Shrimp pepper manchurian

 

 

 

 

1. 1/2 lb Shrimp :peeled and de veined
2. 1/2 tsp Paprika powder
3. 1/4 tsp pepper powder
4. 1/2 tsp Lemon juice
5. Salt
6. 1/2 tbsp Rice powder
7. 1 Red onion chopped
8. 1/2 Green bell pepper chopped
9. 2-3 Green chilly/jalapeno chopped
10. 2-3 pods of garlic chopped
11. 1/2″ ginger chopped
12. Salt
13. Sugar
14. 1 tbsp soya sauce
15. 1/2 tbsp all purpose flour(only for gravy can be avoided for a semi dry reicipe)

 

Method:

1.MArinate the shrimp with items 2-6 and set aside for 30mts.Shallow fry for 4-5mts(ie half done).

2.In a pan fry onion,green chilly,garlic,ginger,bell pepper with salt to taste ,and add about 1/2 tsp sugar and soya sauce.

3 to this add the fried shrimp and mix well,add 1/4 tsp if need be

 

4.For gravy make a mix of all purpose flour and water and pour it over the above and adjust the salt accordingly.

 

 

Egg Fried Rice

 

 

1. 2 Cups long grained rice
2. 4eggs
3. 1/2 cup Chopped onion
4. 4 tbsp chopped carrot
5. 2 tbsp chopped green pepper
6. 1/4 cup chopped green beans
7. 1/4 cup chopped cabbage
8. 1 tbsp ginger paste
9. 1 tbsp garlic paste
10. 1/2 tsp pepper powder
11. 1 tsp soya sauce
12. 1 tsp vinegar
13. salt to taste.

Method:

1. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil,to this add washed rice with 1 tsp of salt .On low cook under cover for 10mts,switch off stove and let rice cook under cover.
2. In a wok add 2 tbsp oil,add chopped onion and fry for 3mts.
3. add cabbage,carrot,capsicum and Beans.add 1tsp salt and stir fry for upto 4mts.
4. add ginger and garlic paste ,fry well.
5. TO this add soya sauce and viengar.Mix well and add the cooked rice.
6. sprinkle pepper powder and mix well
7. In another wok add some oil,break in the eggs with little salt and make scrambles.
8. mix this is rice above and fry it on high for a couple of seconds.

 

Mushroom-Cauli Chilly/Kumbh-Gobi Chilly

 

 

Another variation on the Gobi manchurian,an Indo Chinese appetizer.

 

Ingredients:

1. 1/3 Cauliflower,split into florets.
2. 3-4 Mushrooms-Cut in size of ur choice.(I used large button mushrooms there for I had to cut each into 8 pieces).
3. 1 large onion -Chopped.
4. 1/4 tsp ginger chopped
5. 3-4 Green Chilly -Chopped
6. 1/2 tbsp ginger paste
7. 1/2 tbsp Garlic paste
8. 1/2 tsp chilly powder/Chilly paste
9. 2tbsp Rice powder
10. 3tbsp All purpose flour
11. Oil for frying
12. 1tbsp soya sauce
13. 1/2 tsp Green chilly paste
14. 2tbsp tomato Sauce
15. Salt to taste.

Method

1. Mix ginger ,garlic paste,salt,chilly powder /Green chilly paste
2. Add the cut veggies to the above,sprinkle all purpose flour and rice flour ,and lightly mix.
3. Then toss it so that it gets covered evenly,if its kind of dry then sprinkle some water ,so the mixture cover the veggies evenly.
4. In a pan ,heat oil and deep fry these veggies.Move it out into paper towel.
5. In a wok,add some oil and fry the green chillies.
6. fry it for a couple of seconds.
7. Add the onion and ginger  and fry till the onions translucent,little salt(Soy sauce are salty too)
8. Add  all the sauces and give a quick mix.
9. Add the fried veggies,mix well.
10. Top it with little soy sauce and Tomato Sauce.
11. You are ready to serve!

 

 

 

 

Soy Chunk Chilly

Another one of those healthy and tasty dishes,I have referred the following link and this and modified just the spices to my taste.I love the fact that it was a quick,easy and healthy dish to go with even more light Phulkas.The combination was ultimate and went good with family.

