Makes 2 cups, enough marinade for 1½ to 2 pounds seafood, poultry, or meat
A tandoor is a giant urn-shaped clay oven in which kebabs that have been marinated in a tangy mixture of yogurt and spices are roasted on vertical skewers. Most Indian restaurants add food coloring to give the marinated meat its traditional Mercurochrome color. I prefer a natural, if paler, look. This marinade is particularly well suited to lamb, chicken, and shrimp.
2 cups nonfat yogurt
1½ tablespoons minced fresh ginger
4 cloves garlic, minced (4 teaspoons)
2 jalapeño chilies or other hot chilies, seeded and minced
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons paprika
1½ teaspoons ground cumin
1½ teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
⅛ teaspoon ground cardamom
1–2 teaspoons salt (or to taste)
Drain the yogurt in a yogurt funnel or a cheesecloth-lined colander for 2 hours. Place the ginger, garlic, and chilies in a bowl and whisk in the yogurt, lemon juice, bay leaves, and spices. Add the salt.
Marinate seafood for 2 to 3 hours, poultry for 6 hours, and meat overnight, turning once or twice. Remove and discard the bay leaves before serving.
Note: This marinade also makes a great dressing for grain or pasta salads.
13 CALORIES PER TABLESPOON; 1 G PROTEIN; .4 G FAT; 2 G CARBOHYDRATE; 78 MG SODIUM; 1 MG CHOLESTEROL
Makes 1 cup, enough marinade for 1½ to 2 pounds seafood, poultry, or meat
This thick, spicy paste comes from the nomadic Berbers of North Africa. A little goes a long way! I have used it with great success on tuna, pork tenderloin, and sirloin steak.
1 medium-sized onion, diced (1 cup)
3 cloves garlic, minced (1 tablespoon)
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
½ cup imported paprika
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
2 teaspoons cracked black peppercorns
2 teaspoons cardamom pods
1 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes (or to taste)
1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds (optional)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon allspice berries
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
1 tablespoon salt (or to taste)
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons chicken stock or water (if needed)
Place the onion, garlic, ginger, spices, and salt in a dry skillet. Cook over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the spices are lightly roasted and fragrant.
Combine the spice mixture, lemon juice, and oil in a spice mill or blender, and purée to a smooth paste. (If the mixture is too dry to purée, add a little stock or water.)
Spread the paste on the seafood, poultry, or meat, and marinate overnight.
42 CALORIES PER TABLESPOON; 0 G PROTEIN; 4 G FAT; 3 G CARBOHYDRATE; 402 MG SODIUM; 0 MG CHOLESTEROL
Makes ¾ cup, enough marinade for 1½ to 2 pounds seafood, poultry, or meat
Bool-kogi is to Korea what barbecue is to the American South. To make it, paper-thin slices of beef are marinated in a sweet-salty mixture of soy sauce, sugar, and sesame oil. The meat is traditionally cooked at the table on what looks like an inverted wok, but it can also be grilled on a hibachi or stir-fried in a wok.
¼ cup toasted sesame seeds
3 cloves garlic, minced (1 tablespoon)
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
3 scallions, minced
⅓ cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons sugar or honey
1½ tablespoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Lightly toast the sesame seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat. Combine the sesame seeds and the remaining ingredients in a shallow bowl. Marinate fish for 30 minutes, chicken breasts for 1 hour, and thinly sliced beef for 1 to 2 hours, turning once or twice.
46 CALORIES PER TABLESPOON; 1 G PROTEIN; 2 G FAT; 6 G CARBOHYDRATE; 342 MG SODIUM; 0 MG CHOLESTEROL
Makes 4½ cups, enough marinade for 2 pounds meat
French chefs use this marinade to give tame meats, such as pork and beef, the sourish tang of wild game. It can also be used with poultry, but it’s a little strong for fish. Juniper berries are small, blue-black berries that are the predominant flavoring in gin.
1 onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
3 shallots, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 cups dry red wine
½ cup red wine vinegar
20 peppercorns
5 whole cloves
10 juniper berries (or ¼ cup gin)
3 sprigs parsley
5 bay leaves
1½ teaspoons dried thyme
2 tablespoons olive oil
Place all the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Let cool completely. Place the meat in a glass or non-metallic dish. Add the marinade and let sit for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight, turning once or twice.
16 CALORIES PER TABLESPOON; 0 G PROTEIN; .4 G FAT; 1 G CARBOHYDRATE; 3 MG SODIUM; 0 MG CHOLESTEROL
Makes 1 cup, enough marinade for 1½ to 2 pounds seafood or poultry
This simple marinade is good for fish, shrimp, scallops, and chicken breasts. The particular variety of herbs you use is less important than that the herbs be fresh.
