Creamy Cauliflower Kashmir Curry - time (30mins) eating (easy) skill (easy)

They're like buses these posts, none for ages then 3 come along at the same time. Ish.

Anyway Wednesday is cooking day. This recipe is from an old Weightwatchers book called Spice Up Your Life. I do like their recipes, they work and they taste lovely, even with their low fat and sugar substitutes, though I generally  ignore the those and use normal ingredients, like fat and sugar.

Talking of sugar, the osteopath/ naturopath has been encouraging me to stop eating sugar, and get calories from actual fats (like butter, lard, coconut oil etc) and to only use liquid oils as dressings or at the end of the cooking process so that the fat doesn't go solid when it takes me hours to eat my food - because globs of cold fat aren't too great! Anyway, I staggered onto the scales the other day and appear to have lost 6lbs. Just through not eating sugar. And also not snacking so much, cos let's face it, sugar = moreish snacks.  I'm a bit stunned because I've barely been moving inside the house and haven't been a metre beyond the front & back door more than twice since Christmas Day jaunts to the parentals for lunch and then the vet, and I've not changed anything else, though I'm probably eating more fruit and honey than usual.

So if anyone is in doubt - yes you can lose weight without moving much at all! (unless having 'restless legs' counts. I do wriggle a lot!)

In the pan, at night, in poor light. It's actually quite yellow and looks nicer in real life!

Creamy Cauliflower Kashmir Curry

What is it?  A fruity curry that's mild but creamy.

Time required? The recipe says prep time 15mins, cooking time 15mins.

Cooking Skill required? the ability to prepare chopped onions and turn a cauliflower into florets, then do a bit of stirring. So Easy.

Eating Ability required? Depends on how big the cauliflower chunks and pineapple/ banana chunks are. I'd say easy to medium.

INGREDIENTS

low fat cooking spray (or normal oil)

2 medium onions chopped (or 2 handfuls of frozen pre chopped onion)

2" piece of ginger grated (or a couple of toothbrushes worth of ready grated ginger)

2 garlic cloves crushed (or a couple of toothbrushes worth of ready crushed garlic)

1 teaspoon turmeric (adds colour not heat)

1 tablespoon medium strength curry powder (it really isn't very hot at all because of the coconut and creme fraiche, but half that if you really only want flavour and no heat).

1 large cauliflower divided into florets (I like to use the stem also cut into chunks)

2 bay leaves

100ml (3.5 fl oz) reduced fat creme fraiche (if you don't have any, use plain yoghurt and add it once everything is pretty much already cooked so it doesn't curdle with the fruit)

425g can of crushed pineapple in juice (or pineapple chunks, just adds more 'chew' to the dish).

2 medium bananas sliced (optional I never remember to buy them)

200 ml (7 fl oz) coconut milk (reduced fat if you want)

salt and pepper

Preparation

1. Prepare and chop the ingredients.

2. Heat a pan and add a little bit of oil or cooking spray. Stir fry the onions for 4-5 mins until soft but do not allow to brown.

3. Add everything else (except yoghurt if you're using that instead of creme fraiche). Gently heat until simmering, then cover with a tight fitting lid and cook for about 12 mins or until the cauliflower is cooked to your taste. (then add the yoghurt if that's what you've got).

4. Remove the lid and cook uncovered for 2-3mins until the sauce has thickened.  Check the seasoning before serving.

Alternatives

• You can swop out full fat for reduced fat and/or yoghurt for creme fraiche. I couldn't find crushed pineapple so we used the tin of chunks. And I never remember to have bananas available either.
• Eat with Plain Rice. Or a salad of uncooked tomato and onion. Or poppadoms. Or chapattis. 
• It's also nice with just plain boiled green beans as a side (or maybe that's just me? lol)
• It really is very mild, but if you don't want any heat, stir in a bit more yoghurt once it's plated up.
• If there's not quite enough sauce for your liking, add more yoghurt or plain cow's milk (or whatever you usually use). Water can be used, but will separate and you'll need to stir it back in.
• If you want MORE heat. Use strong curry powder or add some chillis.

Can it be frozen? Yes don't see why not. BUT the sauce will separate when defrosting. So make sure you don't get rid of the 'whey' clear fluid, stir it back in before reheating, otherwise it'll be a bit dry!