VEG SPRING ROLL

Vegetable Spring Rolls are very popular starter or snack that is served in Indo Chinese restaurants. These are perfect as a tea snack or for a weekend brunch. In India, you would see people enjoying these rolls with a cup of tea or coffee. You can make these rolls with ready made frozen sheets or home made wrappers. I have used ready made frozen sheets here and used paneer and some vegetables as stuffing.

Ingredients

1. Spring roll wrappers - 3-4 
2. Onions thinly sliced 1 medium 
3. Cabbage finely shredded 1/2 cup
4. Carrot 1 medium (cut into thin strips)
5. Green capsicum 1 medium (cut into thin strips)
6. Salt to taste
7. Oil 2 tsp
8. Black pepper powder 1/3 tsp
9. Soy sauce - 1 tsp
10. Coriander - finely chopped 1/3 cup
11. Cornflour - 1 tsp

Process

1. To make the stuffing, heat the oil, add onion and other vegetables and salt and toss. Add pepper powder, soy sauce and mix. Cook till the vegetables soften. Switch off the flame and keep aside to cool.

2. Make a paste of Cornflour with 2 tsp water.

3. Spread the spring roll wrappers on the pan and place 1 tsp of the stuffing mixture. Make this way for all the wrappers and fold in the edges and roll tightly.

4. Apply Cornflour paste to open end and seal. Keep the rolls under a damp cloth. Gently slide into the hot oil and deep fry till golden and crisp. Drain on absorbent paper and cut into small pieces and serve with your favorite chutney. 

Maggy Manchurian in Gravy

Everyone loves Manchurian, but have you ever tried making Manchurian with Maggie? Yes, its totally delicious. Here is the detailed recipe, do check it out, try and share your views.

Ingredients: 

For the Manchurian:

1. Maggy - 1 and half packet
2. Onions - 1 (finely chopped)
3. Salt as per taste
4. Butter - 1/2 tsp
5. Capsicum - 1/3 (finely chopped)
6. Carrot - 1 tsp (grated)
7. Ginger - 1 inch (grated)
8. Spring onions - 1 tsp (finely chopped)
9. Cornflower - 1 tsp (you may use 2 tsp also, based on your dough type)
10. Oil 

For the Gravy:

1. Onions - 1 (diced)
2. Ginger - 1 inch (finely chopped)
3. Garlic - 2 tsp (finely chopped)
4. Salt as per taste
5. Capsicum - 1/2 (diced)
6. Chilli sauce - 1 tsp
7. Soy sauce - 1 tsp
8. Tomato ketchup - 1 tsp
9. Vinegar - 1 tsp
10. Cornflower slurry - 2 tsp
11. Spring onions - 1 tsp (finely chopped) & for garnishing also

Process:

For making the Manchurian

1. Boil one cup of water adding 1/2 tsp butter and tastemaker, add one packet of maggy and cook for 2 mins. Do not overcook the maggy as it turns mushy. Once the maggy is done, let it cool down on room temperature.

2. Add all the chopped veggies (onions, capsicum, spring onions, grated carrot and ginger) along with salt and cornflower and mix well forming a soft dough, make sure not to mash the noodles. 

3. Grease hands with oil and prepare ball sized manchurian balls. Coat with crushed maggi to get an extra crispy bite. Deep fry in medium hot oil, keeping the flame on medium. Stir occasionally and fry until the balls turn golden brown. Drain off and keep aside.

For making the Gravy

1. To make cornflower slurry, mix 2 tsp of cornflower in 1/2 cup water, mix well and keep aside.

2. In a large Kadhai, heat 2 tsp oil and add 1 inch ginger, 1 chopped green chilli and 2 tsp spring onions and saute for  minutes. Add diced onions and capsicums and stir fry on high flame. Now add tomato ketchup, chilli sauce, soy sauce, vinegar and salt as per taste. Further add cornflower slurry and mix continuously making sure the sauce thicks and turns glossy. Pour 1 cup water and mix well. Stir and boil until the sauce thickens slightly. 

3. Once the sauce thickens, add the noodle balls (manchurian) and mix well. Boil for 1 minute until the flavor is well absorbed. Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle some chopped spring onions. 

Serve hot with Fried rice or noodles.

CRISPY CHILLI GOBI

Chilli Gobi (cauliflower)  is a hugely popular Chinese dish. It is very crunchy and full of flavor snack that you cannot resist. This is a favorite snack in all the age groups. Here is the three step simple yet delicious recipe. 

