Curried Stuff for TFF

I am keeping curries and curry-type dishes part of my repertoire...I've come to adore the complex flavors and open invitation to experiment with new additions. This one is from Tyler Florence..."a good, fast vegetarian meal." Tyler says it is a beautiful way to experience the taste of India...but I think I've become accustomed to the more Thai-versions of curry...with the addition of coconut milk. I actually didn't find the final result to be very flavorful...so I added a few more things and ended up with a dish I really enjoyed. I'm gonna have to say that I think I had beginner's luck because my first-ever curry is still my favorite! Curried Cauliflower with Chickpeas and Tomatoes slightly adapted from Tyler Florence's Eat This Book 1/4 c. ghee I used Olive Oil 1 onion, finely chopped I sliced it 1" piece of fresh ginger, peeled & julienned 2 Tbs. curry powder* 2 ripe tomatoes, chopped I used 3 romas...cuz I got to raid a garden 2 Tbs. tomato paste 1 head cauliflower (~1 lb.), cut into florets 3 c. canned chickpeas, drained & rinsed I used 2 (15 oz.) cans kosher salt I used sea salt Fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish 1 can coconut milk ground cumin- to taste ~1-2 Tbs. brown sugar couple squirts of Sriracha Chili Sauce Heat the ghee in a deep skillet or pot over medium heat. Add the onion, ginger and curry powder. Cook, stirring for a few minutes to soften the onion. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring, until the tomatoes break down and soften, about 6 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and 1 cup of water to dissolve paste. Gently fold in the cauliflower and chickpeas. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until the cauliflower is tender, 15-20 minutes. Uncover and continue cooking until the sauce has thickened and the cauliflower and chickpeas are coated with a thick gravy. Season with salt. Here is where I thought it needed something more. The following were my additions...add coconut milk, cumin, brown sugar & sriracha. Let cook for a few more minutes...I like it a little saucy. I served it over rice noodles. Garnish with cilantro.*Tyler's recipe for Curry Powder (from same book) 2 Tbs. coriander seeds 1 Tbs. cumin seeds 1 tsp. fennel seeds 1/2 tsp. whole cloves 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds 1 Tbs. cardamom seeds 1 Tbs. whole black peppercorns 2 dried, red chiles, broken into pieces, seeds discarded 1 Tbs. ground turmeric In a small, dry skillet, combine all ingredients except turmeric. Toast over medium-low heat, shaking the pan often to prevent the spices from burning, for a couple of minutes until the spices smell fragrant. Let the spices cool. In a clean coffee grinder, grind the toasted spices to a fine powder. Add the turmeric and give it another quick buzz to combine. Use immediately or store in a sealed jar for up to 2 months. Although I didn't use this...it sounds awesome. Maybe I would have liked the curry as-is, if I had. I don't know. I do have a pretty good curry powder, that's why I didn't make this. Well, that and the fact that I cannot afford cardamom seeds ($17.00 for an itty-bitty jar). This is my entry for Tyler Florence Fridays this week. Please head on over to see what everybody else cooked up with Tyler!