Cauliflower Butter Curry

Serves 4

Cooking time including preparation is about 1 hour

Lately with the weather being very drippy it seems like the best way to spend an afternoon tucked indoors is to have a hot bowl of curry in hand. Cauliflower and curry combinations are quite popular in Western Indian cuisine, but not having tried making one myself yet, I decided to whip up a version similar to a recipe I learned for Butter Chicken. Tomatoes round out this dish so beautifully that my eyes popped with delight as I tasted the result.  It's seven basic ingredients and quick to prepare so I suggest giving this one a try if you're in the mood for a smooth silky veggie curry. It can also be served as a bold side dish without rice or it can accompany other curry dishes.

I decided to use salted butter instead of ghee for this one because I wanted creaminess in the sauce to take a little acid off of the tomatoes and make it quicker to prepare. You may want to use low-sodium chicken broth since broths and canned tomatoes vary quite a bit these days in sodium levels. Taste the sauce halfway through cooking and add salt if necessary but be careful not to over-season it. When I made this I added a sliced fresh Thai chili when cooking the onion to really make it zing, so toss one in if you don't want to walk on the mild side.

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 1 head of cauliflower, cut into 3" florets
• 6-8 nugget potatoes, scrubbed and halved
• 1 tablespoon madras curry powder
• 1 398mL can diced tomatoes
• 2-3 cups chicken stock
• Fresh cilantro for garnish (optional)

1)Melt the butter in a medium sized pot over medium heat.
2) Add the chopped onion and stir until softened, about 2-3 minutes.
3) Sprinkle the curry powder over the onion. If you prefer a milder version, use less than a tablespoon.
4) Stir the curry and onions together to roast the spices. Cook for at least a minute until very fragrant.
5) Add the potatoes to the pot and stir to get them cooking. After about 2 minutes, add the cauliflower, stir and cook an additional minute or so. Make sure not to burn the curry!
6)Stir in the can of tomatoes and pour in the chicken stock until the vegetables are covered in liquid. Mix well and allow to boil.
7) When the curry begins to boil, cover and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 45 minutes or until the potatoes are finished.
8) Serve piping hot over rice and/or with naan. Sprinkle with fresh cilantro. Tastes even better after a night in the fridge!

Pad Thai

Serves 4

Thailand has the rest of Asia beat for food, as far as I'm concerned. Spicy, sweet, and full of fresh flavours, the cuisine of Southeast Asia is simpler to make than you might think. This popular dish has all the hallmarks of Thai cooking: oyster sauce for sweetness, fish sauce for saltiness, and lime for sour. The peanuts and bean sprouts add a bit of crunch and the chilies kick it into drive so if you dare, dress it with more. Traditionally Thai kitchens will serve sliced chilies in a small amount of fish sauce for the garnish which is my favourite way to top off the dish, but it's a hot tongue that can handle that much heat.

The best way to make Pad Thai is with fresh  prawns, but since not all of us are blessed with fresh ocean treasures nearby, you can substitute with good-quality frozen prawns in the shell. When making this dish on the prairies, I thaw the frozen prawns in cold water and remove the shells. I then boil the shells in a small amount of salt water for 20 minutes and save it as stock for say, Tom Yum soup or even a Vietnamese Pho. Your belly will be as happy as a Buddha's once you enter the exotic world of SE Asian cooking.

• 2 tablespoons oil (sesame is best but canola also works, must be a high-smoke point oil)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 red Thai chili, sliced
• 1 lb chicken, sliced or whole prawns.
• 1/2 block of packaged medium firmness tofu, cut into small cubes
• 2 eggs
• 1 package wide rice noodles
• 5 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 3 generous handfuls of washed bean sprouts

 Garnish with:

• Chopped peanuts
• Sliced green onion
• Lime wedges
• Fresh sliced chilies and fish sauce

1) Prepare the rice noodles by boiling for 2-3 minutes until mostly cooked. Alternatively, soak the dry noodles in cold water for 20-30 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2) Heat the oil in a large wok  on medium-high heat.
3) Add a pinch of garlic to the oil. The oil is at the right temperature when the garlic bubbles but doesn't burn.
4) Add the garlic and chili, stirring quickly. Cook for 1 minute.
5) Add the chicken or prawns and cook nearly through.  If using fresh prawns be careful not to overcook.
6) Stir in the tofu and cook for 1-2 minutes.
7) Throw in the rice noodles and stir quickly. Add the oyster sauce and fish sauce, tossing the ingredients well.
8) Spread the ingredients to the outer edges of the pan to make room in the centre.
9) Crack the eggs into the centre and scramble until cooked.
10) Stir everything together and toss in the bean sprouts.
11) Cook an additional few minutes so that the bean sprouts are heated but not wilted.
12)Place the peanuts, limes, chilies and fish sauce in separate bowls  so that each person can garnish to their liking. Serve and enjoy!