Filed Under: coconut milk, indian recipe, zucchini, zucchini recipe

Pan-Fried Zucchini with Cilantro Coconut Sauce

Make plenty of rice to go along with this saucy vegetable side dish – it's perfect for soaking up the rich coconut milk sauce.

April 16th, 2014

By Bal Arneson
Excerpted with permission from Bal's Spice Kitchen (Whitecap Books, 2013)

I've served pan-fried zucchini as an appetizer. Then I found myself making this sauce for the leftovers, to eat with rice for dinner. I decided to add this recipe for you because it has become one of the regular dishes I make for family guests.
Servings
4
Ingredients
  • Pan-Fried Zucchini
  • 2 Tbsp (30 mL) grapeseed oil
  • 1 tsp (5 mL) ground cumin
  • 1 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
  • Cilantro Coconut Sauce
  • 2 Tbsp (30 mL) grapeseed oil
  • 1 Tbsp (15 mL) mild curry masala
  • 1 Tbsp (15 mL) ginger, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp (5 mL) ground coriander
  • 1 tsp (5 mL) ground cumin
  • 1 tsp (5 mL) fennel seeds
  • 1/2 tsp (2 mL) ground cardamom
  • 2 cups (500 mL) fresh cilantro leaves, washed and roughly chopped
  • 1 14-oz (398 mL) can coconut milk
  • 1 small green chili, minced (keep the seeds if you like the heat)
Directions

  1. For the zucchini: In a non-stick skillet, heat the oil on medium-low. Sprinkle the ground cumin over the zucchini slices and pan-fry them until they are golden brown on both sides, about 4 minutes per side. Set aside.

  2. For the sauce: Heat a skillet on medium-low and heat the oil. Cook the mild curry masala, ginger, coriander, cumin, fennel and cardamom for 1 minute, until the ginger is softened. Add the cilantro, coconut milk and green chili and cook until the coconut milk is heated and all the spices are infused, about 1 minute. Turn off the heat. Let the mixture cool. Pulse in a blender until smooth and well blended.

  3. To serve, spoon Cilantro Coconut Sauce into a shallow bowl. Gently place zucchini slices on top. Serve with rice and grilled vegetables.

Pan-Fried Zucchini with Cilantro Coconut Sauce
Photography courtesy of Bal's Spice Kitchen (Whitecap Books, 2013)
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