Warding off the Chill

Imagine spiced carrots, onions and cauliflower simmering in a tomato and coconut sauce making your kitchen smell wonderful in less than 45 minutes - that was dinner, and it was delicious. 

We’ve barely had Thanksgiving and already Mother Nature is taunting us with snow and cold - although she did give us some sunshine last weekend to enjoy. We all know that is short lived. I spied some kale still thriving in the garden the other day, it seems some things are impervious to her  taunts. I’ll have to make a batch of squash, freekah and kale this week for dinner. 

I’ve been binge watching the latest season of The Great British Baking Show lately and with the exception of Paul, I do enjoy it. He’s a bit too much for my tastes - and yea I get that is part of his “charm” but it’s charm I think the world can do without these days. 

We spent last weekend with friends, seeing Bohemian Rhapsody, and getting the Christmas lights up on the house (before it’s too cold to do that). They aren’t on yet, just sitting on the house waiting for Thanksgiving to be over. I believe the “official” turn them on date will be Thanksgiving evening - and it was! 

And then what happens, everyone runs around like crazy, shopping for just the right gift, decorating the house, cooking and baking cookies. This year a friend and I opted for a cooking baking class at the Community Ed center. They bring the ingredients and you mess up their kitchen, you bring the enthusiasm and containers to take them home in - 3 hours from start to finish and you are done. 

Until all that craziness begins I’ll opt for some Indian comfort food with just enough heat to keep that cold away. The original recipe calls for potatoes and cauliflower, but since I’m not a potato fan (unless it’s sweet potatoes), I used carrots, cauliflower, and onions and topped it with cilantro. 

Ingredients

3 - 4 carrots, washed, peeled and sliced

1 cauliflower, cut into small florets

1 onion, medium, chopped

1 15 ounce can diced tomatoes with chilies

2 T tomato paste

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1.5 teaspoons ginger-garlic paste

1/4 teaspoon red chili powder or to taste

1/4 teaspoon garam masala powder

1 teaspoon coriander powder

3-4 teaspoons oil

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

salt, to taste

Cooking Instructions

Heat 1.5 teaspoon of oil on medium heat and add cumin, and red pepper flakes stir for 30 seconds. Add the onions and cook until translucent. Add the ginger-garlic paste and garam masala cook for another 2 minutes.

To the onion mixture, add the tomatoes, tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Add 1 can coconut milk and 1 cup water, stir to combine. Reduce heat to medium, add the cauliflower and carrots and cook for 3 - 4 minutes. Add chili powder, coriander leaf, cover the pan and simmer for 30 - 40 minutes until the cauliflower and carrots are soft. 

Remove from heat, add chopped cilantro and serve with basmati rice and Indian bread.