It was amazing and the combination of spices was soooooo good, I would never have thought to combine that list of spices, but it works.....like crazy! I asked my friend at work today to lead me to my next Indian recipe. She laughed because she is trying to learn to cook more "American" dishes and here I am asking her to steer me toward flavorful Indian dishes! All I can say is that if you like layers of flavor and have not tried Indian food, it's amazing! Linda

You can find lots of variations on this red kidney bean curry online at Indian cooking sites, etc. This is the only recipe I can vouch for. Mixing up just the right balance for a curry I'm finding is very difficult. Also, for some reason I am just much more in love with the flavors of the Mediterranean. Here's another recipe I make in the crockpot. It is a soup, but pretty thick. Black Bean Soup with Red Paprika Sauce 1 lb. dried black beans, soaked overnight and drained. 8 cups water or broth (I always use mild veggie broth) 2 chopped med. onions 2 ribs celery 2 cups chopped tomatoes 2 TBLSP paprika 2 tsp. ground cumin 2 bay leaves 1/2 cup cilantro 1 cup corn Simmer beans and veggies until beans are soft. Then add tomatoes and spices and cook a couple hours more. Add the red paprika "sofrito" after the soup is done, just before serving. Do not add peppers to the dish while it's slow cooking, because peppers get bitter made in a slow cooker. I basically throw in everything except the tomato into the crockpot, add the tomatoes towards the end, and then when it's finished I stir in the Red Paprika Sauce. Yummo! Part of the charm of this soup comes from having good paprika on hand. If you miss a smokey taste in your black bean soup you can throw in some chorizo or ham or something. Being vegetarian, I sometimes add a tiny dash of fake bacon bits. Or fake sausage. But this soup I like plain. Red Paprika Sauce 2 TBLSP olive oil 1 large red pepper, diced 3 scallions, minced 2 tsp. paprika, or less, to taste 2 tsp. salt 2 TBLSP lime juice Sautee the peppers and onions in the olive oil and add the paprika, salt and lime juice at the end. Stir into the black bean soup. That's what gives this soup its yumminess, the addition of this fresh herb sofrito at the end. Here's another one that is easy and hearty, but I don't make it because it takes me so long to eat it up. Bean Cornbread Crockpot Casserole from vegetarian.about.com Serves 6 1 med. onion, chopped 1 med. green pepper, chopped (add at the end to the crockpot) 2 cloves garlic or 1/4 tsp. minced garlic powder 1 16 oz. can of kidney beans 1 16 oz. can of pinto beans (I'm not a pinto bean fan so I probably would use black beans) 1 16 oz. can chopped tomatoes 1 8 oz. can tomato sauce 1 tsp. chili powder 1/2 tsp. black pepper 1/2 tsp. prepared mustard 1/8 tsp. hot sauce or chopped jalepeno to taste Cornbread topping to be added at the last 1.5 hours of cooking. 1 cup yellow cornmeal 1 cup all purpose flour 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. salt 1 TBLSP sugar 1 1/2 cups milk 2 eggs 3 TBLSP veg. oil 1 can cream style corn (8 oz. can) Lightly grease crockpot. Add bean chili ingredients except peppers. Cook 8 hours on low. Add peppers and cornbread topping for the last 1.5 hours. Cook on high for the last 1.5 hours. (Directons sound kind of confusing but I think this is one of those "throw it in the crockpot and go to work and have dinner ready when you get home" recipes. So basically cook the bean chili all day on low in the crockpot, and when you get home make the cornbread topping and add the peppers. I'd sautee the peppers.) But I don't cook at all on the weekdays, so I made this on the weekend and adjusted the times accordingly. I cook the chili for 5-6 hours on low, then add the cornbread crust and the sauteed peppers, finish it off, and have it for Sunday dinner. And Monday, and Tuesday, and Wednesday, and Thursday, and Friday. Which is why I don't make this often!

