Crispy Zucchini Sticks with(out) Fire Roasted Tomato Chipotle Salsa

When I just a few days old in blogging world.I had accidentally stumbled upon Egglesscooking.I kept on being a silent visitor and tried one recipe after the other.I had just started baking and the first recipe I tried was her AlmondButter Bread.Actually I brought a loaf pan for the first time for this recipe.And not just this,it was her Twirly Whirly Pizza that I had sent for MBP:Less is More by Nupur.(You can find my version here).After that I have been trying one dish after another and this one is the easiest among the bakes.The oven baked zucchini fries are actually from Parents magazine and Madhuram had modified it.

Crispy Zucchini Sticks

It is a simple recipe in which zucchini cut into sticks is dipped in yoghurt and coated in breadcrumbs and baked.Rather that the normal frying,baking provides a healthier option.Madhuram had spiced up the breadcrumbs with chilli and pepper powders.But since I wanted to try our a dip with it,I avoided chilli powder and reduced the pepper.

Ingredients:
Zucchini: 1 medium size

Breadcrumbs: 1/2 cup + as needed
Plain yogurt: 1/4 cup whisked
Chilli powder
Pepper
Salt

Preparation:

Peel (optional) and cut zucchini into sticks.Dip the sticks in whisked plain yoghurt,shake off the excess and then roll in breadcrumbs.Shake off the excess crumbs(I did not do this)Arrange in a lined/greased baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven at 425F for 20-30 minutes.It took me more than 20 minutes.The sticks came out crunchy outside and soft inside .But I had not shaken off the excess breadcrumbs so some of the coatings broke in crumbs.You can see it in the picture.Serve warm with or without dip.It is best when hot/warm.

Fire Roasted tomato and Chipotle Salsa:
I simply wanted to make use of the chipotles in adobo lying in my fridge and this led to the creation of the salsa. I roasted tomato, garlic and onion on gas and then blended it with chipotle chillies,lemon juice and little olive oil.

Ingredients:
Tomatoes: 2 medium
Onion: 1 small peeled
Garlic: 1-2 cloves peeled

Cilantro/Coriander: 1 small bunch
Salt
Pepper
Cumin (optional)

Chipotle :dried or in adobo sauce: 1 medium

Olive oil

Preparation:

Roast tomatoes in an directly on the gas burner till the skin blisters and it starts turning blackish.Keep aside and let it cool.Once cool,peel off the skin,chop into pieces and put in a blender.Thread the garlic and onion on a skewer or knife and roast the same way.You can remove the blackish skin of garlic and onion if you like but I did not.Chop into pieces and add to the blender.Add salt,lemon juice,chipotle chillies (adding little or no sauce) to the blender and blend coarsely adding olive oil.Adjust salt and add pepper or cumin powder as per taste.

The salsa can be served as a dip or spread or whatever way you like .I served it with zucchini fries though the fries can be served as such.Each dish can be consumed as itself -ofcourse the salsa is not goodlooking,but the taste is spicily perfect.

Obviously the baked zucchini sticks are on way to T&T:Madhuram's EgglessCooking ,an event by Zlamushka of SpicyKitchen and currently hosted by Poornima of TastyTreats . The salsa is going to spice up the HomeMade #6: Salsas at WhatsCooking Forum