Oslo Couchsurfer Curry
Winter. Oslo, Norway. The cold wind from the fjord stings my skin like a nest of hornets. I am staying in a barely-heated legalized squat house, run by a local anarchist collective. The group coheres around the kitchen; tea, coffee, milk kept unrefrigerated save for the ambient temperature of the room itself. Tonight I cook; warmth to all.
Oslo Couchsurfer Curry
3 large red peppers
1 carrot
1 large onion
3 cloves garlic
2-inches of ginger
5 medium potatoes, cut to bite size bits
1 head cauliflower, broken apart
1 can green peas
1 can coconut milk
2 tsp cardamom
2 tsp coriander
2 tsp crushed black pepper
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp turmeric
dash of cinnamon
Red pepper flakes to taste
2 tbsp ghee or clarified butter
Open the coconut milk and skim off the top half. Fill the can with water and mix thoroughly. Chop the first five ingredients and sautee them in the ghee. When the onion begins to look translucent, add all the spices and sautee for another minute. Add the potato and the can of water/coconut milk. Add additional water as needed to nearly cover the potatoes. Stir, then simmer until the potatoes are nearly done. Add the cauliflower, cook 5 minutes. Add the peas. Using a ladle, draw off 1 cup of the simmering liquid and mix it with the reserved coconut milk cream. Add it to the pot. Adjust seasonings, serve over rice.
