Peas, Potatoes and Cauliflower in Curry Gravy

It's 10 PM but I am GOING to get a blog post done today! I'd planned to do this earlier, as it's so nice and basic, but just got distracted...

Today's post turns gravy international: a tasty Indian-inspired curry gravy (and curry sauces in India are called "curry gravy", I'm not making that up to fit with the theme here) loaded with three of my favorite veggies; Peas, potatoes and cauliflower. (Also known as Aloo Mutter Gobi)
Join me as I continue blogging onward - we're almost through "A Month Of Vegan Gravies".

An old picture,
but one of my favorites:
My 'Little Sprout' slurping up
a bowl of veggies and curry!

Cauliflower is abundant and cheap in the winter farmer's markets around here, so we loaded up on the weekend; In fact, one of the market sellers told me our valley here in the shadow of Mt. Rainier grows cauliflower commercially for most of the grocery stores in the US!
Wow. I knew there were a lot of vegetable farms in the area but still found that fact interesting...

Here's what lil' Sprout requested we do with the cauliflower tonight. She LOVES all things curried and spicy, VERY spicy.

Don't be put off by the long list of spices - they're not difficult to find (you might even have most of them) and NOT "hot", just very flavorful. They're well worth locating. This makes a full-flavored, delicious Indian curry. Enjoy.

Peas, Potatoes and Cauliflower in Curry Gravy
(Aloo Mutter Gobi)

• 1/2 medium-large head of cauliflower, broken into bite-size florets
• 1 medium white or sweet potato, cubed
• 1 small onion, sliced
• 1 cup water
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/4 tsp powdered fenugreek (if you have it - not absolutely necessary)
• 1/2 tsp red cayenne pepper (more or less depending on how spicy you like it)
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp. fresh pressed garlic
• 2 tsp. Madras curry powder
• 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
• 2 Tbsp minced or grated fresh ginger
• 1 cup frozen or fresh peas
• Aprox. 1 cup finely chopped fresh, or 1 8 oz. can crushed tomatoes
• 1 cup coconut milk

Not a great photo, but it's DARK here at suppertime!

Heat oil in a pan on medium heat. (I use a large, rather deep cast iron skillet.) Add the seeds and stir until they sizzle and "pop". This releases the spices flavor and infuses the oil with it.

Add the onion and ginger, stir-fry for a few minutes until onion is starting to brown at the edges.

Lower the heat and add in the spices from garlic to curry powder. Stir only a few seconds to get the spices coated with oil and just starting to heat.
Add the potato and cauliflower and stir well to mix in the spices. Add the salt.
Add the water and let the vegetables cook until tender. I cover the pan and let the veggies cook in their own juices which are released with the salt.
Stir every 5 minutes to evenly cook the vegetables, you may want to remove the lid to let water evaporate once potatoes start to soften.

When water has evaporated or vegetables are cooked, add green peas, tomatoes and coconut milk. (I tend to really mash up the tomatoes - my kids *think* they don't like tomatoes in curry)
Simmer for another 10 min. Turn off heat and allow to sit for a few minutes. This really blends the flavors.
Serve with rice.
(OK, I served it with quinoa today because I discovered we were OUT of rice. No one complained!)