These work really well as kebobs: GARLIC LIME MARINATED SHRIMP (serves 6) 3 lbs large shrimp, shelled & deveined, tails left on 3 cloves garlic, crushed 1 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 3 TBL grainy mustard 1/4 cup cider vinegar Juice of 1 lime Juice of 1/2 a large lemon 6 TBL olive oil Pepper to taste Early on the day of preparing, place the shrimp in a shallow bowl. Mix the garlic, salt, brown sugar, mustard, vinegar & lime & lemon juices; blend well. Whisk in the oil; add the pepper & pour over the shrimp. Cover & refrigerate turning once. When ready to cook, bring the shrimp to room temperature. Grill over hot coals or under broiler for 2-3 minutes per side.~~Tampa Treasures For low-fat, even I like this one: LOW-FAT LAMB KEBOBS (serves 4) 3/4 cup plain nonfat yogurt 1/4 tsp Tabasco 2 large garlic cloves, finely minced 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice Mint to taste 1/4 tsp paprika 1 lb lean leg or loin of lamb, cut into 1" cubes combien all ingredients except the lambin a medium glass bowl & mix well. Add the lamb, coating well w/the marinade. Turn into a shallglass or ceramic pan & pierce meat with a fork. Cover the pan w/plastic wrap & marinate in the refrigerator for 4 hours up to overnight. Divide the meat into 4 equal portions & thread on skewers. Discard leftover marinade. Place foil on bottom rack of oven to catch drippings. Broil lamb skewer 3-4" from heat for 10 minutes, turning once (or grill over hot coals.)~~Slice of Paradise SHISH KEBOB (serves 4-6) Half a large leg of lamb or equal amt of shoulder 2 TBL olive oil 3/4 cup red wine vinegar 1/4 cup water 1 garlic clove, minced Salt & pepper 12-18 mushroom caps Olive oil 12 bacon sliced, hslved 1 large green pepper, cut into 1 1/2" squares 12-18 small white onions, whole 1 pint firm cherry tomatoes 6 cups cooked rice Cut lamb into 2" square cubes, removing any fat, bone or gristle. Place in a large bowl & add the 2 TBL olive oil, vinegar, water, garlic, salt & pepper. Marinate 2-3 hours or overnight. Brush mushrooms with olive oil. Saute green pepper swuares in a small amt of olive oil until slightly soft. Parboil onions 5-6 minutes. Drain thoroughly & brush onions & tomatoes w/olive oil. Dry lamb w/paper towels. Assemble the kebobs on skewers in the following order; mushroom caps, folded bacon square, lamb, folded bacon square & so on, alternating the vegetables & lamb & bacon squares. Carefully push the ingredients close together & brush w/olive oil. Cook kebobs 5 minutes per side either under the broiler or on a grill. The meat will be pink in the middle & brown on the outside. Serve on a bed of hot rice.~~Bound to Please

Here's one from Craig Claiborne that's good with seafood or chicken: CURRY SAUCE (about 1 1/2 cups) 4 1/2 TBL butter 1 garlic clove, minced 1/3 cup finely chopped onion 1/3 cup finely chopped celery 3 TBL chopped carrot 2 TBL flour 2 TBL curry powder 1/2 bay leaf 2 parsley sprigs 2 thyme sprigs or 1/2 tsp dried (I use more of the dried) 1 3/4 cup chicken stock Salt & pepper to taste Heat 3 TBL of the butter in a saucepan & add the garlic, onions, celery & carrot. Cook, stirring until the onions are wilted. Add the flour & cook, stirring about 3 minutes. Stir in the curry powder, bay leaf, parsley & thyme. Using a whisk, continue to stir briskly while adding the stock. Simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Put the mixture including the soft vegetables, through a fine sieve, using a wooden spoon. Swirl in the remaining butter by rotating the pan gently & add salt & pepper.~~ INDIAN CURRY SAUCE (about 2 cups & can be frozen) 1 small onion, minced 2 TBL vegetable oil 3 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed (about 1 TBL) 1 TBL minced or grated fresh ginger 1 TBL curry powder 2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth 4 tsp cornstarch 1 tsp honey 1/2 cup heavy cream 1 TBL lemon juice Salt & pepper 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro leaves (optional) Cook the onion, oil, garlic, ginger & curry powder in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring often until fragrant, 2-3 minutes. Stir in the broth & simmer until reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 30 minutes. Whisk the cornstarch & honey into the cream until dissolved, then whisk the mixture into the simmering sauce. Simmer until the sauce thickens, 2-3 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice & season with salt & pepper to taste. To Store: Let the sauce cool, uncovered at room temperature for 25 minutes. Transfer to an airtight container & refrigerate up to 4 days. To Serve: Warm the sauce in a small saucepan over medium-low heat or in the microwave on high power for 5-10 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes. Season w/salt & pepper to taste & add the minced cilantro, if using.~~The Best Make-Ahead Recipe.