Easy Peasy Vegetable Manchurian

Vegetable Manchurian is one of the most commonly ordered dishes when we go out for an Indo-Chinese meal. It might for once seem as if making this dish at home is a very tedious task. I have tried my best come up with a recipe that has been broken into small components and can be easily followed and made by all. I have also tried to use a chopper to do most of the cutting and chopping. I hope most of you will try to make it yourselves and find it equally easy:

For the Manchurian Balls:

To be chopped in a chopper:
2 cups roughly chopped veggies
 (cabbage, carrots, French beans, spring onions, onions)
3 whole dried red chilies
5 cloves of garlic
1" piece of ginger

To be added to the chopped veggies:
3 tbsp. all purpose flour
4 tbsp. corn starch
1/2 tsp. ground pepper
a pinch of Ajinomoto (optional)
Salt to taste, to be added just before frying
Oil for deep frying.

Method:

1. Mix all the ingredients for the Manchurian except salt and keep aside.
2. Heat Oil to a medium heat.
3. Add salt and mix well. (at this point the vegetables will start leaving water.)
4. Make tight balls and deep fry over medium heat, letting the insides cook slowly.
5. Once golden brown, drain on kitchen towel.

For the Gravy:

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. oil

To be chopped in a chopper:

4 cloves garlic,
2" piece of Ginger
3-4 green chilies (more or less to taste)

To be mixed in a bowl:

3 tbsp. dark soy sauce,
2 tbsp. ketchup
1 tbsp. Vinegar (more or less to taste)
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. crushed pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped spring onions
1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves
salt to taste

1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 red capsicum finely chopped( to add color)
1/2 cup button mushrooms, sliced (Optional)

1/4 cup corn starch mixed in 1/2 cup water
2 cups of hot water

Method:

1. Heat a wok to high flame. (use the biggest flame you have)
2. Add the oil and add the chopped ginger-garlic-green chilies and fry for half a minute.
3. Add one by one, the chopped onions, Capsicum and Mushrooms and fry till the onions turn transparent.
4. Now add the ingredients of the bowl. and mix till the sauces come to a boil.
5. Add 2 cups hot water and bring to a boil.
6. At this point, add the corn starch mixed with water, mixing continuously till the gravy thickens and boil till the color of the gravy is transparent.
7. Check the seasonings and consistency of the gravy.
8. Serve with your choice of fried rice or noodles or simply steamed hot white rice.

Tips:

1 Add the Manchurian to the gravy just before serving and bring it to a boil.
2. If the gravy is too thin, add a little more corn starch mixed in cold water and bring to a boil. If the gravy is too thick, simply add more water.
3. Keep in mind that the Manchurian balls will soak up a little of the gravy so it is better to leave the gravy a little thin.

Pepper Jack Penne with Herbed Garlic Bun

Most Fridays come with the urge of either eating out or calling for a greasey cheese pizza to be enjoyed over a movie. To make some of these Fridays special, I go out of my way to prepare, a more than usual cheesey pasta and some sinfully buttery and cheesey garlic buns. This is one dinner that the little ones look forward to and gobble up without much effort.

Here goes the recipe for it-

Ingredients:

1/2 lb penne pasta

1 cup sliced Asparagus,

For the sauce:

2 tbsp butter

1/8th cup all purpose flour

2 cups milk

1/2 cup grated pepper jack cheese

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

2 tbsp chopped pickled jalapeno

1/2 tsp mixed italian herb seasoning

salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. Boil 3 quarts water in a large pan. add a tsp each of salt and sugar to it. Boil the penne pasta al dente and when almost done add the asparagus. Boil for a few more minutes and drain in a colander. Wash under cold water to stop the cooking process further.

2. Melt butter in a pan on medium-low heat. Add the flour and whisk till it is smooth and the raw smell of the flour is gone.( I like frying fresh chopped Jalapeno for a spicier sauce. Add along with the flour)

3. Reduce the flame to low and slowly add the milk, whisking to make sure there are no lumps formed. Bring to a boil and simmer for 12-15 minutes (the sauce should coat the back of a spoon).

4. Add the cheesees and the chopped jalapeno and mix it till it melts. Now add the Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Cook further for a minute and turn off the flame. Check for seasonings and adjust.

5. At serving time, heat the sauce, add the pasta and the asparagus and mix gentally. Add a little more milk if the sauce becomes too thick.

6. Serve hot with Herbed Garlic Bun.

Sattu Paratha

I am sure everyone has similar days in their lives when the fridge is devoid of any fresh vegetables or when one does not want to go through an elaborate process of cooking to get a satisfying meal. On such days to get a very satisfying meal, my jar of Sattu comes in handy. Sattu is the flour obtained from roasted chana dal or daliya. This paratha tastes good with smoked baingan bharta or even with raita and pickle. Sattu is very healthy and nutritious and helps with gastric and indigestion problems. It is also very high in protein and makes it a very healthy choice of breakfast.

