Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Portable Indian Flavors

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I love Indian flavors, though I am not quite as adventurous as my husband - he'll go for the hot stuff, the spicier the better - whereas I'm more cautious and don't enjoy the five alarm heat destroying my palate and throat!

This dish is a great compromise to bring Indian flavors home...and let's face it...it's an excuse to eat naan, which I absolutely adore. If you like hotter flavors, amp up the amount of chilis and maybe add a dash or two of your favorite hot sauce. The next time I make this dish I'll also add more veggies. The carrots and onions were great with the chicken, but I felt that something was lacking - maybe some shredded cabbage, zucchini and bell pepper? With a dish like this you can really customize it to your liking.

I also served these wraps with a light cucumber salad. Just thinly slice fresh cucumber and combine with a few splashes of red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper and fresh dill if you have any on hand. It provides a great acidic bite as a side dish, and adds another veggie component to dinner!

*Note: I don't have a food processor, so I used a mortar and pestle to combine the spice mixture. If you have a food processor, definitely use it and simplify this for yourself!

Indian Chicken Wrap

Ingredients
- 1 1" piece of ginger, peeled
- 1 jalapeno, halved, seeded and roughly chopped
- 1/2 small onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 tsp. cumin
- 1/2 tsp. garam masala spice mixture (optional)
- Salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup nonfat plain greek yogurt
- 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
- 2 cups shredded cooked chicken (use any kind of leftover you have)
- 2 medium carrots, shredded
- 4 pieces naan bread or pocketless pita (warmed)

Instructions

1.
Combine the ginger, jalapeno, cumin, 1/4 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. pepper and garam masala (if using) either in the bowl of a food processor or using a mortar and pestle. If you are using a mortar and pestle, grate your ginger instead of chopping. Process until a thick paste is formed. In a separate bowl, mix the yogurt, lemon juice and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Refrigerate until serving.











2. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ginger-spice paste and cook, stirring, until most of the liquid has evaporated and the mixture is slightly toasted. Next, stir in the chicken, carrots, onion and whatever other veggies you're using. Sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt and pepper and add in 1/2 cup water. Continue to cook until thickened and the chicken is heated through.




















3. Warm up your naan bread - either in the oven or on top of the stove - just follow the package's directions. Spoon 1/4 of the chicken mixture down the middle of the piece of naan, then drizzle with some of the yogurt sauce before rolling up and eating with gusto!

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