Sunday, July 24, 2011

Mumbai Special - Vada Pav!!

World Famous - VadaPav!!

Ingredients :

Potatoes, boiled and peeled
6 large

Oil
1 tablespoon + to deep fry

Asafoetida
a pinch

Turmeric powder
1/4 teaspoon

Green chilli-garlic paste
1 tablespoon

Salt
to taste

Fresh coriander leaves, chopped
1/4 cup

Lemon juice
1 tablespoon

Loaves of bread (pav)
8 small

For Batter :


Coarse gram flour (besan)
1 1/4 cups

Salt
to taste

Red chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon

Turmeric powder
1/4 teaspoon

Soda bicarbonate
a small pinch


Method :

To make the batter place the gram flour in a bowl. Add salt, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, soda bicarbonate and mix. Add sufficient water and whip to a smooth and thick batter. Set aside for at least fifteen minutes.Place the boiled potatoes in a bowl and mash them with your hands. Heat one tablespoon oil in a pan. Add asafoetida, turmeric powder, green chilli-garlic paste and mix. Add potatoes and salt and mix. Set aside to cool. Add coriander leaves, lemon juice and mix mashing the potatoes some more. Divide the mixture into eight equal portions and shape them into balls. Heat sufficient oil in a kadai. Dip the potato balls in the gram flour batter and deep fry till golden and crisp on the outside. Drain on absorbent paper. Slit each pav, spread some dry garlic chutney, place a vada and press lightly. Serve immediately.

Tips : As usual , if you are health freak replace the normal pav with brown pav!!

Chicken Manchurian








Ingredients :

For making the balls -
Boneless chicken, minced uncooked250 gms
Refined flour½ cup
Ginger Paste1 tsp.
Garlic Paste1 tsp.
Cornflour¼ cup
Ajinomotoa pinch of .
Soya Sauce1 tsp.
Chili sauce (optional )½ tsp.
OilFor deep frying
SaltTo taste
                               
For the sauce-
Garlic,finely chopped1tbsp.
Green chilies,finely chopped2 tbsp.
Soya sauce2 tbsp.
Chili sauce½ tsp.
White pepper¾ tsp.
Sugar 1 tsp.
Ajinomotoa pinch
Chicken stock3 cups
Cornflour mixed
with water3 tbsp. &
¼ cup
Oil4 tbsp.
SaltTo taste

Method :
                        
Combine all the ingredients mentioned for making the balls with the exception oil.Set aside for 15 minutes.
Heat the oil in a frying pan.Make 16 small lemon-sized balls of this mixture, squeezing out excess water to prevent breakage.Deep fry the balls a few at a time.Drain when golden brown and cooked. Set aside.

For the sauce-
Heat 4 tablespoons of oil in a pan. Add the ginger, garlic and green chilies.Fry over a medium flame for 1 minute.Add the Soya sauce, chili sauce, pepper, sugar, ajinomoto, stock and salt. Bring to a boil.Add the fried balls and cook covered on low heat for about 3 minutes.Add the cornflour mixed with water and stir continuously, so that the sauce become thick.Garnish with spring onion tops.Serve with rice or noodles.

Ginger Chicken

Ingredients :

Cooked & shredded Chicken :500 gms
Dried Mushrooms :4 nos.
Finely chopped onion :1 no.
Chicken Stock :¼ ltr.
Soya Sauce :¾ cup
Fresh ginger,finely chopped :1 tbsp.
Garlic clove, crushed :1 no.
Vinegar :4 tbsp.
Sugar :1 tsp.
Cornflour :1 tbsp.
Sherry :1 tbsp.
Tomato puree :1tsp.
Pepper to taste
Salt to taste

Method : 

Put the Soya sauce, onion, ginger, garlic, vinegar, sugar, tomato puree, salt and pepper in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer for 2 minutes.Soak the dried mushrooms in warm water for half an hour. Then drain, rinse and cut into thin slices.Heat the oil in a saucepan and add the chicken shreds. Cook for 3-4 minutes.
Add the stock and the Soya sauce mixture, together with the cornflour mixed with sherry, to the chicken.
Add the mushrooms and cook till sauce thickens slightly.Serve hot!!

Chilli Chicken

Ingredients :


Chicken boneless 800 gms
Ajinomoto A pinch
White pepper powder½ tsp.
Sugar1 tsp.
Soya Sauce 2 tbsp.
Cornflour 2 tbsp.
Egg1 no.
Chopped green chilies 8 nos.
Chopped Garlic 6-8 cloves
Oil1 tbsp.
Oil to fry-
Salt As per taste

Method :

Marinate the boneless chicken pieces (one inch cubes) in 1 tablespoon. Soya sauce, salt, egg and 1 tablespoon cornflour for ten minutes.Deep fry chicken in hot oil till light brown.Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok. Add chopped garlic and chopped green chilies and toss for 15 seconds.Add 2 teacups of chicken stock or water. Bring it to a boil. Add ajinomoto, sugar, white pepper powder, salt and rest of the Soya sauce.Add fried chicken pieces and cook for 3 minutes.Add rest of cornflour, after dissolving it in water. Stir constantly.Garnish with chopped spring onions and green chilies julienne.

