Vegan Recipes - Sides

Eggplant, Green Beans, Pumpkin, and Basil in Coconut-Tomato Curry

By Mollie Katzen

Welcome to one of my all-time favorite vegetable mélanges!

Notes:
Look for the Thai ingredients (Thai Kitchen brand) in the international foods section of your supermarket. Kabocha squash is a Japanese pumpkin. If you can find it, you will love it! If you can't find it, you will also love butternut squash. Eat this as a stew or chunky soup, or serve it over rice. (If choosing the latter, put up some jasmine rice or brown basmati rice to cook before you begin. Use a flavorful vegetable broth, such as Imagine brand. For best results, cook the squash ahead of time (by steaming or blanching) until almost tender. This dish will keep for up to 5 days in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator. It reheats beautifully.

2 teaspoons red curry paste
1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 (14-ounce) can light coconut milk (about 1 3/4 cups)
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 to 2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar (optional)
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes (about 1 3/4 cups tomatoes-plus-liquid)
1 small (5- to 6-ounce) Japanese or Chinese eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch-thick half-rounds
2 cups (about 10 ounces) diced kabocha or butternut squash, steamed or blanched until almost tender
2 cups (about 8 ounces) green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch lengths
20 to 25 fresh basil leaves (Thai basil, if available)

Measure the curry paste and ginger into a large saucepan, then add the coconut milk and broth, and whisk until smooth. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat, and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes.

Stir in the soy sauce and brown sugar, if desired.

Add the tomatoes, eggplant, squash, and green beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, for about 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Stir in the basil leaves (whole or torn in half) and serve hot, over rice.

Yield: 5 to 6 servings

Excerpted from The Vegetable Dishes I Can't Live Without by MOLLIE KATZEN. Copyright (c) 2007 Tante Malka Inc.. All rights reserved. Published by Hyperion. Available wherever books are sold.

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