Vegan Cauliflower + Chickpea Curry

Everyone loves hydrangeas. One color, multi-colored, they are one of the most beloved summer flowers, and for good reason since its beauty is inspirational. Hydrangeas are very symbolic to change as depending on the PH of the soil, that dictates the color of the flower's petals. 

Hydrangea
Happy, rich and full of life, 
it teaches us that where we are planted matters...
the hydrangea will change colors
- pink, blue, crimson and wine -
when moved to different soil.

I found this dress with its original tags at Goodwill. It was made by a fashion designer in India, and I fell in love with the vibrancy of the colors on the dress. Bold and alive, I reminisced on my time studying yoga in India in 2007. 

That was a wild summer full of cathartic changes and unpredictable journeys. 

While studying the shape and pattern of the cauliflower, I realized how much it looked like like the hydrangeas. With inspiration from the flowers and the dress made in India, I wanted to do a dairy-free version of an Indian cauliflower curry. 

Discover more about my journey of change at the age of 22 from my memoir, Finding Om: An Indian Journey of Rickshaws, Chai, Chapattis and Gurus.

Packed with powerful herbs, this curry detoxifies the body along with balancing the macronutrients of the fat, carbohydrate and protein. The coconut milk provides healthy fat. The chickpeas mainly contribute the protein, and together the cauliflower and chickpeas are healthy forms of carbohydrates. 

I suggest eating this with homemade naan bread as there is much curried sauce to dip into! Enjoy!

Vegan Cauliflower + Chickpea Curry
Make Time: 30 minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 small-medium cauliflower, chopped
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 14.5 oz can fire roasted tomatoes
2 cans coconut milk (see note below)
2-3 tbsp curry powder
1/14 tsp cumin**
1/2 tsp cinnamon**
1/2 tsp ginger**
1/4 - 1/2 tsp garam masala**
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper 
**I did a heaping scoop of these spices. 

Directions: 
Begin by sautéing the garlic and onions with olive oil in a pot for several minutes. Next, add the spices and mix until well covered. Add the tomatoes and coconut milk and cooking for 2-3 minutes. 

Take this mixture to make the curry sauce and puree it in a blender until smooth. Pour the curry sauce back into the pot, add and simmer, until the cauliflower is edible. Near the last 3-5 minutes of cooking, add the chick peas. Adjust the spices as needed. 

Remove from heat once done and serve with freshly baked naan bread. 

**Note** If you don't want too much liquid, start with 1 can of coconut milk with 2 tbsp of curry. You can add more coconut milk 1/4 cup at a time. The more coconut milk may require some spice adjustments. 

Let's Connect! Enjoy my other recipes below! 

Vegan Pumpkin Curry Soup

Vegan Raw Asian Crunch Salad w. Carrot Ginger Dressing

Vegan Indian-Spiced French Lentils with Spinach and Naan

Yum

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