Creative Curry

We've all worked the curry circuit in our kitchen at some point, right?

You know the drill: You start with curry powder and build slowly. A dash of cinnamon here, a diced onion there. Maybe some sweet potatoes? And, of course, don't forget the chickpeas. With such endless possibilities of curry-pairings, it's hard to mess up when you're cooking with this traditional Indian spice.

While I love my curry dishes as much as the next gal, I recently found myself with a hankering for a more creative use of the spice. I was suffering from a bad case of the "Been There, Done That" curry syndrome.

Fortunately, I found the solution in my mailbox last week when the latest issue of Cooking Light arrived. They featured an awesome curry dish loaded with vegetarian-friendly (and "outside-the-box") ingredients.

Mango. Edamame. Cilantro. Cauliflower. Does it get any better?

Yep. Throw in some toasted almonds.

And with a few adaptations, I was even able to vegan-ize this bad boy (A veggie-based vegan meal just makes it all the more easy to justify Almond Butter Cookies for dessert, right?).

Rock on Edamame Curry. You killed the "Been There, Done That" curry blues.

Edamame-Mango Curry

(adapted from a Cooking Light recipe)

I had never before considered pairing edamame with curry...and after tasting this delicious dinner, I'm beginning to wonder why?

Ingredients:

• a dash of olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 apples, diced
• 1 TBSP all-purpose flour
• 1 TBSP curry powder
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups of veggie broth
• 1 ripe mango, peeled and diced
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 3 cups cauliflower florets
• 2 cups frozen edamame
• 1/4 cup chopped, toasted almonds
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro,
• raisins (however many you want!)
• chopped green onion, for garnish
• 3 cups brown rice, cooked

Directions:

1) Heat a dash of oil in a pot; add onion and saute until tender (about 5 minutes). Add apple and saute for an additional 2 minutes. Add flour, curry, and garlic and saute for an additional 2 minutes. Add broth and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat and add mango, salt, cauliflower, and edamame. Cook until everything is tender (about 10 - 15 minutes, but you can let it go 'til it reaches your desired tenderness).

2) Once the curry mixture is cooked to your liking, stir in raisins, cilantro, and almonds. Serve on top of rice, and garnish with green onions.