Butter Cauliflower Curry

Jun 27, 2022 • food

Ingredients

Tomato sauce

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• A slice of onion (minced)
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• 4 tomatoes (diced)
• Some salt and pepper

Rice

• 2 cups rice
• 2 cup water for pressure cooker or 4 cups water for stove
• few shakes of corriander seeds
• few shakes of crushed bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Curry Sauce

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1/2 onion (diced)
• 1 tablespoon ginger (minced)
• 2 teaspoons garam masala
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• tomato sauce listed above (or a 15-ounce can)
• 2 cups vegetable broth (mulitply the powder 1.5 times)
• salt and pepper
• 21oz of cauliflower (roughly a head) (cut into florets)
• 1 cup of oat milk/coconut and almond creamer (condensed to half in size)
• few shakes of parsley
• [optional]
  • naan

Instructions

1. Starting with the tomato sauce (skip this step if you are using a can of sauce). In a medium sized pot on medium-high heat olive oil. When warm, add the onions and garlic. After onions are translucent, add the tomatoes. Increase heat to high. Stiring on occasion, continue to cook until the sauce breaks down and reduces in size to about 15 ozs. While the tomatoes are cooking, prepare the rest of the vegetables.
2. Prepare the rice adding all ingredients together. I used a pressure cooker, so I waited towards the end, but if you're cooking on the stove you will likely want to start sooner rather than later.
3. In a large pot or soup cauldron on medium-high, add in butter. When warm, add garlic and onions. Cook till translucent.
4. Add ginger, garam masala, chili powder, cumin and tomato paste. Cook for about a minute. Then add tomato sauce, vegetable broth, salt and pepper to taste. Bring to boil.
5. In a pot (I reused the tomato sauce pot) on high add in milk and coconut/almond milk creamer. Cook till reduced to size.
6. Stir in cauliflower and reduce heat to medium-low, then cover. Cook till cauliflower is tender ( about 10 minutes).
7. Stir in the milk/creamer, then add the parsley.
8. Serve with the rice, and if you have it, naan!

Inspiration

I had this recipe saved for a while. I just have not made it until yesterday! I took some liberties, made my own tomato sauce, and used oat milk with some coconut and almond creamer for a heavy whipping cream substitute. I did not have vegetable stock so I used broth and lastly parsley instead of cilantro.

Closing

It has been a looooooooong while, but I just had to post it as this is by far the BEST curry I have ever made. I mean, I said that in other curry posts, too, but this one takes the cake. It was fantastic. I will definitely need to make this one again! I did not make the naan homemade this time, but I had some in the fridge from the store. I did butter it and added a little garlic powder and parsley before cooking it in the the toaster oven for a few minutes.

Well, that is all, happy cooking!

Mushroom Chickpea Stroganoff

Feb 28, 2021 • food

Ingredients

• 1 cup of rice or pasta
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 4 mushrooms (sliced)
• 1/2 onion (thinly sliced)
• 2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
• 15oz can chickpeas (separate chickpeas from liquid)
• 1 teaspoon 'Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Broth'
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup coconut buttermilk (use half tablespoon lemon juice)

Instructions

1. Prepare rice or pasta.
2. In frypan add olive oil and butter on medium-high. When warm add onions, cook until lightly brown.
3. Add mushrooms, garlic, and chickpeas sans liquid (set aside) then cover. Cook for 6 minutes.
4. Mix the bouillon and chickpeas liquid and add to the frypan. Cook until it starts to thicken, uncovered.
5. In a small pot cook the coconut buttermilk on high till it thickens.
6. Add the buttermilk and mustard to the frypan and continue to cook until it thickens.
7. Serve over rice of pasta.

Inspiration

I started with this. Original did not include a protein, so I added chickpeas. It also called for a lot more mushrooms. I did not have anymore to add, so I only used half the onion.

Closing

This is not the first time I made this, but it is the best it has ever turned out. It was the first time that I used coconut milk. I really liked it.

Growing up we had stroganoff all the time, though that recipe was usually with beef and sometimes chicken, it also included water chestnuts. We interchanged between rice and pasta. Rice is a healthier choice. I liked the rice.

I would double this the next time-- I just need more mushrooms!

