oil. Discard (or eat as a snack) the garlic.

  2. Cook the onions:

    Add the chopped onions to the pan and let cook until translucent (about 4 minutes).

  3. Make the curry paste, add to onions, and add butter:

    While the onions are cooking, in a small bowl, mix together the curry powder and 2 tablespoons of water. Stir with a spoon until you have a smooth, thin paste. Once the onions are translucent, stir in the curry paste. Let bubble and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the butter.

  4. Add the apples, water, and brown sugar:

    Add the chopped apples and salt to the pan. Add 1 1/2 cups of water, or enough water to just almost cover the apples. Stir in the brown sugar.

  5. Simmer until thickened and cooked through:

    Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Let cook, uncovered, on a low simmer for 30 minutes, until thickened and cooked through. Add more water if needed if the mixture starts to stick to the pan.

    Traditionally served with soft roti bread. In place of roti you can serve it with a warmed flour tortilla, pita bread, or over rice.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
224 Calories
12g Fat
29g Carbs
1g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 224
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 12g 15%
Saturated Fat 1g 7%
Cholesterol 3mg 1%
Sodium 331mg 14%
Total Carbohydrate 29g 11%
Dietary Fiber 7g 23%
Total Sugars 19g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 1mg 6%
Calcium 36mg 3%
Iron 1mg 5%
Potassium 270mg 6%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.