Curry some favor

Here's a good beginner curry dish from the Associated Press. Look for red curry paste in the aisle that sells Thai and Asian ingrediencts. You'll find it in a small glass jar. Start slow on the curry paste, maybe a 1/2 tablespoon at a time to make sure it's not too hot.

Don't be put off by the number of ingredients. This dish will come together in the time it takes to cook the rice. The recipe calls for coconut milk which is a thin liquid (you can find it in the same place as the curry paste). It's not Coco Lopez, the thick, sweetned coconut cream, used for pina coladas. Ah, what the heck, get some of that too and have one while you're cooking. A nice Caribbean-Asian fusion meal!

Red Curry Beef
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 1/2 tablespoons red curry paste
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1 pound lean ground beef
1/4 cup coconut milk
6 scallions, thinly sliced
5-ounce bag baby spinach
Zest and juice of 1/2 lime
1/2 cup shredded fresh basil
1/2 cup crushed unsalted peanuts

In a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat, combine the oil, curry paste, soy sauce and sugar. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the ground beef and saute until cooked through, about 8 minutes.
Stir in the coconut milk. Return to a simmer. Mix in the scallions and spinach and continue cooking until the greens are just wilted, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Mix in the lime juice and zest and the basil. Serve over rice, garnished with peanuts.
Nutrition information per serving: 392 calories; 213 calories from fat; 24 g fat (6 g saturated; <1 g trans fats); 60 mg cholesterol; 19 g carbohydrate; 30 g protein; 6 g fiber; 679 mg sodium.