Curry favor: Indian spices lend complex flavors to pantry staples for a simple, warming weeknight dinner - Food: Quick Cook

Sunset, Dec, 2002 by Linda Lau Anusasananan

Everyone needs an ace-in-the-hole dish, something wonderfully delicious to pull together for a quick dinner when the cupboard is almost bare. This vegetarian curry answers that need. It does a good turn to shelf-stable pantry basics by combining them with flavorful spices for a main course that tastes exotic and complex. Start by lightly browning onions, ginger, and garlic for the flavor base. Add spices, garbanzos, and canned tomatoes for a well-seasoned entree to eat with rice or whole-wheat tortillas (similar to Indian chapatis). If you're serving rice, start cooking it just before you make the curry. The sprightly slaw and sparkling mango floats can be made in minutes.

Garbanzo-Tomato Curry

PREP AND COOK TIME: About 20 minutes

NOTES: If you prefer a very mild curry, reduce or omit the cayenne.

MAKES: 4 servings

  1 onion (8 oz), peeled and chopped
  1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
  2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
  1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  1 teaspoon curry powder
  1 teaspoon cumin powder
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/4 teaspoon cayenne (see notes)
  2 cans (15 1/2 oz. each) garbansoz,
    rinsed and drained
  1 can (14 1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes Salt
    About 1 cup plain nonfat yogurt

1. In a 10- to 12-inch frying pan over medium-high heat, stir onion, ginger, and garlic in oil until onion just begins to brown, 5 to 8 minutes. Add curry powder, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, and cayenne and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

2. Add garbanzos and tomatoes (including juice). Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, to blend flavors, about 5 minutes. If mixture is thicker than desired, stir in a little water to thin. Add salt to taste. Spoon into serving dishes.

3. Serve with yogurt on the side.

Per serving: 264 cal., 26% (69 cal.) from fat; 13 g protein; 7.7 g fat (0.7 g sat.); 37 g carbo (8.2 g fiber); 457 mg sodium; 1.1 mg chol.

Cabbage and Cilantro Slaw

PREP TIME: About 15 minutes

NOTES: To make this slaw more quickly, you can use purchased shredded cabbage or coleslaw mix.

MAKES: 4 servings

In a large bowl, mix 1 1/2 quarts finely shredded cabbage (12 oz.; see notes), 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro, 3 tablespoons lime juice, 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, and 1/4 teaspoon hot chili flakes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Per serving: 84 cal., 75% (63 cal.) from fat; 1.1 g protein; 7 g fat (0.9 g sat.); 5.4 g carbo (2.1 g fiber); 18 mg sodium; 0 mg chol.

Mango Floats

Pour 1 to 1 1/2 cups chilled mango- passion fruit sparkling juice blend into each of four tall glasses (12- to 16-oz. capacity; fill about 3/4 full). Add a scoop of mango sorbet or vanilla ice cream to each serving (about 3 cups total). Add more sparkling juice if necessary to fill glasses.

Per serving: 263 cal., 0% (0 cal.) from fat; 0 g protein; O g fat; 67 g carbo (1.5 g fiber); 0 mg sodium; 0 mg chol.

RELATED ARTICLE: Easy weeknight dinner

Garbanzo-Tomato Curry *

Cabbage and Cilantro Slaw *

Cooked Basmati Rice or Whole-Wheat Flour Tortillas

Beer or Hot Tea

Mango Floats *

* Recipe provided