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
¼ cup dry vermouth
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 shallots or 1 small onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 green bell pepper, 1 poblano chili, or 3 jalapeño chilies, thinly sliced
½ cup finely chopped fresh basil, dill, rosemary, parsley, tarragon, and/or other herbs
Combine the lemon juice, vermouth, salt, and pepper in a small bowl and whisk until all the salt is dissolved. Whisk in the olive oil.
Place half the sliced vegetables, herbs, and lemon juice mixture in a shallow glass dish and cover with the food to be marinated. Add the remaining vegetables, herbs, and lemon juice mixture. Marinate seafood for 2 hours and chicken breasts for 4 hours, turning once or twice.
67 CALORIES PER TABLESPOON; 1 G PROTEIN; 5 G FAT; 5 G CARBOHYDRATE; 8 MG SODIUM; 0 MG CHOLESTEROL
Makes 1½ cups, enough marinade for 1½ to 2 pounds seafood, poultry, or meat
Tabaka is a cinnamon-orange marinade from the Republic of Georgia (formerly part of the Soviet Union) in the Caucasus Mountains. It is often used for poultry, but it goes well with swordfish, too.
4 or 5 oranges (2 cups juice)
2–4 lemons (½ cup juice)
½ cup dry white wine
3 cloves garlic, minced (1 tablespoon)
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 medium-sized onion, minced (1 cup)
2 cinnamon sticks
3 tablespoons paprika
1 teaspoon cracked black peppercorns
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1–2 teaspoons sugar (or to taste)
½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
3 tablespoons olive oil
Grate the zest of 1 orange and 1 lemon. Juice the oranges and lemons. Combine the orange juice, lemon juice, and wine in a saucepan and boil until only ½ cup liquid remains. Let cool.
Combine the garlic, ginger, and onion in a bowl. Stir in the juice mixture, grated zest, spices, sugar, salt, and oil. Marinate swordfish steaks and boneless chicken breasts for 1 to 2 hours, whole chickens or game hens overnight, turning once or twice.
29 CALORIES PER TABLESPOON; 0 G PROTEIN; 2 G FAT; 3 G CARBOHYDRATE; 45 MG SODIUM; 0 MG CHOLESTEROL
Makes 1 cup, enough marinade for 1½ to 2 pounds seafood, poultry, or meat
Chipotles (smoked jalapeño chilies) add character to this fiery seasoning, which is often used with pork. Chipotles are usually sold canned in tomato paste, but you also see them dried. (If you use dried chilies for this recipe, soften them in hot water and add 2 tablespoons tomato paste.)
1 cup fresh orange juice
¼ cup fresh lime juice
5 canned chipotle chilies, minced, plus 1 tablespoon juice
4 cloves garlic, minced (4 teaspoons)
1 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 tablespoons wine vinegar
½ teaspoon each salt and freshly ground black pepper (or to taste)
Combine the orange juice and lime juice in a saucepan and boil until only ½ cup liquid remains. Place this and the remaining ingredients in a blender and purée to a smooth paste.
Spread this paste on the food to be marinated. Marinate seafood for 2 hours, poultry for 4 to 6 hours, and meat overnight, turning once or twice.
6 CALORIES PER TABLESPOON; 0 G PROTEIN; 0 G FAT; 2 G CARBOHYDRATE; 117 MG SODIUM; 0 MG CHOLESTEROL
Makes 1 cup, enough marinade for 1½ to 2 pounds seafood, poultry, or meat
Teriyaki could be called the national marinade of Japan. It is equally at home on seafood, poultry, and meat. The traditional sweetener for teriyaki is mirin (sweet rice wine), but if it is unavailable, use sake, sherry, or white wine, and increase the sugar slightly.
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
3 cloves garlic, minced (1 tablespoon)
1 or 2 jalapeño chilies, seeded and minced (optional)
3 scallions, finely chopped
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup mirin or white wine
1½ tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons maple syrup or brown sugar (or to taste)
Place the ginger, garlic, chilies (if using), and scallions in a bowl and whisk in the soy sauce, mirin, sesame oil, and maple syrup.
Marinate seafood for 2 hours, poultry for 4 hours, and meat overnight, turning once or twice.
36 CALORIES PER TABLESPOON; 0 G PROTEIN; 3 G FAT; 3 G CARBOHYDRATE; 260 MG SODIUM; 0 MG CHOLESTEROL
Makes ¾ cup
Use this recipe on salads, grilled fish or meat, steamed vegetables, or any dish that needs a quick, flavorful sauce.
1 or 2 shallots, minced
1 small clove garlic, minced (½ teaspoon)
2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2–6 tablespoons olive oil
2–6 tablespoons chicken stock
Combine the shallots, garlic, mustard, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add the vinegar and lemon juice in a thin stream, whisking until all the salt is dissolved. Gradually whisk in the oil and stock in a thin stream. (Or the ingredients can be combined and shaken in a jar with a tight-fitting lid.) There should be ½ cup liquid in all. Correct the seasoning, adding salt and lemon juice to taste.