Here are my measurements:

1. 1.5 cups Soy Vadi/chunks
2. 3/4 Large onion chopped into small squares
3. 1/2 capsicum cut into small squares
4. 1 jalapeno slit into 6
5. 3-4 dried red chilly
6. 1.5 tomato pureed
7. 2tbs dark soy sauce
8. 1tsp light soy sauce(you can increase the amt of dark soy)
9. 2tbsp Tomato ketchup
10. 1tbsp ginger paste
11. 1tbsp garlic paste
12. 2cups of water.
13. Salt to taste
14. oil for frying.

Method:

1. In luke warm water,with little salt soak soy for nearly 45mts.
2. In a wok,heat oil fry the red chilly and green chlly for a mt,then add the chopped onion,capsicum and ginger and garlic paste and fry till onion in translucent.
3. Now lightly squeeze the soy and add it to the wok,mix well for about 5mts.
4. In pureed tomato add 1 cup of soaking water frm soy chunks,light and dark soy sauce,Tomato ketchup and add this to the wok,adjust the salt at this point.
5. Bring it to a boil on high and then cook on medium low flame for 10mts.
6. Serve hot with roti.as it cools down soy chunk will absorb the gravy ,there fore when its time to serve and if you need gravy add about a cup of water again,mix well and bring to a rapid boil.
7. Serve immd with roti.

 

Chicken hakka Noodles

 

A quick dinner with some weekend left over veggies and chicken ,mixed with some sauces and hakka noodles.The snap is turned a little yellow due to my kitchen bulb.The dish turns light brown due to the use of soy sauce.

 

Ingredients:

1. 2 packets of Ching’s veg hakka noodle( or any Wheat noodles)
2. 1 tsp dark soy sauce
3. 1 tsp light soy sauce
4. 2 tsp  tomato sauce
5. 1/4 tsp pepper
6. salt to taste
7. 1 1/2 tsp ginger garlic paste
8. 1/2 a long carrot sliced into thin strips
9. 1/2 a capsicum cut into strips
10. 1/2 onion sliced
11. 3 sprigs of spring onion-Separate white into slices and green portion chopped for later use.
12. 1/2 cup shredded cabbage.
13. salt to taste
14. 2-3 tbsp of oil.
15. 2 eggs
16. 1/2 cup shredded chicken (I used left over rotisseri chicken shreds)

Method

1. Cook Hakka noodles in a Pot full of boiling water for upto 3-4mts or as per instruction on the packet,with 1 tsp of oil and drain.dribble a few drops of oil to keep the strand separate.
2. In a heated wok,add the spring onion white portion and stir fry it with little salt and ginger-garlic paste for a mt.
3. Add the regular white onion,and rest of the veggies and stir fry it for upto 5mts.
4. To this add the sauces and mix well ,while keeping the wok on low to medium temperature.
5. In this add the chicken pieces and beaten egg and whisk it around till the egg turns to scrambles.
6. Add the Cooked noodles and toss it around for 3-4mts or till they are mixed well.
7. Serve hot.

 

Vegetable spring roll

1. 1/2  Large onion sliced
2. 1/2 cup  cabbage sliced
3. 2 carrots corsely grated
4. salt
5. pepper to taste
6. oil for frying
7. 8 spring roll wrapper( I used store bought rice wrapers-TYJ Spring roll pastry)

Method:

1. Stir fry all the veggies in oil with salt and pepper.
2. Keep each wrapper in rhombus ,ie with one corner pointed toward you.
3. At that end place 1/8th of the vegetable mix in a horizontal row,now place the corner portion to cover the whole vegetable
4. Now fold the left and right lower portion of the wrapper over it,so that now the 3 corners of the original sheet are over the veggie mix.
5. Now roll the horizontal base till it reaches the top corner.
6. Deep fry in hot oil,serve with sauce.

 

101st post-Sweet Corn Chicken Soup

Serves:4

This is my 101st post since I started writing the blog and I am happy that I am doing this with something which is close to my heart.It is evident from some of my posts that I love eating chinese food,but it is also true that not a single instance of visit to Chinese restaurant back home would begin without having a bowl of Sweet Corn Chicken Soup.There have been days when we would go to a restaurant just to drink the soup,nothing else or order a take home with many other stuff because the manager would not give us just the soup for a home delivery That is the height of our obsession for the Indo-chinese Sweet Corn Chicken Soup.Yes,its like a comfort food to all of us at my home.”Chicken soup for the Homesick Soul” 😉

My mom used to make this at home using the cream of corn until Knor came out with their ready to make Soup powder.Nonetheless,there is no replacement for sitting in the ambiance of a Chinese restaurant on a rainy night and drinking a Hot Bowl of Sweet corn Chicken soup.

