A Healthy Taste Of India

Manoa resident Earl Yoshikane has been a home furnishing consultant with HomeWorld for the past 25 years. Born and raised on Oahu, Earl graduated from Roosevelt High. He and his wife Val, a medical transcriptionist, have two children. Their son Rich, 16, is a junior at Roosevelt and is on the baseball team; daughter Nicole, 18, dances with the San Francisco Ballet Company. Nicole will be going to Paris this summer and joining the Boston Ballet Company next year.

Earl enjoys golfing for relaxation and Val is dedicated to taking care of their “baby,” a Pomeranian terrier mix.

They both like to entertain friends and try new recipes.

This recipe is dedicated to the Yoshikane family.

Coriander is native to the Mediterranean, and its seeds are among the world’s earliest known spices. There is evidence that the ancient Greeks used it as a remedy as early as 1400 B.C.

Whole or ground coriander seeds are used to add flavor to foods such as seafood, fish, rice, chicken, curries and baked goods. It is also an ingredient of curry and garam masala, essential spice mixtures in Indian cuisine. The dried seeds keep for about a year.

Garam masala (literally meaning hot spice) is a special spice blend used in Indian cuisine. There are many different kinds of garam masala depending on the region and personal taste. Garam masala can be found in ethnic food sections of most supermarkets or specialty food stores. A blend of dryroasted ground spices, there are many variations, but most commercial garam masalas usually contain dried red chili, fresh green chili, garlic, ginger, sesame, mustard seeds, tumeric, coriander, cloves, black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaves, cumin, nutmeg, and fennel. Garam masala can be used during cooking or sprinkled on top of the food after cooking.

INDIAN POTATO AND CHICKEN PATTIES
5 medium-size potatoes, peeled and cooked until tender.
1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast, cooked and diced into small pieces
Pinch salt (or to taste)
1 tablespoon garam masala
2 tablespoons coriander powder
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
8 Chinese parsley leaves finely chopped
1/3 cup panko crumbs
Canola oil for frying

METHOD
Drain potatoes, place in large bowl, and mash well. Mix salt, garam masala, coriander, pepper, and cilantro until well-combined, and add to potatoes mixing until all spices are incorporated. Add diced chicken and mix to blend. Shape mixture into patties about 3 inches in diameter and 1/2inch thick and coat with panko flakes. Heat about 2 tablespoons oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Fry patties until golden brown on both sides, adding oil as needed. Makes about 10 patties.

APPROXIMATE NUTRITION INFORMATION PER PATTY
Calories 190
Fat 6 grams (depending on how much oil is used)
Cholesterol 0 milligrams
Sodium 150 milligrams (depending on how much salt is added)

(Diana Helfand, author of “Hawaii Light and Healthy” and “The Best of Heart-y Cooking,” has taught nutrition in the Kapiolani Community College culinary arts program.)

(Diana Helfand, author of “Hawaii Light and Healthy” and “The Best of Heart-y Cooking,” has taught nutrition in the Kapiolani Community College culinary arts program.)

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