Recipe - Marrakesh Curry

I've been wanting to try some simple Indian/African vegetarian recipes...  I found this one for Marrakesh Curry on allrecipes.com and it fit the bill nicely.  Even better - I got the carrots, zuchinni, eggplant, bell/red peppers, spinach, onion, and potatoes all at the Culver City Farmer's Market.  I already had the raisins and the spices (the tumeric I got from my mother in a plastic baggie - it's her new miracle food that she's trying to get me to eat.  Apparently it has curcumin in it which contains high amounts of antioxidants and aids in digestion.  Whatever - it made my food look colorful).

At any rate, here's the recipe.  I thought it was wonderful - very flavorful and hearty.  When I threw the cinammon in the pot I said, hey!  This smells like Indian food!  And then I did a little dance of celebration.  And it tastes even better the next day...

Here's a picture of the dish as my lunch.  I ate it with some brown rice. Scrumptious!

INGREDIENTS:

1 sweet potato, peeled and cubed
1 medium eggplant, cubed
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 onion, chopped
6 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 tablespoon sea salt
3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained
1/4 cup blanched almonds
1 zucchini, sliced
2 tablespoons raisins
1 cup orange juice
10 ounces spinach

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large Dutch oven place sweet potato, eggplant, peppers, carrots, onion, and three tablespoons oil. Saute over medium heat for 5 minutes.
   
2. In a medium saucepan place 3 tablespoons olive oil, garlic, turmeric, curry powder, cinnamon, salt and pepper and saute over medium heat for 3 minutes.
   
3. Pour garlic and spice mixture into the Dutch oven with vegetables in it. Add the garbanzo beans, almonds, zucchini, raisins, and orange juice. Simmer 20 minutes, covered.
   
4. Add spinach to pot and cook for 5 more minutes. Serve!
   

Serves 6