Meat Free Friday: Vegetable Channa Masala

Adapted from the 2012 Milk Calendar

Ingredients:

1 T. butter

2 carrots, chopped

1 onion, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 T. minced gingerroot

3 T. mild curry paste

3 c. small cauliflower florets

3/4 cup water

1/4 cup sundried tomatoes  (original recipe called for 1 1/2 cups chopped fresh tomato but I can’t eat fresh tomatoes or tomatoes in that quantity so I used this instead)

1 19 oz. chickpeas, drained and rinsed

2 cups chopped green beans

2 T. flour

1 1/2 cups half and half cream

salt to taste

Yogurt, raisins, and fresh mint for topping, pita bread is delicious as an accompaniment

Instructions:  Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat.  Saute the carrots and onions until onion is softened.  Mix in the garlic, ginger, and curry and continue to cook for about a minute until the garlic softens.  Add in the cauliflower and water; bring to a boil, cover and boil until vegetables are tender, about 8-10 minutes.  Add in chickpeas and green beans (and fresh tomatoes if you are using those instead of the sundried ones)  and simmer for a few minutes until heated through.  Combine flour and cream – you can whisk but my preferred method is to put both into a shaker and shake them together.  Add this to the pot and stir frequently, continuing to simmer until a thick sauce has formed.  Stir in the sundried tomatoes and add salt if needed.   Top each bowl with a dollop of yogurt, raisins, and fresh mint.  Yum!