Vegetarian Curry Night

I am not a vegetarian, but enjoy making and eating vegetarian meals at least a couple times a week. The challenge is to find something that my hubby will enjoy and not start having meat withdrawals. I also am trying to include more whole grains in our diet, which has proved quite a challenge. So, when I find a recipe that my family enjoys, I have to document it somewhere so I can use it again.

Tonight was one of those nights. I made Curried Chick Peas with Tofu from one of my favourite cookbooks: Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home. I added all the liquid from the tin of chickpeas and one 400 g tin of chopped tomatoes and let it simmer for a bit longer to really let the flavours develop.

I also made Baked Curried Rice with Apples and Coconut from The Food Matters Cookbook on Mark Bittman's site. It looked really good to me, and it was. I peeled my apples to make it easier for my boys to eat. I used a really tart Granny Smith Apple, which ended up being too tart. I really loved the flavours and nuttiness of the rice, but I would recommend using an apple that's a bit soft and not too tart. I also used an English Cox apple, which has great flavour, and I liked that one much better. I didn't have fresh cilantro, so I used about 1 teaspoon of dried cilantro leaves which I sauteed with the rice before adding the coconut milk. My hubby really like this dish, and couldn't stop eating it. It's definitely a keeper!

Baked Curried Rice with Apples and Coconut

Makes: 4 servings

Time: About 1 hour, largely unattended

Baked brown rice is mostly hands-off—no fussing or checking for doneness, just a relaxing, undisturbed 45 minutes in the oven. Your reward for doing next to nothing is a pot of tender, fragrant, slightly spicy grains (if you want more heat, use up to a tablespoon more curry powder). This recipe would go perfectly with any simply seasoned pot of chickpeas or other beans.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon curry powder

1 tablespoon minced ginger

1 cup brown basmati rice

Salt and black pepper

One 14-ounce can coconut milk

1⁄4 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut

2 tart apples, cored and chopped

1⁄2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1⁄4 cup yogurt, optional

1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Put the oil in a large ovenproof saucepan over medium heat. A minute later, add the curry powder and ginger and cook, stirring, for about a minute. Add the rice and some salt and pepper; cook, stirring, until the rice is glossy and translucent, just a minute or 2.

2. Measure 13⁄4 cups of the coconut milk; stir it into the rice mixture. Bring to a boil, then cover tightly and transfer to the oven. Bake, undisturbed, for 45 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, put the shredded coconut in a small skillet over medium heat and toast, shaking the pan and stirring often, until it begins to brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the rice from the oven, uncover, and use a fork to stir in the shredded coconut, apples, and cilantro. Replace the lid and let it rest for 10 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning and fluff again. Serve immediately or at room temperature, topped with yogurt if you like.