Indian-Spiced Eggplant & Cauliflower Stew

From EatingWell: September/October 2007, EatingWell for a Healthy Heart Cookbook — Subscribe Now!

Eggplant, cauliflower, chickpeas and tomatoes are the basis for this rich Indian-spiced curry. Make it a meal: Serve with brown basmati rice or whole-wheat couscous.

READER'S COMMENT:

"This recipe was soooo good, but just a little too spicy. My recommendation would be to use half the amount of spicy curry powder and substitute the other half with regular curry powder. Otherwise, the flavor was amazing. "

Indian-Spiced Eggplant & Cauliflower Stew Recipe

6 servings, about 1 1/3 cups each

Active Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Nutrition Profile

Ingredients

2 tablespoons curry powder, preferably hot Madras (see Note)
1 teaspoon garam masala, (see Tip)
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 large onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1-pound eggplant, cut into 1-inch chunks
3 cups cauliflower florets
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt, (optional)

Preparation

Heat a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add curry powder, garam masala and mustard seeds and toast, stirring, until the spices begin to darken, about 1 minute. Transfer to a small bowl.
Add oil, onion, garlic, ginger and salt to the pot and cook, stirring, until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in eggplant, cauliflower, tomatoes, chickpeas, water and the reserved spices. Bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Top each serving with a dollop of yogurt, if desired.

Tips & Notes

Note: Hot Madras curry powder, located in the spice aisle of most supermarkets, adds a pleasant level of heat. Substitute regular curry powder for a milder flavor.
Tip: Garam masala is a flavorful, fragrant blend of dry-roasted ground spices. It's in the spice section of most supermarkets and specialty stores.

Nutrition

Per serving: 198 calories; 6 g fat (1 g sat, 3 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 31 g carbohydrates; 6 g protein; 8 g fiber; 605 mg sodium; 358 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (60% daily value), Folate (22% dv), Iron (15% dv).

1 1/2 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 1 starch, 2 vegetable, 1 very lean meat, 1 fat