Ingredients:

1. Cauliflower - 1 medium size
2. Cornflour - 3 tsp
3. Salt to taste
4. Soy sauce - 2 tsp
5. Tomato ketchup - 2 tsp
6. Chilli sauce - 1 tsp
7. Pepper - 1/2 tsp
8. Oil - for frying
9. Onion - 1 (finely chopped) 
10. Ginger & Garlic (finely chopped) - 1 tsp
11. White sesame - 1 tsp
12. Honey - 1 tsp
13. Spring onions - 1 tsp (finely chopped)

Process:

1. Cut the cauliflower into single flower pieces and boil them adding a pinch of salt for 10 minutes. Drain water and spread them evenly in a kitchen towel, let the moisture go away. In a bowl, add 1/2 tsp cornflour and mix the boiled cauliflowers. Deep fry them until they are crispy golden brown. Keep aside.
2. In a bowl, mix water and corn flour and keep aside. 
3. Heat 2 tsp oil in a frying pan on medium heat and add chopped ginger garlic to it, once the garlic is light brown and fragrant, add onions and saute for 5 minute, then add soy sauce, chilli sauce, honey, tomato ketchup and mix well. Add spring onions and the corn flour mix to this sauce. Keep stirring on medium heat for one minute.
4. Now add the crispy fried cauliflowers into the sauce, mix well and remove from the flame. Garnish with some more white sesame and spring onions or chopped coriander leaves.

CRISPY HONEY CHILLI POTATOES

Honey chilli potato is a hugely popular Chinese dish. It is very crunchy and full of flavor snack that you cannot resist. This is a favorite snack in all the age groups. Here is the three step simple yet delicious recipe. 

Ingredients:

1. Potatoes - 3 big
2. Cornflour - 3 tsp
3. Salt to taste
4. Soy sauce - 2 tsp
5. Tomato ketchup - 2 tsp
6. Chilli sauce - 1 tsp
7. Pepper - 1/2 tsp
8. Oil - for frying
9. Onion - 1 (finely chopped)
10. Ginger & Garlic (finely chopped) - 1 tsp
11. White sesame - 1 tsp
12. Honey - 1 tsp
13. Spring onions - 1 tsp (finely chopped)

Process:

1. Cut the potatoes into finger chip size and boil them adding a pinch of salt for 10 minutes. Drain water and spread them evenly in a kitchen towel, let the moisture go away. In a bowl, add 1/2 tsp cornflour and mix the potatoes. Deep fry the potatoes until they are crispy golden brown. Keep aside.
2. In a bowl, mix water and corn flour and keep aside. 
3. Heat 2 tsp oil in a frying pan on medium heat and add chopped ginger garlic to it, once the garlic is light brown and fragrant, add onions and saute for 5 minute, then add soy souch, chilli sauce, honey, tomato ketchup and mix well. Add spring onions and the corn flour mix to this sauce. Keep stirring on medium heat for one minute.
4. In a serving bowl, place the crispy fried potatoes and spread the sauce, mix well, garnish with some more white sesame and spring onions or chopped coriander leaves.

MUSHROOM STIR-FRY

Mushrooms are  fat free, natural sources of Vitamin D and a valuable source of fiber. Over the years, mushrooms have gained popularity in Indian Cooking as it is easily available in market and is no longer considered an exotic ingredient.

INGREDIENTS:

Button Mushrooms (Thinly Sliced) - 12-14

Onion (Thinly Sliced) - 1

Tomato (Julienne) - 1

Vinegar - 2 tbsp

Soya Sauce - 1 tbsp

Oil - 2 tbsp

Salt & Pepper- To taste

PROCESS:

1. It is important to clean the mushrooms before cooking. Use a wet cloth or wet tissue paper to wipe them nicely. Then thinly slice them.

2. Take a Wok or Kadhai with big surface area. This will help in spreading them out which will make the moisture from the mushrooms evaporate quickly. Add 1 thinly sliced onion to heated 2 tbsp oil and sauté till the onion turns translucent.

3. Add julienne of 1 tomato to it. Stir well.

4. Now add the mushrooms and sauté it for a while.

5. Now add the vinegar and soya sauce one after the other and mix well.

6. Add salt and black pepper to taste and stir for a while. It is important to add salt at the end and not in the beginning because it will quickly take out all the juices resulting in chewy mushrooms.  

7. Its done. Serve hot! You can also have it with any Chinese dish of your choice.