I am so proud of myself!

... for 2 reasons. 1) I was able to almost recreate my sister's vegetable curry that I've been craving ever since she made it for me probably about 2 years ago, and 2) I actually got Blake to not only EAT cauliflower, but ENJOY it! That, my friends, is quite an accomplishment. And I am relieved, too, because I think cauliflower might be my favorite part of this dish.

When I was in high school in Japan, I got to take an "International Cooking" class taught by mothers of students at my school. My school was an International school, so you can assume the dishes we learned how to make were pretty authentic. And this dish reminds me of the Indian food day. It is pretty much the real thing, and I LOVE it! It's not the most visually appealing, but trust me, it is good. And the best part is that it is easy and the ingredients are really easy to find. Happy curry day!

Lisa's Vegetable Curry
serves 6-8?
5 cloves garlic, finely grated
1 3-in chunk fresh ginger, finely grated
3 T vegetable oil
1/4 t cumin
1/4 t cinnamon
2 t curry powder
1 bay leaf
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (14 oz) can unsweetened coconut milk (not cream of coconut)
1 head cauliflower, broken off into chunks
1 large eggplant, diced large
green beans (however much you want)

* vegetables should amount to about 8 C

1 C cashews (optional, but definitely suggested)
salt to taste

1. Heat oil to medium-high in a large pot. Add onion and cook until soft.
2. Add garlic, ginger, curry, cumin, cinnamon, and bay leaf. Cook until spices are fully incorporated and very fragrant. (about 1~2 minutes)
3. Add tomato and stir constantly until slightly pulpy.
4. Add vegetables and stir to combine. Cook until soft. Add salt and taste periodically.
   
5. Add coconut milk and cook until the curry thickens.
6. Add cashews. Serve over rice.

* you can add chicken to make it a little heartier.