Asian flavors can fit into diabetic diet

GEORGIANE SENDA e-mailed in search of dishes she could prepare for her brother, who has diabetes.

He really misses Asian and local foods, she says, but has to avoid rice and, of course, sugar, as much as possible.

It didn't take long to locate a gold mine of information: Diabetic Gourmet Magazine, a free online publication that covers all kinds of advice for living with diabetes.

The recipe section is extensive and offers dishes by region, with a large group of Asian recipes, from teriyaki to pork tofu. The ingredient lists show little to no sugar, many low-fat and low-sodium ingredients, with a creative mix of spices and flavorings to made up the difference.

Each one offers nutritional information and dietary exchanges.

To check it out, visit www.diabeticgourmet.com (click on Recipe Archive).

What I couldn't find there or anywhere is a dish Senda would like to find most for her brother: something made with a cone sushi wrapper, but stuffed with something other than rice (or noodles). If you have a suggestion, get in touch by one of the means listed below.

Diabetic Gourmet collects recipes from all manner of sources. This one is from "The New American Heart Association Cookbook" (Clarkson Potter, 1998).

I tried it out on my family, where the chicken was well-accepted and no one noticed anything suspiciously healthy about it. Some adjustments have been made to simplify the dish.

Chicken Sticks with Soy-Peanut Marinade

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, fat removed

» Soy-Peanut Marinade:
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 tablespoon reduced-fat peanut butter
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 medium cloves garlic, minced (1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic)
1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Rinse chicken and pat dry. Cut into 1-inch cubes.

Whisk marinade ingredients together in nonmetallic bowl. Pour over chicken and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes to 2 hours.

Preheat a grill or broiler.

Thread chicken pieces on skewer. Grill or broil 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until chicken is cooked through. Serve hot or chilled. Serves 4.

Approximate nutritional analysis, per serving: 120 calories, 24 g protein, 200 mg sodium, 72 mg cholesterol, 4 g fat, no carbohydrates. Exchanges: 4 low-fat meat.*

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