Today,when I checked in my refrigerator I found 3 Corn cobs which have been doubtfully lying at the bottom without rotting,there were also a few pieces of Chicken lying in the refrigerator,so I decided to put together  Sweet Corn chicken soup.Since I did not have Cream of corn at home,I was thinking how I can duplicate it with the corn I have at home and started cooking the corn kernels I had removed.Cooking took a lot of time,when I ran out of patience I just pressure cooked it and whipped it up in the blender.Viola ! there was cream of corn :).

My measurements are for 2 big bowls of nice thick Sweet Corn chicken soup ,which you can rearrange in terms of water measurement to get a greater number but a less thicker soup.

What you need:

1. 4-5 pieces of chicken preferably with Bone(this gives a richer taste to stock)
2. 1/4 onion chopped
3. 1 1/2 Corn cob-Kernels(or cream style canned corn)
4. Salt to taste
5. Water

Method:

1. Cook chicken and onion,with salt and 2 cups of water on medium heatm till the chicken is completely cooked(add water appropriately so there is enough stock).
2. Remove the Onion and chicken -and keep the stock.
3. Chop the Chicken into bits and pieces .Discard the onions.
4. Pressure  cook corn for 10mts or upto 5 whistles with 3-4 ups of water.
5. Set aside 1/4 the kernels to be added separately to soup.
6. Remove the rest of the  corn kernels along with water into the blender and whip it completely.
7. Strain it(I dint do this since I dint have one,but I would strongly suggest this to avoid the grainy consistency of the soup).
8. Add the cream of corn to chicken stock and bring to a boil
9. Adjust the salt and add the chicken pieces and cooked corn kernels.Bring to a boil.
10. At this stage it will be little thicker than water,if it is still like water you can add about 1tsp all purpose flour mixed with water.
11. In a bowl,whisk an egg with fork.
12. When the soup is boiling,take it off the flame(this is very important:DO NOT KEEP IT ON THE STOVE) and start pouring the egg slowly whilst moving the ladle slowly and consistently.
13. The heat of the soup should be enough to make the egg cook into thin strands (PS:do not move the ladle fast ,if you do the egg strands will break and dont move it too slow cos eggs will form lumps).
14. Serve hot with Vinegar-Soy-chopped Green chilly sauce(1 tbsp dark soy,3 tbsp Vinegar and chopped Green chilies mix-this is to be added on top of the soup while serving and adjusted for taste)

 

Egg Chilly Gravy

Ingredients:

1. 2 Eggs-Hardboiled and sliced
2. 1/2 tsp Ginger paste
3. 1/2 tsp Garlic paste
4. 1/2 tsp Ginger chopped
5. 1/2 Garlic chopped
6. 2-slit green chilly
7. Few peices of Capsicum.
8. 1/2 a medium shallot coarsely chopped
9. 1/4 tsp pepper powder
10. 1 tbsp tomato Ketchup
11. 1 tsp dark Soya sauce
12. 2tsp light Soya sauce
13. 1tsp maida mixed in 1/4 cup water
14. 1 cup water
15. 1/2 tsp sugar
16. salt to taste

Method:

1. In a pan ,add some oil and fry the Ginger,garlic,and slit green chillies with the garlic and ginger paste for 1 mt.
2. Add Onion,and Capsicum and fry they are translucent.
3. Add the sauces and pepper powder along with salt and mix well.
4. To this add about 1/2 cup water and bring to a quick boil.
5. Add maida mixed with water and sugar,and mix well.
6. Add rest of the 1/2 cup water and Egg and mix well.
7. Bring to a quick boil and garnish with scallions.
8. Note:If you want to make it a dry one,marinate the eggs in a mixture of maida,chillypowder,ginger garlic paste,tomato and soy sauce and deep frying for 1-2mts before adding to gravy after the step number 4)

 

Mera pyaara Gobi Manchuri

Preparation time:20mt,cooking time:20mts,serves:4-5

Ingredients:

1. 20-25 Cauliflower florets.
2. 1 Cup All purpose flour.
3. 2tbsp Gram flour(optional)
4. 2-3 tbsp Rice flour.
5. 1 tsp ginger paste
6. 1 tsp garlic paste.
7. 1 tsp Chilly powder.
8. salt to taste.
9. 1/2 cup water.
10. 2 garlic pods finely chopped
11. 1″ ginger finely chopped
12. 1 large onion finely chopped.
13. 1 green chilly chopped.
14. 1 tsp light soy sauce
15. 1/2 tsp dark soy sauce.
16. 2-3 tbsp Tomato ketchup.
17. Oil for frying
18. Salt to taste.

