HELPFUL HINTS
Slice vegetables in a food processor fitted with a slicing blade.
Wine suggestion: Spicy dishes like these are nicely matched by wines with crisp acid and a bit of sweetness — a chenin blanc, a gewürztraminer or spatlese-style German wine.
COUNTDOWN
- Cook vegetables.
- While vegetables cook, make rice.
SHOPPING LIST
Here are the ingredients you’ll need for tonight’s dinner.
- To buy: 1/2 pound eggplant, 1 pound zucchini, 1/2 medium red bell pepper, 1 medium red onion, 1 bottle ground ginger, 1 bottle ground cumin, 1 bottle curry powder, 1 small container apple juice, 1 small package raisins and 1 package microwaveable brown rice.
- Staples: Canola oil, minced garlic, flour, salt and black peppercorns.
Whip up an easy vegetable curry with a hint of India. To shorten cooking time, I cut the eggplant into small cubes. The other vegetables can be sliced in a food processor.
This dish is flavored with curry powder. Bottled curry powder loses its flavor quickly and should be replaced if it is more than 6 months old.
This meal contains 506 calories per serving with 22 percent of calories from fat.
Vegetable Curry with Brown Rice
1/2 pound eggplant, diced (about 2 cups)
1 pound zucchini, sliced (about 2 cups)
1/2 medium red bell pepper, sliced (about 1 cup)
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 medium red onion, sliced (about 2 cups)
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 1/2-tablespoons flour
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2-tablespoons curry powder
1 cup apple juice
1/4 cup raisins
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Wash eggplant and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Wash zucchini and red bell pepper and slice. Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and eggplant. Saute 5 minutes. Add zucchini, red bell pepper and garlic. Saute 5 minutes. Add ginger, flour, cumin and curry. Toss well. Add apple juice. Cook until thick, about 1 minute. Add raisins and salt and pepper to taste. Makes 2 servings.
Per serving: 304 calories (34 percent from fat), 6.7 grams fat (0.7 grams saturated, 3.6 grams monounsaturated), no cholesterol, 6.6 grams protein, 60.6 grams carbohydrates, 10.6 grams fiber, 34 milligrams sodium.
Microwaveable Brown Rice
1 package microwaveable brown rice to make 1 1/2-cups cooked rice
2 teaspoons canola oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Cook rice according to package instructions. Measure 1 1/2-cups and set aside the remaining rice for another dinner. Add the canola oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Makes 2 servings.
Per serving: 202 calories (26 percent from fat), 5.8 grams fat (0.6 grams saturated, 3.3 grams monounsaturated), no cholesterol, 3.8 grams protein, 33.6 grams carbohydrates, 2.6 grams fiber, 8 milligrams sodium.
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