Steamed vegetarian Momos

Hi Readers,

I tried steamed Momos for the first time. It turned out delicious.Whenever I go out to dine in any Chinese restaurant, this is one my favorite dish to have for sure. I tried this out of curiosity and  believe me its super easy and takes very less time to prepare.This makes a interesting yet healthy snack option with evening tea.    

Ingredients

Refined flour (maida) 1 cup

Oil 2 tablespoons

Spring onions finely chopped2

Ginger finely chopped 1 inch piece

Green chilli finely chopped1

Fresh button mushrooms finely chopped4-5(optional)

French beans finely chopped10

Carrot finely chopped1 medium

Spring onion greens chopped1 stalk

Bean sprouts 1/4 cup

Salt to taste

Black peppercorns crushed8-10

Light soy sauce 1/2 tablespoon

Cornflour/ corn starch 1 tablespoon

Sesame oil (til oil) 1 teaspoon

Method

Mix refined flour with 5 tbsps of water and knead into a soft dough. Cover with a damp cloth and set aside for15 minutes.Heat oil in a non stick wok. Add spring onions, ginger and green chilli and sauté.  And mushrooms, beans, carrot, spring onion greens, bean sprouts, salt, pepper powder, soy sauce and mix well.Mix cornflour in ¼ cup water and add. Cook till thick, take the wok off the heat and cool.Divide the dough into small balls. Roll in dry flour and roll into small puris keeping the edges thin and the centre thick. Place a portion of stuffing in the centre, fold one end over the other and give it a half moon shape. For another gather the edges and seal together. Make another momo in triangle shape.Heat water in a deep non stick pan. Line a bamboo basket with cabbage leaves. apply a little sesame oil on the momos and place them over the cabbage leaves.Cover and place the basket over the hot water, cover the pan and steam for 8-10 minutes or till done.Uncover the pan, take the basket out and open it. Serve the momos hot.

Chili Gobi

Hi Readers,

In Winter's when Cauliflower and Gobi is readily available in Indian market, and we like hot fried foods in chilly weather, this is a dish that would be liked by people of all ages, especially children as they like Chinese recipes more.Here is a recipe for you.

Ingredients:

250 gms fresh Gobi or Cauliflower florets half boiled

2 medium Capsicum or colored Bell peppers

1 large Onion

for the batter:

1/4 cup All purpose flour

2 tbsp. Corn flour

1/4 cup Water, approx

1/4 tsp Pepper powder

1 tsp Ginger-Garlic paste, optional

Salt to taste

2 tbsp All purpose flour, to dust

Oil, to deep fry

Other ingredients:

4-5 Garlic cloves, finely chopped

3/4" Ginger, finely chopped

2-3 Green(or red) chillies, finely chopped

1 tsp Celery(or thick Coriander stems), finely chopped

1 tbsp Vinegar

1 tbsp Soya sauce

2-3 tbsp Tomato Ketchup

1 tbsp Red Chili Sauce or 1-2 tsp Red Chili paste

1/4 tsp freshly ground Pepper

Salt to taste

2-3 tbsp Oil

Method:

Remove the stem and seeds and the white internal layer of capsicum (or bell peppers) and cut into 1" cubes and keep aside.

Cut a large onion into large 1" cubes and separate into layers.

Cut Cauliflower  into medium size. Boil it till it's half done & keep it aside. 

Take a bowl and add corn flour,all purpose four, ginger-garlic paste(if adding),pepper powder and salt and add 1/4 cup of water and mix it nicely to form a thick coating batter, beat the batter nicely with out any lumps. Do not make this batter thin as it will not hold the coating. So add the water in stages to get a thick coating consistency. And 1/2 tbsp soya sauce to it.

Heat oil in a deep curved pan for deep frying

Dip the Cauliflower in the maida batter and deep fry until they turn light golden brown in color. 

Heat oil in a deep wok and add finely chopped ginger, garlic,celery and green chillies and fry until light brown in color.