Ingredients:

For the dough:

2 cups whole wheat flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 tbsp Oil

For the filling:

1.5 cups sattu (flour of roasted chana dal)

1/2 cup finely chopped ginger-green chilli-garlic-onion( I like using the chopper for this. It helps in chopping the onions very fine, thus helping when we roll the parathas)

1/4 cup coriander leaves, finely chopped.

1 tbsp mango pickle

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

juice of a lemon

1/4 tsp each of ajwain and kalonji

2 tbsp mustard oil

salt and pepper to taste
oil/ghee for roasting the parathas

Method:

1. Mix the flour, salt and oil thoroughly. Add enough water to form a soft dough.Cover and keep aside.

2. Mix all the ingredients under the masala very well. Add a few sprinkles of water to keep the masala moist. Make sure that it forms a laddu when pressed between the palm.

3. Knead the dough one more time and make it smooth. Divide it into 8 portions. Divide the masala also into 8 parts.

4. Roll one dough ball into a small circle, brush with a little oil and stuff it with one portion of the masala making sure you seal it well. Roll it in dry flour and press it with the palm to form a disk. While pressing it also make sure that the masala inside is spread out evenly.

5. Now, heat a tawa to medium high flame. Let the first stuffed disc rest while you stuff your next paratha.

6. Once the second disc is ready, roll out the first disc to the thickness of your choice. I like it thin.

7. Roast and cook the paratha on both sides and then using enough oil fry till it is well done.

8. Keep stuffing, rolling and cooking the parathas giving each of them enough time to rest before proceeding with the next.

9. Enjoy with boondi raita and pickles. It also goes well with aloo subzee or tomato sweet chutney. Left over parathas taste very good with tea too.

Chilli Potato Fingers

One of the most popular dishes in Indian-Chinese cuisine is the Chilli Potato. I call it Chilli Potato Fingers because I use the French fries cutter to make the fingers. This way I can have uniform size of the vegetable and I can effortlessly cut large number of potatoes in no time. It also helps in cooking the vegetable uniformly. It is a very popular party dish and sometimes when I am in a hurry, I use the frozen fries to make it.

Ingredients:

5 large potatoes (I have used Idaho)
Dry corn flour to dust the potatoes
Canola oil to deep fry
1 cup green bell pepper julliens
1/2 cup spring onions, finely sliced
4 tbsp canola oil

For the sauce, mix in a bowl:

3 tbsp vinegar
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp Sriracha sauce(red chili sauce)
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp raw brown sugar
1/2 tsp pepper powder
Salt to taste

To be finely chopped

1 full bulb of garlic
3-4 green chillies
3" ginger
1/2 cup coriander leaves.

Method:

1. Peel and wash the potatoes and cut it into fingers. Dry the washed potato fingers and coat well with dry cornflour powder.
2. Heat oil and deep fry the dusted potato fingers till it is golden brown. Drain on a kitchen towel.

3. Heat a wok on high flame and add canola oil. Fry the chopped ginger-garlic-green chillies for a minute.

4. Now add the sliced bell pepper and the spring onions. Fry for a couple of minutes.

5. Add the prepared sauce and fry for a minute. Add 1/2 cup water and bring to a boil.
6. Add the potato fingers and mix well. Garnish with coriander leaves.

7. Enjoy with fried rice or noodles or just as an appetizer.

Aloo Matar Chaat

Hello friends, firstly, I apologize for being away for so long. I was off to Kolkata for a close ones wedding, and what better way to start posting again than to write about the utmost famous Kolkata chat. This is the amazing Aloo Matar Chaat made with boiled potatoes and soaked and boiled matar/chana/chole in a spicy tangy imli masala. If refrigerated and stored well, it lasts up to 3-4 days and it tastes better with each passing day

If this excites your taste buds, let me make it easy for you to enjoy this dish at your home in no time. I am writing an easy recipe to bring it to your table:

Ingredients:
4 Large Potatoes (boiled whole with a little salt and Haldi, I have used the red potatoes)
1 cup soaked and boiled matar/chana/chole (I have used a mix of matar and green chana)
1 lemon sized ball of imli (soaked in 1\2 cup warm water for 20 minutes)

To be chopped in a chopper:
3-4 green chillies
2" ginger root
1/2 cup coriander leaves

Masalas (to be dry roasted and powdered)
2 tsp jeera whole
2 tsp dhaniya whole
4-5 dry red chillies

Others:
1 tsp chunky chat masala,
1 tsp rock salt(kala namak)
1/2 red chilli powder(optional
1 tsp salt or to taste
1/4 tsp sugar

Optional:
1 tomato- halved and sliced

Method:

1. Mash the Soaked imli and strain it in a bowl. Use additional 1/2 cup water while srtaining.

2. Add the chopped ginger, green chillies and coriander to it. Also add the powdered masalas and the other masalas to it. Mix well and keep aside.

