A Stew Greater Than the Sum of Its Parts
"There’s a classic French method for a pot-roasted mixture of vegetables that I often employ. The simple technique involves a kind of progressive layering that builds flavor by adding vegetables to the pot one by one. You start with slowly softened onions, a bay leaf and a thyme sprig, then you add potatoes. When the potatoes are nearly cooked, carrots are added, then turnips and so on, finishing with peas or some other quick-cooking vegetable. The intermingling of these simple ingredients and flavors makes the dish complex.
Still, I wanted more complexity, so I used the French technique but headed in an Indian direction. Sizzled cumin and coriander lent more zing to the onions, and cayenne, turmeric and ginger added depth. Then in went the sweet squash and parsnips. In a matter of minutes, my humble collection of vegetables was transforming into a sort of curry, colorful and highly seasoned.
Was it an authentic Indian dish? Not at all, but it was the stew I had been craving — substantial and warming, just right with a pot of fragrant basmati rice."
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/22/dining/a-stew-greater-than-the-sum-of-its-parts.html?hpw&rref=dining
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but was pleased with MY cooking, when I got back into it (recently.) 