The Next Iron Chef Week: Jehangir Mehta

The new season of The Next Iron Chef kicks off this week! On it, 10 world-class chefs will battle it out for a place in kitchen stadium. But, before they do that, they're going to have to make it through the gaunlet in PIX Kitchen!

Each day this week we're featuring a local chef from the show, and today we have Jehangir Mehta, executive chef and owner of Graffiti in Manhattan. His "secret ingredient" today is coriander and Mehta's showing us how to make Coriander Shrimp with Mung Bean Salad.

A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Mehta's influences include Persian and Indian fare. " Mehta has been a pastry chef in some of the finest restaurants in New York City, including Jean Georges, Union Pacific, Virot, Compass, Aix, and Sapa. [...] New York Observer quotes, "One of the most daring and original Pastry Chefs, I have come across in New York. His creations are unexpected but with coherence and personality," according to the Food Network.

The Next Iron Chef premieres October 4 at 9pm on the Food Network. For more information, visit www.foodnetwork.com.

Coriander Shrimp
½ cup Shrimp
2 Tablespoons Olive oil
4 Chiles
1 Tablespoon Coriander seeds (crushed)
Salt (to taste)

Sauce:
Fresh coriander (chiffonade or chopped)
1/3 cup Greek yogurt
Salt (to taste)
Pepper (to taste)
1 pinch Coriander powder

Mung Bean Salad
½ cup Sprouted Mung Beans
1 Teaspoon lemon juice
Salt (to taste)
Pepper (to taste)
Chili powder (to taste)
1 Tablespoon Cilantro root (chopped)

Procedure:
1. In a small bowl, mix the yogurt, fresh coriander, salt and pepper.
2. In a heated skillet, add oil, chiles and coriander seeds. Let the oil infuse and throw in shrimp, salt and pepper. Sautee shrimp until cooked and pull out.
3. In a bowl, toss mung beans, lemon juice, salt, pepper, chili powder and cilantro root. Place on plate as base for the shrimp.
4. Place shrimp over salad and drizzle with sauce.

Recipe courtesy of Jehangir Mehta