Zucchini and Mushrooms, Indian Style

As you can tell, I love to use my Indian spices to prepare veggies.  This combination of zucchini and mushrooms tasted wonderful with the addition of a few spices.

1 tbl. vegetable oil
1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 dried red chili pepper
1 tsp. mustard seeds
1 tsp. garam masala
3 medium zucchini, halved and sliced
1 lb. mushrooms, cleaned and sliced (I used a combination of shitake and brown mushrooms)
salt and pepper, to taste
1 tbl. dried, unsweetened coconut, optional

Heat corn oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  When oil is hot add ginger, garlic, red pepper, mustard seeds and garam masala.  Saute about 1 minute mixing ingredients together.  Add the zucchini to the skillet and mix it with the seasonings. Cook over medium heat until almost tender, stirring a few times. Add the mushrooms and combine all the ingredients. Stir occasionally until the mushrooms are tender.
Add salt and pepper, to taste and the coconut, if using.

Crunchy Swiss Chard

  You don't normally think of swiss chard as crunchy but adding mustard and cumin seeds before sauteeing the greens, transforms them.  Toasted sliced almonds,  added at the last minute, provides even more oomph. Swiss chard has never tasted this good before.

1 tbl. vegetable oil
1 tsp. cumin seeds
1 tsp. mustard seeds
1/2 of an onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 bunch swiss chard, leaves and stems separated and chopped
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat, lower heat and add the cumin and mustard seeds.  Cover skillet until the mustard seeds stop popping.  Add the onion and garlic and saute until onion is translucent. Add the chopped stems and continue to saute until the stems are tender.  Add the leaves and toss mixture with a big spoon.  Continue to cook the greens, mixing the ingredients occasionally until the greens are tender. Add salt and pepper to taste and sliced almonds.  Toss all and serve.

Serves 4 as a side dish

Note: The greens are also delicious at room temperature

Tandoori Spiced Chicken Breasts

Rachel came in from Portland Oregon to spend a few weeks in New York and see the family. For our first family dinner, I made this delicious spicy chicken dish. Served with basmati rice and stir fried veggies, we had a wonderful Indian feast. The recipe is modified from the one in Gourmet's April 1999 issue. It is a keeper. Please do not be turned off by the long list of spices. There is nothing difficult about the preparation and if you don't have one of the spices, simply omit it.

For spice paste

1 large garlic clove

1 1/2 tsp. coarse salt

1 small, fresh red or green chile

1/3 cup low-fat plain yogurt

1 tbl. fresh lemon juice

2 tsps. grated peeled fresh gingerroot

1 1/2 tsps. ground coriander seeds

3/4 tsp. turmeric

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper

1/4 tsp. grated nutmeg

1/8 tsp. ground cloves

4 chicken cutlets, about 1 1/4 pounds

2 tsp. vegetable oil

For yogurt sauce

1/2 cup low-fat plain yogurt

1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

a pinch cayenne

1/4 cup chopped fresh coriander leaves

Make spice paste

Mince garlic with salt and mash to a paste. Wearing protective gloves, mince chile (including seeds for a spicier paste) and in a bowl stir together with garlic paste and remaining spice paste ingredients.

Make 3 diagonal cuts about 1/4 inch deep in each chicken cutlet and rub spice paste into cuts and all over chicken. Marinate chicken, covered, 30 minutes at cool room temperature.

Preheat broiler and line broiler pan with foil. Arrange chicken without crowding into pan. Brush chicken with 1 tsp. vegetable oil and broil about 3 inches from heat 10 minutes. Turn chicken over and brush with remaining 1 tsp. vegetable oil. Broil chicken until lightly browned and just cooked through, about 10 minutes more.

Make sauce while chicken is broiling. Stir together the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and serve with the chicken.

NOTES: I doubled the recipe and had the leftovers for another dinner. I reheated the chicken gently in a microwave.