Inspiration for making healthy food delicious can come from every corner of the globe. Mastery of an authentic world cuisine is a time honored and skillful endeavor. Traditional cuisines such as those of India are sophisticated and subtle and the best chefs hone their culinary skills over decades. For the everyday cook, drawing on the tastes and ingredients from far away lands can be an easy way of adding new flavor dimensions to recipes.
A number of herbs and spices have been recently shown to have very high antioxidant activity, which is thought to be highly protective against the type of damage in the body that results in chronic diseases like heart disease and cancer.
Indian cuisine draws on a wide variety of techniques and flavors which vary by region. Blending subtle and aromatic spices such as cinnamon, cumin and cayenne pepper, as well as the herb cilantro and others are a hallmark of Indian cuisine. India has a heritage of vegetarianism, likely due in part to religious and spiritual practices like yoga and Hinduism practiced in the region. Wikipedia has a number of pages on the history and details of Indian Regional Cuisine.
For this recipe, a heavy skillet such as one made of cast iron, is ideal. Any heavy skillet may be used. A sharp knife and cutting board for preparing vegetables and herbs is also needed. This recipe for tomato cilantro chicken Indian style freezes well.
Make this dish a meal by serving it with brown basmati rice, toasted pita bread or another cooked whole grain.
4 servings. Twenty minutes prep, thirty minutes cooking time.
Tomato Cilantro Chicken Indian Style Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons mustard seeds
- 2 teaspoons fresh-grated ginger
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 3 Skinless, boneless chicken breast, sliced
- 2 cups crushed tomatoes (can used fresh chopped tomatoes)
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper or to taste
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro
- ½ cup frozen peas
- ½ cup frozen corn
Directions:
- Place onion, garlic, mustard seed and ginger into oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Sauté until onions are soft, about 3 minutes.
- Add remaining ingredients, reserving about 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro for a garnish. Cover and simmer 20 minutes, or until chicken pieces are tender and cooked through, vegetables are soft and flavors are blended.
- Top with remaining cilantro.
- Serve hot in bowls or plates that can hold plenty of sauce. Refrigerate any leftovers, and enjoy them within three days.
Nutrition Facts per Serving: Calories: 354, Calories from Fat: 70, Total Fat: 7.8 g, Saturated Fat: 1.7 g, Cholesterol: 110 mg, Sodium: 371 mg, Total Carbohydrates: 24.2 g, Dietary Fiber: 7.4 g, Sugars: 11.9 g, Protein: 46.3 g, also high in Vitamins A, C.