3. Peel and slice the potatoes in a large bowl. Strain and add the boiled chana. Add the tomato slices too.

4. Now add the Imli masala mixture and mix gently making sure that the potato slices are not breaking.

5. Check the seasonings and tweak it according to your taste.
6. Enjoy either stuffed in pani puris, or on papdi or just as it is.

Tips:

1. The thickness of the potatoes is up to your liking. I like slicing it thin.

2. The masalas, salt and the sourness can be adjusted to your taste. I like it very hot and spicy.

3. Lemon juice adds additional flavor. You can add 1/2 a lemon juice to the imli masala.

4. Boiled and sliced sweet potatoes can also be added.

5. It tastes best if made a couple of hours ahead of time. It gives the masalas time to blend in well.

6. The masala powder can be made in a larger batch and kept ready ahead of time.

7. When in hurry, canned garbanzo can also be used.

Chatpata Couscous

On a day when I feel like fixing myself a light and healthy meal, I can't think of anything faster and better than this chatpata version of couscous. Depending on the availability I keep adding different ingredients to spice up this one pot meal. To make it a whole satisfying meal, I add either a leftover chole or a ghugni with gravy on the side. It is also a very yummy snack time treat. So here is how I make it:

Indregients:

10 oz. original Couscous( I have used one 10 oz. pack shown in the pic below)
1 boiled potato-peeled and finely chopped
1 cucumber-peeled and finely chopped
2 tomatoes-finely chopped
1 small green bell pepper-finely chopped
1 small onion-finely chopped
2-3 green chillies (according to taste)-finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped coriander leaves-finely chopped
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp lemon rind
1 tbsp mustard oil (olive oil can also be used)
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper powder
1 tsp salt

To garnish:
1 tbsp grated parmesan cheese

Method:

1. Make the couscous according to the pack. (I have added 2.5 cups of water instead of the 2 cups asked on the package)

 

2. Mean while prepare and mix all the other ingredients in a large bowl.

 

 

 

3. Now add the prepared couscous, and mix well.

 

4. Garnish with grated parmesan cheese.

 

 

 

Enjoy!

Pav Bhaji

This used to be one of my most favourite breakfast dishes. Since I have grown up in a joint family of 15 and more, Pav Bhaji was made either as a birthday special breakfast, or a Sunday breakfast. I still remember my mother and aunts cutting up vegetables used in this dish the night before. The dining room where they cut the vegetables, would start smelling of and announcing what was awaiting us the next morning. Waking up to the smell of bhaji cooking in butter, would have me and my cousins racing to get to the breakfast table ASAP. I am not sure if I can bring that same excitement to my kids' face but I try my best to make Pav Bhaji as a Special day Dinner or to celebrate small little victories that my kids achieve in day to day life.

Ingredients:

To boil together:
3 large potatoes
2 carrots
18-20 French beans
1 cup water
1/2 tsp salt

To be chopped finely:
2-3 green chillies
2 medium onions
1 full garlic bulb
1 large green bell pepper
3 tomatoes
1 bunch spring onions
1.5 cups cauliflower-grated

Other ingredients:
2+1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp canola oil
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp Pav Bhaji masala( I used Badshah brand 1.5 tbsp and .5 tbsp roopak brand)
1/2 tsp Deghi mirch powder
Juice of a 1/2 lemon (optional)

Method:

1. In a pressure cooker cook the chopped potatoes, carrots and beans for 3 whistles, using 1 cup water.

2. Heat 2 tbsp each to butter and oil together. Add the chopped onions and fry till it becomes translucent. Then add capsicum, green chillies and 1 tsp salt. At this point the onions and capsicum will leave water. Fry till the mixture is dry and add the chopped garlic. Fry for 2 minutes.

3. Now add the grated cauliflower. Again it will leave some water. Fry the mixture till it is dry. Add 1/2 cup frozen peas.

4. Now add the chopped tomatoes and tomato paste. Fry till the tomatoes are cooked and well blended. Add the spring onions, fry for a minute .

5. Add pav bhaji masala and deghi mirch. Cook for a minute.

6. Add the boiled vegetables, lemon juice and coriander leaves. Bring the bhaji to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes, mashing it a little. Check the seasonings.

7. Turn the flame off and add a tbsp of butter to the bhaji, and cover.

8. Heat a tawa and grill the pav by adding butter to both sides, till golden crisp.

9. Serve with chopped onions, green chillies and lemon wedges.

 

10. Enjoy!