Flavorful Curry Great Way To Load Up On Vegetables, Fruits

Copyright 1994 Miami Herald
From Knight-Ridder/Tribune Information Services
Selected and Prepared by Tribune Media Services

By Linda Gassenheimer
Knight-Ridder Newspapers

This month features National 5-A-Day Week, emphasizing the importance of eating
five portions of fruits and vegetables every day.

A great way to accomplish this healthy goal is to whip up an easy vegetable curry. The
key ingredients -- eggplant, tomatoes, zucchini and peppers -- are at their peak now. 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. The type sold in supermarkets -- a blend of
about 15 herbs, spices and seeds -- loses its flavor quickly and should be replaced if it is
more than 6 months old.

This meal contains a total of 700 calories per serving with 11 percent of calories from fat.



TOASTED RICE PILAF

(Serves 2)

1 teaspoon margarine or butter
3/4 cup basmati rice
2 cups apple juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 

Heat margarine in a medium-size nonstick skillet. Add rice. Saute 2 minutes. The rice
will turn golden brown. Add apple juice, bring to a simmer and cover. Simmer 15
minutes. All of the liquid will be absorbed and the rice cooked and crisp on the outside.
Add salt and pepper to taste.

(Nutritional information per serving: 386 calories; 5 grams protein; 85 grams
carbohydrate; 3 grams fat; 6 percent of calories as fat; 1.2 grams fiber; 0 cholesterol; 32
milligrams sodium. Diabetic exchanges: 2 fruit, 3.7 bread, 0.4 fat.)



VEGETABLE CURRY

(Serves 2)

1/2 pound eggplant, diced (2 cups)
1 pound zucchini, sliced (2 cups)
1/2 medium red pepper, sliced (1 cup)
2 teaspoons margarine or butter, divided
1 medium red onion sliced (2 cups)
2 medium cloves garlic crushed
1 1-inch piece of fresh ginger, chopped (1 tablespoon)
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 to taste 

Wash eggplant and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Wash zucchini and red pepper and slice.
Heat 1 teaspoon margarine in a nonstick skillet. Add onions and eggplant and saute 5
minutes. Add zucchini, red pepper and garlic; continue to saute 5 minutes. Add a
second teaspoon margarine. Add ginger, flour, cumin and curry. Toss well. Add apple
juice. Cook until thick, about 1 minute. Add raisins, salt and pepper to taste.

(Nutritional information per serving: 314 calories; 7 grams protein; 63 grams
carbohydrate; 6 grams fat; 17 percent of calories as fat; 8.5 grams fiber; 0 cholesterol; 73
milligrams sodium. A heart-healthy recipe. Diabetic exchanges: 4.1 vegetable, 2 fruit, 0.4
bread, 0.8 fat.)



TO BUY

Small package Basmati rice
1 bottle apple juice
1/2 pound eggplant
1 pound zucchini
1 medium red pepper
small piece fresh ginger
small jar curry powder.




STAPLES

Margarine or butter
red onion
garlic
four raisins
ground cumin
salt
black peppercorns.