Rock To Wind A String Around

It took me awhile to become a blog reader.  Long a participant in various online communities, I didn’t really start to read blogs until about 4 years ago.  Someone in a community would post a link to their own blog, and I would think, “what fun is it to read the wild musings of one small individual?  Community life is much more my speed.”  My small toe dangle into the world of blogs changed this opinion almost immediately.  Not  only were there self-absorbed musings, there were funny people sharing things out there, and there were entire blogs dedicated to crafts, and food too–AMAZING!!!  6 months or so into my bloggy love affair, I found kickpleat’s blog of deliciousness.  Within a month, I was combing her recipe index regularly,  ready to make another one of her dishes.  Of all the cookbooks and food blogs I peruse, Everybody likes Sandwiches is the one that provides our breakfast lunch or dinner the most often.

Since we came home on Saturday, I’ve been puttering in the kitchen non-stop.  I tend to cook more in the winter anyway, and between the icy weather, a 3 week absence from normal cooking, and Albert at home this week, I can’t seem to stay away from the stove.  This was the most fabulous dish to make an appearance this week.  It is adapted from one of kickpleat’s scrumptious dinners.
winter squash, red lentil & tofu curry
1 T canola oil
1 onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced (6 cloves for us)
2 inch knob of ginger
2 stalks celery, diced
1 t salt
1 heaping T of garam masala curry paste (or use regular curry/garam masala powder) (I used 1T of curry, 1t of garam masala)
1 T ground cumin
1/2 small kabocha squash (or any other winter squash), diced (butternut was plentiful at Wild Oats, so I used that)
1 c red lentils
5 c veggie broth or water (my favorite, ‘Better than Bouliion’ is too salty to use so much, so I made 2 cups of broth, and added 3 cups of water)
1 block of tofu, diced

In a large heavy pot, heat up oil over med-high heat, add in onions, garlic, ginger and celery and saute until soft and fragrant. Sprinkle in salt, cumin and curry paste and stir until spices coat vegetables. Stir in the squash and lentils. Add in water or broth, lower heat and cover pot. Simmer for 15 minutes and then stir in tofu. Let simmer until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the lentils are soft, about another 5 minute.

I served this over quinoa with a sprinkling of pepitas and cilantro.  I also made a raita (drained yogurt with a healthy measure of seeded cucumber–diced,  cumin, salt, cayenne, and chopped cilantro).  We ate delicious clementines as a side dish–highly recommended!)

This dish scored big points with the three of us who ate it (I scooped a healthy portion from the pot, before adding the tofu, for Astrid Meklit), and Albert had it again for lunch today and thought it even tastier.  A huge thanks to kickpleat for feeding my family so well for so long. I can’t wait to see what you’ll make next.