24 CALORIES PER TABLESPOON; 0 G PROTEIN; 2 G FAT; 1 G CARBOHYDRATE; 20 MG SODIUM; 0 MG CHOLESTEROL
Makes ½ cup
Ginger, garlic, and scallions give this vinaigrette an Asian accent. Serve it with salmon, tofu, or cucumber salads.
2 cloves garlic, minced (2 teaspoons)
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
2 scallions, minced
¼ cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil (optional)
Combine all the ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Shake until well blended. Correct the seasoning, adding soy sauce to taste.
4 CALORIES PER TABLESPOON; 0 G PROTEIN; 0 G FAT; 1 G CARBOHYDRATE; 131 MG SODIUM; 0 MG CHOLESTEROL
Makes 1 cup
Nuoc cham is a sweet-sour-salty dipping sauce made with fish sauce, lime juice, and sugar. It’s as indispensable on the Vietnamese table as ketchup and mustard are on our own.
1 carrot
2 cloves garlic, minced (2 teaspoons)
1 shallot, minced
1 fresh hot chili, minced
2 tablespoons sugar
¼ cup fish sauce
¼ cup fresh lime juice
¼ cup water
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
Cut the carrot into the thinnest imaginable shreds. (I mean really thin. The easiest way for a Westerner to do this is to shave the carrot into thin strips with a vegetable peeler. Stack the strips up 3 or 4 high and cut lengthwise into hair-thin slivers.)
Combine the garlic, shallot, chili, and sugar in a mortar and pestle, and pound to a smooth paste. Work in the fish sauce, lime juice, water, and vinegar. (Or the ingredients can be combined and shaken in a jar with a tight-fitting lid.) Transfer the sauce to a pretty bowl (or several bowls) and stir in the carrot.
17 CALORIES PER TABLESPOON; 1 G PROTEIN; 0 G FAT; 4 G CARBOHYDRATE; 52 MG SODIUM; 1 MG CHOLESTEROL
Makes 1¼ cups
This piquant sauce takes its name from the French word for coarsely cracked peppercorns: mignonette. Spoon it over raw oysters and clams on the half shell, or serve as a dipping sauce for cooked seafood.
2 teaspoons black peppercorns
3 tablespoons minced shallots
1 or 2 pickled or fresh jalapeño chilies (or to taste), minced
½ cup red wine vinegar
½ cup dry white wine
salt (optional)
Coarsely crush the peppercorns in a mortar and pestle or under a rolling pin or heavy pot. (The idea here is to obtain large pieces of pepper.) Combine the cracked pepper in a bowl with the remaining ingredients. Correct the seasoning, adding salt to taste, if desired.
6 CALORIES PER TABLESPOON; 0 G PROTEIN; 0 G FAT; 1 G CARBOHYDRATE; 7 MG SODIUM; 0 MG CHOLESTEROL
Makes 2 cups
Molasses is hardly what one would call a fashionable ingredient these days, but unlike the sugar, fructose, and dextrose used in most commercial barbecue sauces, it has flavor behind its sweetness. This sauce goes particularly well with pork and duck.
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, minced (½ cup)
1 clove garlic, minced (1 teaspoon)
1 jalapeño chili, seeded and minced
⅔ cup molasses
⅔ cup distilled white vinegar
⅓ cup Dijon-style mustard
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and chili, and cook, stirring well, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until soft but not brown.
Stir in the remaining ingredients and simmer for 5 minutes. Let the sauce cool before serving.
25 CALORIES PER TABLESPOON; 0 G PROTEIN; .5 G FAT; 5 G CARBOHYDRATE; 73 MG SODIUM; 0 MG CHOLESTEROL
Makes 1¼ cups
I first tasted this sauce at the Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel in Bangkok. It was meant to be served with grilled seafood, but I soon found myself eating it straight with a spoon. For a truly authentic version, use cilantro root, which tastes like a cross between cilantro leaves and parsnips. (Asian and Hispanic markets often sell the whole plant.) Cilantro leaves produce a tasty sauce, too.
1 head fresh garlic, minced (¼ cup)
4 or 5 fresh hot red chilies, minced (¼ cup)
3 tablespoons minced cilantro root or leaves
½ cup fresh lemon juice
½ cup fish sauce
2 tablespoons sugar (or to taste)
Combine all the ingredients in a glass bowl and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Add more sugar as necessary. The sauce should be tart, salty, and sweet.