Add diced capsicum(or bell pepper) pieces and fry on high flame for 1-2 mins until the capsicum pieces slightly wilt. Add diced and separated onions and fry on high fame for a minute. Do not let them fry for long and loose the crunchiness of vegetables.

Reduce the flame or remove the wok from heat and add vinegar, soya sauce, tomato ketchup, red chili sauce(or paste), salt and pepper. Remember that all the sauces contain some salt, so do not add more salt. Return to heat and mix all the sauces nicely on low flame for a minute.

Add the fried Cauliflower pieces and increase the flame and stir fry for 1-2 minutes until they become piping hot.

Serve it hot. 

Chilli Paneer

 


Hi Readers,
Today, is the day before Karthik Purnima. In Odisha everyone follows a special diet at least during Panchuka that is five days before Karthik Purnima. We eat all satwik food, just like the Jain foods that does not contain Onion and Garlic in it. So, why I am posting this Chilli Paneer recipe here. I had prepared this few days back and just forgot to add this to blog. Now, here is the recipe for you.

Ingredients :- 

•Paneer (cottage cheese) 200 grams

•Cornflour/ corn starch 4 tablespoons

•Oil 2 tablespoon + to deep fry

•Garlic,crushed 3-4 cloves

•Green chillies,sliced 3-4

•Onions,sliced 2 medium

•Green capsicum,seeded and thick strips 1 large

•Vegetable stock 1/2 cup

•Salt to taste

•White pepper powder 1/2 teaspoon

•Soy sauce 2 tablespoons

•Chilli sauce 1 tablespoon

Method :- 

Drain paneer well and cut into diamond shaped medium sized pieces. Heat sufficient oil in a wok, roll the paneer pieces in cornflour and deep fry on medium heat until the edges start to turn brown. Drain on absorbent paper and set aside. Blend remaining cornflour (nearly a tablespoon) in a quarter cup of water and set aside. Heat two tablespoons of oil in a wok, add crushed garlic and stir-fry for a minute. Add sliced green chillies, onions and green capsicum. Sauté for a couple of minutes. Add fried paneer and stir in the vegetable stock. Add salt, white pepper powder, soy sauce, chilli sauce and stir well. Stir in the blended cornflour and cook on high heat, stirring and tossing until the sauce thickens to coat the paneer and the vegetables. Serve immediately. 

Schezwan Fried Rice

Hi Readers,

This is a easy to cook recipe with miracle masala available in stores. I tried Miracle masala and the Schewan fried rice is ready in few minute. Its somewhat similar to my cooking experience with Puliogere masala. Very little to do from our side, the masala does everything and rice is ready in few minutes.

Ingredients :- 

Red Capsicum/Bell Pepper - 1 no

Green Capsicum/Bell Pepper - 1 no

Yellow Capsicum/Bell Pepper - 1 no

bell peppers are cut into long strips

French beans - 1/2 cup chopped

Carrot - 1 medium size - chopped

Miracle Masala - 2 tbsp

Rice - 1 and 1/2 cup

Oil - 1 tbsp

Method :- 

Heat a pan, add oil. When its hot add the chopped vegetables and stir fry for 2 mintutes. Add steamed rice, miracle masala and mix well. The dish is prepared. Serve hot.

Chinese Veg Fried Rice

Hi Readers,

Although, this is Chinese, I have not used Ajinamoto as this is not good for heath. This is a healthy and yummy rice recipe that almost everyone likes.

Ingredients :- 1 bunch of finely chopped spring onion
                     1 Carrot chopped
                     1.5 cup boiled rice ( Chinese/basmati/brown)
                     100 gm fresh green peas
                     1 red bell pepper finely chopped
                     1 cup finely chopped cabbage
                     1 tsp ginger/garlic paste
                     1 tsp vinegar
                     1 tsp soya sauce
                     2 tsp oil
                     1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
                      salt to taste

Method :- Heat oil in a pan. Add half portion of spring onion( the white portion of onion) and fry till it starts it starts turning pink. Add the ginger-garlic paste and cook till the smell is removed and it starts turning brown. Add the carrots and green peas, cover and cook for 3 to 4 mins in medium flame. Now, add the red bell pepper and cook for another 1 min. Now, add the cabbage, soya sauce, vinegar, salt and black pepper and mix it well. Add the boiled rice and cook for another 2 mins and serve hot. Garnish this with the remaining spring onion(green portion).

