We are big curry lovers.
Every time we go to our favorite local Indian restaurant for a lunch buffet, I realize how much I love Indian food.
Last time I was at the restaurant, I even said I might have to pick Indian food if I could only choose one food to eat for the rest of my life.
I know it’s kind of cheating, because it’s not just one dish, but I would want different Indian dishes.
But I think that illustrates how much I love Indian flavors.
This time I wanted to make authentic Indian curry, and I decided to combine spices myself.
First time I used garam masala, I was a little shocked by its bitterness, and I’ve been avoiding using it.
But this time I decided to try it again, and for some reason, it worked just fine!
Maybe the harmony with the other spices was probably right this time.
I wanted to keep this curry vegan, so I used roasted sweet potato, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower, instead of meat.
I love the natural sweetness created in these vegetables from the roasting process.
5 garlic cloves, chopped
1 inch long ginger, peeled and chopped
canola oil
4 cloves
1 star anise, whole
3 bay leaves
2 cinnamon sticks
2 onions, diced
2~3 cups of roasted vegetables (I used cauliflower/brussels sprouts/sweet potatoes roasted in 400F oven for about 30 minutes)
2 cans diced tomatoes
garam masala
ground coriander
ground cumin
turmeric powder
cayenne pepper
sugar
salt and pepper
water
fresh lemon juice
1. Place garlic and ginger in a small food grinder and puree them until smooth.
2. Put canola oil, cloves, star anise, bay leaves, and cinnamon in a pan and cook over a medium heat. When the oil is hot enough add onion and continue to cook until the onion is dark brown.
3. Turn the heat down. Add the garlic/ginger mixture and continue to cook over a low heat.
4. Add roasted vegetables and tomatoes.
5. Add spices, about 2 teaspoons or so each of garam masala, coriander, cumin, and turmeric. Add a few sprinkles of cayenne pepper. Add sugar, salt, and pepper.
6. Continue to cook. Stir. Taste. Add water, 1/4 cup at a time, if preferred to achieve the right consistency and taste. Simmer.
7. Add fresh lemon juice right before serving.
A lazy weekend afternoon. Me hanging out with Marcie at Rice Park.
By 
