Curry Comfort Food

Posted by Jill Harris Jan 18, 2007

It's finally winter here in Ontario, and that has me craving comfort food.

I'm vegetarian, so you might think my idea of "comfort food" might be different than some peoples'.

Lately, it's been curry. Warm and as spicy as you like it, curry combats the chilly winter outdoors by warming your insides.

On a whim with no time cook, I headed late last night to a 24-hour grocery store to investigate the curry options. I purchased my current favourite - patak paneer (that's fresh cheese and peas in curry sauce!) and a bottle of lemon coriander sauce to coat some soon-to-expire tofu waiting in my fridge.

I'm also a fan of the ocassional take-away curry, but the home-prepared version is cheaper and uses a touch less added oil. It is possible to make the sauces from scratch, of course, but when it's 9:00 and you're hungry, there's just no time!

Perhaps you're thinking "this isn't really cuisine, Jill", but I beg to differ. From dictionary.com: "Cuisine - a style or quality of cooking; cookery: Italian cuisine; This restaurant has an excellent cuisine."

Quick, nourshing, Indian/vegetarian comfort food is cuisine at its best. Even if you order in, most restaurants have ample vegetetarian options. Try the aforementioned palak paneer, or rajmah (kidney bean curry). Vegetable and potato samosas are a tantalizing appetizer.

After adding some kidney beans and baby spinach leaves to the pan, I had created a balanced, four foodgroup meal in about 30 minutes.

If you've not have curries before, I highly suggest you try them this winter. If you have - what better time to get reaquainted?

Until next time,

Jill