    

Vegetable Manchurian

This ever popular Chinese dish is really easy to make. When you eat these deep fried vegetable balls in a soy sauce based gravy, do not let mundane things like the weighing scale bother you! just dig into these deep fried delights and enjoy!

Ingredients :- For The Vegetable Balls
3 cups finely chopped cabbage
1 1/4 cups carrot , grated
1/2 cup chopped onions
2 tbsp cornflour
5 tbsp plain flour (maida)
3 to 4 clove of garlic (lehsun) , finely chopped
1 slit green chilli , finely chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper powderto taste
oil for deep-frying

For The Sauce1 tbsp garlic (lehsun) , finely chopped
2 tsp finely chopped green chillies
2 tsp finely chopped ginger (adrak)
1 cup clear vegetable stock or water
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp cornflour mixed with 1 cup of water
2 pinches of sugar
2 tbsp oil
salt to taste

Method :-For the vegetable balls

1. Combine the cabbage, carrots, onions, cornflour, plain flour, garlic, green chili  salt and pepper in a bowl. Mix well.
2. Shape spoonfuls of the mixture into small balls. If you find it difficult to form balls, sprinkle a little water to bind the mixture.
3. Deep fry in hot oil until golden brown. Drain on absorbent paper and keep aside.

For the sauce

1. Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan on a high flame. Add the garlic, green chilies and ginger and stir fry over a high flame for a few seconds.
2. Add the stock, soya sauce, cornflour paste, sugar and salt and simmer for a few minutes.

How to serve

1. Just before serving, put the vegetable balls in the sauce and bring to a boil.
2. Serve hot.

Tips

1. Add some water or vegetable stock to thin down the sauce if it is too thick.

Baby corn chinese chili

Hi Reader,

This is Chinese dish that is easy to make.

Ingredient :- 1- 200 gm baby corn cut in thin strips

2- 2 capsicum cut into thin strips

3- 4 tbsp corn flour

5- red chili powder - 1 tbsp

6- 1 tbsp soy sauce

7- 1 tbsp tomato sauce

8- ground black pepper 

9- salt to taste

Method :- Take the corn flour make a paste with water, salt and 1/2 tbsp red chili powder. Add the baby corns to this paste and fry them in a pan. Remove them and add little oil to pan. Add the chopped capsicum and fried baby corn. Add the soy sauce, tomato sauce and black pepper powder. cook till capsicum is cooked. Serve hot.

Mushroom in black pepper sauce

This is a Chinese main dish.Very little time to prepare and a good mouth watering dish.

Ingredients: -

400 gm button mushroom.

100 gm corn flour

5 tsp soya sauce

2 green chili chopped

2 tsp fresh black pepper powder

2 medium size capsicum chopped into medium size

5 to 6 flakes of garlic chopped

oil to fry

salt to taste

Preparation:-

Clean the mushrooms and remove the stem. Add corn flour and 2 and 1/2 tsp soya sauce to the mushroom and mix well. Heat oil in a thick bottomed pan. When oil is ready to fry, slowly add mushrooms and deep fry. Caution needs to be taken as mushroom will leave a lot of water while deep frying. No need to add more salt as soya sauce has enough salt. If needed taste and add salt accordingly. Keep aside the  mushrooms. In another pan heat 1tsp oil. When oil is hot add the chopped garlic and chopped chili and cook till garlic starts to turn brown. Then add the capsicums and cook till they turn little brown. Add remaining soya sauce,fried mushrooms and black pepper powder. Cook for about 4 mins and serve hot along with tomato sauce.