Meet Mr. Sensitive. A special sort of cat-friend.

Mr. Sensitive was absent from the dinner table tonight due to outside obligations (swimming lessons), so I seized the opportunity, nixed the borscht and opted for a spicier than usual curry. Mr. Sensitive won’t eat spice. Any spice. That’s why he’s Mr. Sensitive.

I took pictures, but just on my kitchen counter, not in my new portable food studio. It is yet to be birthed. Turns out it’s Halloween or something this week and apparently children’s costumes are more important than my flights of fancy. They just don’t realise how fancy I can be yet, that’s all. At any rate, my camera promptly ran out of batteries, so just take my word for it: these photos, under the kind, flourescent glow of my tiny, messy kitchen, were freaking fantastic and you are missing out on some kind of wonderful.

I served this spicy treat over our favouritest butternut squash aglionnotti, but brown rice will do, I suppose. But it won’t be as yummy as our supper. I’m just saying!

Mr. Sensitive Wouldn’t Like It Vegetable Curry

Ingredients

• 1 medium onion chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 inch knob of ginger root, minced
• 1 tbs madras curry powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander seed
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 3 carrots, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 small yam, diced
• 1 small sweet potato, diced
• 1 cup cauliflower, chopped
• 1 14oz can chick peas
• 1 cup red lentils
• 3 tbs soy sauce
• 1-3 tbs tabasco or other hot pepper sauce
• 1 heaping tbs dried red chilies
• 1 heaping tsp chili powder
• 1 heaping tsp tandoori curry paste
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• water for sauteing + 2 cups

Method

1. Over medium-high heat, saute onions, garlic and ginger in water until onions begins to soften, adding more water as necessary.
2. Stir in curry powder, cumin, coriander and garam masala and saute three minutes more, adding more water as necessary to form a thick curry paste.
3. Add in about a 1/4 cup water and saute carrots, celery, yams and sweet potatoes for 3-5 minutes.
4. Add in remaining ingredients (including the additional 2 cups of water). Bring to a boil then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes, until lentils are very, very soft.
5. Remove from heat and adjust seasonings. Add a splash of lemon juice and serve over rice or pasta. Garnish with soy yogurt and more hot sauce, unless you’re scared.