Monday, March 1, 2010

Indian Night: Part 2

Continuing with my Indian themed recipes, I would like to present to you two side dishes that I served last week on Indian night. After planning out the chana masala and the batata nu shaak, I realized that my meal was lacking a vegetable side dish. I needed something easy, green, and spicy. I'm not sure if broccoli with tomatoes is an actual Indian side dish or not, but the tomatoes complimented the other ingredients really well and I used just enough chili powder to give it a little heat without being overwhelming. Just as I was about to start cooking, I realized that I needed chickpeas, so I had to make a Whole Foods run. It was there that I learned chickpeas are also known as garbanzo beans. See, I'm always telling people I know nothing about cooking. While at the store, I tried to pick up some naan. I love having naan to soak up all of the liquid that's left behind on my plate. Also, I am a total wimp about spice, so it's good for me to have something non-spicy to gnaw on. All of the naan at Trader Joes had milk and eggs in it, but I was hoping the WF would come through for me. Guess what? Just like the guy who stood me up on Valentines Day, my favorite grocery store fell through on me. So, I i-phoned a recipe for the bread. Unfortunately, I cannot find the original site where I found the recipe, so if you recognize the one I've posted below, please let me know so that I may properly attribute it. I probably should have written it down or bookmarked it, but in the heat of the moment I completely forgot myself.


Vegan Naan
makes 16 pieces at 56 calories each
  • 1 tsp. active yeast
  • 1/2 c. warm water
  • 1 tbsp. sugar
  • 1/4 c. soymilk
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 2 c. whole wheat pastry flour
  • 2 tbsp. olive oil
  1. Dissolve yeast in warm water and allow it to sit for 10 minutes.
  2. Stir in sugar, soy milk, salt, and flour. Mix until it forms a ball in the center of the bowl. 
  3. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes.
  4. Place into a clean bowl, cover with a cloth, and let it sit in a warm place until doubled in size (about 1 hour).
  5. Punch dough down and roll into 16 balls. Place on a plate or baking sheet and cover again. Let rise for 20 minutes.
  6. Brush a pan with olive oil and bring it to medium-high heat. 
  7. Flatten each ball and drop into the pan. Cook until brown, brush the top with oil, and flip. 

Spiced Tomatoes and Broccoli 
serves 2 at 106 calories/serving
  • 1 bag of pre-cut broccoli florets
  • 1/2 can of diced tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 tbsp. fresh ginger
  • 1/8 tsp chili powder
  • salt and pepper to taste
  1. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Drop in the broccoli for 3 minutes and then rinse with cold water.
  2. Separately, heat the olive oil in a frying pan and cook the ginger for a few minutes. Add broccoli, tomatoes, and red pepper.
  3. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the water from the tomatoes starts to dissolve.

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