Method:

1. Mix all the ingredients 2-10 in a bowl and make into a semi liquid paste.
2. Marinate cauliflower in this for about 30mts.
3. In a skillet,add lot of oil for deep frying and bring to a heat.
4. Add batches of marinated cauliflower and deep fry it on medium -high for 4-5mts,till cauliflowers are golden brown.Drain and keep aside.
5. In the same skillet,remove the oil completely,as the oil on the sides should be more than enough.
6. Fry the chopped garlic,ginger and chilly for 1mt.
7. Add the chopped onion and fry till golden brown.
8. To this add the chilly powder and mix well.
9. Now add dark and light soy sauce,and the tomato ketchup along with salt to taste,mix well.
10. Add the fried cauliflower,and mix thoroughly.
11. If required,dilute 1 tbsp of tomato ketchup in 1tbsp  of water and add to the mix .
12. Garnish with chopped spring onion.

 

Chilly Chicken:Dhabha style

Preparation time:20mts,Cooking time:30mts,Serves:3-4

Another of my all time favorites,served in most restaurants in India,the Chinese Chilly Chicken. It is said that this dish is more of Indian origin than it is Chinese,there fore the reason why one does not find this dish in the Chinese restaurants outside  India.

I have seen some Chinese restaurants serving these inUS  ,the Black Bean Chicken Chilli and they dont taste anything like what we have back home.

I have found that compared to its counterparts served in Chinese restaurants in India,it is the Punjabi Dhabha’s that best make this dish .I have seen several recipes for this online and have tried them individually but not actually getting the right taste,texture and aroma.Finally this recipe is a combination of a couple of them I found online and turned out to be the closest I have eaten in a dhabha.

I have not added Ajinomoto in this dish,you may add if you are not averse to the chemical and would like the Chinese taste of it.

Ingredients:

1. Chicken – Stir fry pieces,3″ peices,about 20peices.
2. 1 Medium Onion -Chopped
3. 1 Spring onion chopped.
4. 1/2 tsp Ginger paste
5. 1 tsp Garlic paste
6. Tomato – 1 tbsp ea for the batter and for the gravy.
7. 1 Jalapenos  – Finely chopped
8. Capsicum – 1, chopped into squares.
9. 1 tsp Red chilly powder
10. 1/4 tsp Black pepper powder
11. 2 tbsp All purpose flour/Maida
12. 3 tsp of Dark Soya sauce for batter
13. 1/2 tsp Dark Soy sauce for the gravy.
14. 2 tsp Vinegar for batter,1/2 tsp for the gravy.
15. Salt  to taste
16. Oil  for frying

Method:

1. Wash and cut Chicken to the mentioned measurements,or use Stir fry pieces readily available in market.
2. Mix the all pupose flour,Ginger paste,garlic paste,3 tbsp Dark Soya sauce,Black pepper powder,Tomato sauce,Chilly powder and salt to taste.(the marinade may taste a little tangy,but that is ok).You may add about 1/4 cup water to get the mix to be a semi solid
3. Marinade the chicken in this mix and leave it on the side for at least 1hr.The marinade should coat well on the chicken.
4. In a Deep frying pan,add oil and bring it to a good heat.Keep the flame at 70% and dd the battered Chicken pieces and fry for about 3-4 mts till the coating fries to a reddish brown.ps:do not throw the left over marinade.
   
5. Strain the fried pieces off chicken on to a paper towel.
6. In a Pan,add 1 tsp of oil and heat it.
7. Add the chopped jalapenos ,fry for a few seconds before adding the chopped onions.Fry till the onions are light brown,add the white portion of the Spring onion and fry for a few mts.
8. To this add capsicum and the left over batter and fry for 7-8mts,or till the capsicum is fairly cooked.PS:will have to move the spoon around in this phase so the batter does not stick to pan.
   
9. Now add the remaining soya sauce,tomato sauce and vinegar.(you can add pepper if u like more spicy).Cook for a couple of mts,add about 1/4 cup water from the washed batter container.(this will make a tasty sauce ).
10. Cook for a few mts till the water added above thickens the sauce and add in the fried chicken pieces.
11. Mix well by tossing the pan by holding the pan handles if possible,else use a ladle.
12. Garnish with fresh cut Green stalk of Spring onions.
13. Dhabha style Chilly Chicken is ready to be served!