Curried carrots

I studied abroad in London in the spring of 2005. It was then that I developed a love affair with food, especially indian cuisine. On the weekends, we would get takeout from the indian restaurant around the corner or eat from food vendors at the markets. One of the best indian meals I had was at Broadway Market in East Hackney a few years ago.

When I returned home after that semester, I was quite bummed that the indian food was nothing compared to what was in England. My aunt gave me a vegetarian indian cookbook for my birthday that year. Whenever I get a hankering for yummy, aromatic indian food, I grab this book off the shelf. There are a few dishes I've made repeatedly, and this is my version of one of them.

Curried carrots
1.5 tbsp coconut oil
1 tbsp cumin seeds
2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tbsp ginger
1.5 tbsp curry powder or fresh leaves
1 lb carrots, peeled into ribbons
1/2 lemon, juice

Heat the coconut oil over medium heat. Mix in the cumin seeds, red pepper, and ginger. Cook for a few minutes, making sure the spices aren't sticking to the pan. Mix in the carrot ribbons. Stir every so often, and add a few drops of water if the carrots get dry. Cook for 5 to 8 minutes, removed from heat, and stir in the lemon juice.

Great as a side dish with lentils (dal) or curried chickpeas, spicy cauliflower, and brown rice.