Hi there.

He he . . . hi. Sorry I suck at blogging lately. Seems like every time I sit down to write, Hannah cuts a new tooth, or falls off the table she was climbing, or pukes an entire bottle of milk, or eats a lego, or is just simply too cute to resist chasing around the house until I've had my fill of tummy and toes. I love being a mom.

So, to make it up to you faithful readers (cough), I'll be posting three curry recipes I tried the other night, plus a recipe for Weight Watchers naan that my sister made to accompany them. All three of the curries are from the "Step-by-Step Curry and Chilli Cookbook" that I picked up at Borders' bargain section for $3.

Curried Zucchini
(serves 4)

Ingredients
1 lb. zucchini
1 tablespoon oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon garam masala*
1/2 cup vegetable stock or water (use less if your like your zucchini a little crunchy)
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
2 ripe tomatoes, finely chopped


1. Halve the zucchini lengthwise and cut into large pieces about 2 inches long.
2. Heat the oil in a deep heavy-based pan and cook the onion over low heat. Add the cumin, coriander and half of the garam masala. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.
3. Toss the zucchini through the spice paste. Add the vegetable stock or water and lemon rind and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Add the tomato and remaining garam masala and stir through. Season with salt and pepper. Serve as a side dish with curries, rice, yogurts and chutneys. For a variation, substitute trimmed okra for zucchini.


*garam masala is a mixed spice used in Indian and Middle Eastern dishes. It can be tricky to find at your local grocery store, but here's a mix that works just as well (makes about 1 3/4 teaspoons):
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground bay leaves
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves