Please consult the OU's guidelines for checking fruits and vegetables.

Vegetable Curry (dairy or pareve)

Eileen Goltz. | Not Listed

Fresh Cauliflower and Spinach tend to be insect infested. Please check “Special Instructions” below for information on insect inspection of caulifower.



1/2 head cauliflower
2 potatoes, peeled and diced
8 tablespoons butter or pareve margarine
1 medium yellow onion, minced
1 green apple, cored and minced
1 tablespoon minced garlic, minced
8 whole shallots, peeled
2 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
2 tablespoon curry powder
1 tablespoon flour
14-oz. can coconut milk
16-oz. can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained
1 lb. spinach, coarsely chopped


Parboil cauliflower in a large pot for 5 minutes. Drain and rinse. Repeat process with potatoes, set both aside. Heat butter in skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, apples, garlic, shallots, ginger, and cook until onions are golden, about 10 minutes. Add curry powder to the skillet and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture starts to brown (dark), about 8 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook another 2 minutes. Add coconut milk, chickpeas, cauliflower, potatoes, and 1/2 cup water. Lower heat to medium, cover, and cook 15 minutes. Add spinach, cover, and cook until wilted, about 3 minutes. Serve warm over rice with raisins, flaked coconut, chopped cilantro, and toasted cashews on the side. 

Cauliflower Infestation: Thrips may be found on the thin white branches or between the tightly packed cauliflower florets. These insects are easily discernible as their black color contrasts with the white vegetable. Small orange insects may at times be seen clinging to the outside of the cauliflower. These insects are easily washed off. Inspection: 1. Separate and remove cauliflower florets from the stem 2. Examine several pieces of the cauliflower paying careful attention to the under part of the floret 3. Wash thoroughly before using. 4. Heads of cauliflower that are found to be infested are difficult to clean and should not be used Spinach Infestation Inspection: Spinach tends to be highly infested throughout the year. Light green thrips are often found in the small curls of the leaves. Occasionally, worms may be found in burrows within the body of the leaf. Look for a narrow (1/8_) translucent burrow speckled with black dots breaking up the deep green color of the leaf. These burrows will often trap the worm within the leaf. To rid the leaf of these worms, carefully slit the bumpy part within the burrow with a sharp knife and remove the worm. Please note Only flat leaf spinach is recommended because its flat surface lends itself to efficient washing. Curly leaf spinach is difficult to clean and check. It is therefore not recommended. Spinach Inspection: 1. Soak leaves in a solution of cold water and vegetable wash. The proper amount of vegetable wash has been added when some bubbles are observed in the water. (In the absence of vegetable wash, several drops of concentrated non-scented liquid detergent may be used. However, for health reasons, care must be taken to thoroughly rinse off the soapy solution.) 2. Separate spinach leaves and agitate in the soapy solution. 3. Using a heavy stream of water or a power hose, remove all foreign matter and soap from the leaf surface. Alternatively, a vegetable brush may be used on both sides of the leaf. 4. Several leaves should be checked over a light box or under strong overhead light to verify that the washing procedure has been effective. Both sides of the leaf must be checked. 5. If it is practical, it is best to check each leaf.