Lentil-Barley Curry with Carrots and Potatoes

Jul 19, 2020 • food

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup green lentils
• 1 tablespoon barley
• 3 1/2 cups water
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 large onion (finely chopped)
• 2 cloves garlic (chopped)
• 1/2 teaspoon all-spice
• [optional] A few shakes of cayenne pepper
• 2 carrots (chopped in large pieces)
• 1-2 potatoes (chopped)
• 1 1/2 tablepoons curry powder
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 cups vegetable broth

Instructions

1. In a medium pot on high, add olive oil, lentils, barley, and water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium and cook for 10-20 minutes until tender.
2. While the lentils and barley are cooking. Prepare the vegetables.
3. In a large pot, on high, heat canola oil. When warm, add onions, garlic, and all-spice. Cook for 5 minutes.
4. Add in carrots, potatoes and curry powder (optionally cayenne pepper) to the onion and garlic, sauté for a minute. Add in tomato paste and lentil-barly then add in broth and cook for 20 minutes.
5. Serve with rice (and if you're looking to spritz it up a bit add a few shakes of coriander while it cooks).

Inspiration

I was cooking basmati rice and I wanted to have a curry with it. So I did a cursory look for something "quick." I came across this beef curry recipe that I wanted to make vegetarian. I also used all-spice instead of ginger because some how I lost my root. I was rather distraught over it, because I am never in a house with out some ginger!

Closing

This might be the best curry I have ever made, despite not having ginger. It helps to have the right rice for the texture that you might be looking for. For another recipe, a few months ago, I made my own curry powder (I never recorded it) and used it for this. The original recipe suggested using coriander, and I added it to the rice which really added some texture and flavour. I found that the [Better Than Bouillon] vegetable broth has a more "beef" flavour, and I chose that to follow in spirit of the original.

Anyway, it's been a while since I made a post, and this is what pulled me out there to do it!

Give this a try!

Original Vegetarian Chili

Feb 9, 2020 • food

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 onion (chopped)
• 2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
• 1/2 bell pepper (chopped)
• 2 tablespoons green lentils
• 2 tablespoons barley
• 1/2-1 teaspoon salt
• liberal use of crushed pepper corn
• 4 tomatoes (quartered)
• 1 15oz can of red beans (drained)
• A few shakes of crushed parsley

Instructions

1. In a medium-large pot, on medium high, add olive oil and chili powder. When warm add onions and garlic. Cook for 2 minutes.
2. Add bell pepper, continue cooking for an additional 4-5 minutes.
3. Add lentils, barley, salt and pepper. Cook for a minute.
4. Add tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Reduce heat to medium-low, stir in beans and parsley then cover. Cook for 45-60 minutes, stirring as needed.
6. Serve or let it simmer longer!

Closing

I made this recipe on a cold day last week, and I was amazed at how well it turned out. I did not record or take a picture of it, so I had to make it again! Glad I did, because it was good the second time, too! Albeit I added a little less salt the second time around and you may want to add to taste.

It is funny, this tastes and has much of the texture I was looking for with the madras recipe I made a few months back. With the barley the vegetarian dish finishes the circle for the complete protein. The lentils gives some added texture.

This is just another one of those dishes that will not disappoint on a cold day, especially if you add a biscuit to the side!

Original Fresh Tomato Soup

Jan 12, 2020 • food

Ingredients

• 6-7 roma tomatoes (peeled and diced)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 onion (thinly sliced)
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• liberal use of freshly crushed peppercorn
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar

Instructions

1. In a medium pot on medium-high, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil. When warm, add onions, garlic, 1 diced tomato, salt, and pepper. Cook until onions are translucent (about 5 minutes).
2. When cooked, set the contents in the pot into a bowl.
3. Back to the pot, (still on medium-high) add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. When warm, add the remaining diced tomatoes. Cook until it starts to liquify (about 10 minutes).
4. Slowly, add the vegetable broth, and bring to a boil.
5. After being brought to a boil, turn the heat down to low. Using an immersion blender, blend the tomatoes until it is no longer chunky.
6. Add the bowl of onion, garlic and tomatoes to the soup, along with the brown sugar. Let it simmer for 5 minutes.
7. You can wait longer and it will taste better, or you can pour yourself a bowl.

Inspired by

This is not all too different from another recipe of mine, we call it, "The Sauce." At the time of this post, I do not think I have posted that. Both are original. :)

Closing

If you have some homemade bread, make some grilled cheese with it. Then dip that sandwich in the the soup. It's AMAZING!

I have attempted my hand at a fresh homemade tomato soup in the past, but I did not peel the tomatoes. BIG MISTAKE! You need to peel the tomatoes otherwise it gets this rather gritty texture that is less than desireable.

Also, I have only recently acquired an immersion blender. If you do not have one, you can use a food processor or blender, but the immersion blender works better.

What I like about this is that it has chunky tomatoes in addition to the tomato broth. Very satisfying, indeed!

So, dip (or spoon) away!