17 CALORIES PER TABLESPOON; 1 G PROTEIN; 0 G FAT; 2 G CARBOHYDRATE; 147 MG SODIUM; 3 MG CHOLESTEROL
Makes 1½ cups
Zehug is a hot sauce from Yemen, served much the way bottled salsa is in North America. You can use almost any hot chili to make this sauce, including jalapeños, serranos, and Thai peppers. To make a red sauce, use red chilies; to make a green one, use green.
6 fresh red or green chilies, seeded
6 cloves garlic, peeled
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (approximately)
½ cup finely chopped cilantro or flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon ground cumin
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Purée the chilies and garlic in a spice mill or blender, adding enough lemon juice to obtain a smooth paste. (The ingredients can also be pounded to a smooth paste in a mortar and pestle.)
Transfer the chili paste to a bowl and stir in the cilantro, cumin, salt, and pepper.
4 CALORIES PER TABLESPOON; 0 G PROTEIN; 0 G FAT; 1 G CARBOHYDRATE; 1 MG SODIUM; 0 MG CHOLESTEROL
Makes 2 cups
This molho de companha (country hot sauce) could be described as a mildly spicy relish. To be strictly authentic, you’ll need an aromatic African chili called pimenta malagueta, whose fiery bite is inversely proportional to its tiny size. But the sauce is perfectly good made with readily available jalapeño or serrano chilies. Serve with grilled meat.
1 large red onion, finely chopped
1 large ripe tomato, seeded and finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced (2 teaspoons)
2 malagueta or other chilies, minced (or to taste)
¼ cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (or to taste)
2 tablespoons wine vinegar
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and stir to mix. Correct the seasoning with lime juice and salt to taste. If the sauce seems too thick, stir in a few tablespoons ice water.
8 CALORIES PER TABLESPOON; 0 G PROTEIN; .5 G FAT; 1 G CARBOHYDRATE; 1 MG SODIUM; 0 MG CHOLESTEROL
Makes 1 pint
Who says okra has to be soft and slimy? These pickles are crisper and crunchier than many cucumber pickles. This recipe is a great way to introduce people who don’t think they like okra to this pretty, finger-shaped vegetable. For the best results, choose small, firm, unblemished okra.
1 pound small okra
2 dried red chilies
2 cups white vinegar
1 cup water
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons sugar
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon each black peppercorns, coriander seeds, and dill seeds
½ teaspoon celery seeds
Wash the okra and trim off the ends of the stems. Place in a large, clean jar with the chilies. Combine the remaining ingredients in a nonreactive saucepan and bring to a boil. Let this mixture cool slightly, then pour it over the okra. Place a small dish or sealed, water-filled plastic bag on top to keep the okra submerged.
Let the okra stand at room temperature for 2 to 7 days. The pickles are ready to eat after 2 days, but the flavor will improve with age. (I’ve never been able to wait more than a week to see whether they continue to improve!)
Note: Nutritional values for pickled foods are imprecise and, therefore, no analysis is given.
Makes 1 pint
Salt-cured lemons are a popular flavoring in Morocco, where they are added to everything from salads to stews. Their explosive flavor is great for enlivening seafood, pasta, and grain dishes, or even for nibbling straight. Pickled lemons will keep almost indefinitely, and a little goes a long way. A tiny spoonful of the juice makes a wonderful addition to salad dressing.
3 whole lemons
½ cup kosher salt
½–1 cup fresh lemon juice
extra-virgin olive oil (optional)
Scrub the lemons and dry well. Cut each lemon into 8 wedges and each wedge in half. Remove any seeds. Place the lemons in a bowl with the salt and mix well. Transfer the lemon mixture to a clean glass jar with a glass or plastic-coated lid. Add lemon juice to cover.
Seal the jar and let the lemons pickle at room temperature for at least 5 days, shaking the jar from time to time to mix the juices. For extra flavor, stir in a tablespoon or two of olive oil. Store the pickled lemons in the refrigerator.
Note: Nutritional values for pickled foods are imprecise and, therefore, no analysis is given.
Makes 1 pint
Homemade pickles are a great way to spice up normally bland low-fat foods such as chicken breasts and fish fillets. I like to use cipollinas—small, flat Italian onions—for pickling, but pearl onions and small silverskins work well, too.
2 cups distilled white vinegar
⅔ cup water
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1½ pounds cipollinas or other small onions, peeled
1 or 2 fresh jalapeño chilies, thinly sliced
Combine the vinegar, water, salt, and sugar in a large bowl and whisk until smooth. Place the onions and chilies in a large, clean jar. Add enough of the vinegar mixture to cover the onions completely. If necessary, place a small dish or sealed, water-filled plastic bag on top to keep the onions completely submerged. Let the onions pickle at room temperature for 2 to 3 days.
Note: Nutritional values for pickled foods are imprecise and, therefore, no analysis is given.