Chicken Lollypops!!

Ingredients : 
 
6 pcs Skinned Chicken Wings

2 Eggs
50 g Coriander (optional)
1/2 cup Butter
4 tsp Green Chilly Paste
1 tsp Ginger-Garlic Paste
1/2 tsp Soya Sauce
1/2 tsp Vinegar (preferably white)
1/2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Lemon Juice
1/2 ltr Cooking Oil

Method :



Hold one chicken wing by its narrow side and scrape the flesh off towards the thicker side so that half the bone is laid bare and exposed. Do this with all the 6 pieces. Take a bowl and mix the Chilly Paste, Ginger-Garlic Paste, Butter, Soya Sauce, Vinegar and Salt. Marinate the Chicken in the resulting paste for an hour (if hunger strikes you can make that 1/2 an hour). Beat both the eggs in a large and wide bowl. Chop the coriander and add it to the eggs.Coat all pieces (one at a time) with the beaten egg and deep fry them
till the colour turns brown and the outside becomes crispy. Remove from oil and place on soaking tissues. Wrap the exposed bone area with Silver Thermal Paper which comes handy for picking up your
Lollypops to munch on. You may add a few drops of lemon juice on each piece to give them a tangy taste.

Woohoo!! your lollipops are ready !!

Lemon Chicken

Ingredients :

3 lbs (1.5 kg) chicken pieces
2 Tbs (30 ml) soy sauce
The zest of 1 lemon, finely chopped
1/3 cup (80 ml) lemon juice
1 cup (250 ml) water
1 Tbs (15 ml) sugar
1 Tbs (15 ml) finely chopped fresh ginger
1 tsp (5 ml) sesame oil
1 tsp (5 ml) cornstarch (cornflour) mixed with 1 Tbs (15 ml) water
Lemon slices and chopped scallions (spring onions) for garnish

Method :

Rub the chicken pieces with 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of the soy sauce and set aside.Combine the remaining tablespoon of soy sauce, lemon zest,lemon juice, water, and sugar in a small bowl, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Heat the sesame oil in a wok or large, heavy skillet over
high heat. Brown the chicken pieces on all sides. Add the ginger and
cook for 1 minutes. Add the lemon mixture and bring to a boil.Reduce the heat to very low and simmer the chicken covered for 20 minutes. Remove the chicken to a warm platter and add the cornflour mixture to the pan. Stir the mixture until it boils and has thickened. Spoon over the chicken pieces and garnish with lemon slices and chopped scallions. Serves 4 to 6.

Friday, July 22, 2011

Some Important know-hows of chinese cooking!!

This info will also help you understand Asian Cooking too....!!


Basic Cooking Techniques
In China, there are 40 or 50 different methods of heat control (he hou) used in cooking. In practice, you need only be acquainted with a few of them.

Stir-frying
Stir-frying is usually done in a wok. you can use a large thin-bottomed pan or frying pan instead, but the essence of the technique is that the food is cooked quickly, over high heat, in very little oil. The food to be cooked is finely sliced or shredded into similar sized pieces, using a very sharp knife or Chinese cleaver.

Shallow frying
This is a slower method of cooking than stir-frying. Again, a work or frying pan is used. More oil is used and the cooking is done over moderate heat.

Deep-frying
Deep-frying is used in the same ways as in the west, to produce crisp- texured food. Sometimes the food is deep-fried, removed from the oil and drained. the oil is then reheated and the food deep-fried again, so that it is exetremely crispy.

Paper-Wrapped Deep-Frying
Small pieces of meat or fish are seasoned, then wrapped in cellophane paper to form little parcels, and deep-fried until tender. the food is served in its paper wrapping and opened by the diner with chopsticks. The paper is of course discarded. Cellophane paper is obtainable from large stationers.

Steaming
The Chinese use bamboo steamers which stack on top of each other, so that four or five dishes can be steamed simultaneously. Dishes requiring most cooking are placed on the bottom layer, near the boiling water, while those requiring less are placed on the top "floor".

Roasting
used less in China than in the west as the average Chinese kitchen does not contain an oven: the best known dishes are restaurant ones, such as Peking Duck. Cha Siu is a method of quick-roasting meat or poultry at a high temperature for a short time.

Red cooking
This is a unique Chinese method, used primarily for cooking large cuts of meat or poultry. Dark soy sauce is used, which imparts a rich flavour and dark reddish-brown colour to the food.

Stewing
Stews are usually composed of meat cooked on its own with herbs and spices, rather than with vegetables. In China, stews are usually cooked in an earthenware pot (called a sanspot) over a slow charcoal fire. The stew is cooked for a very long time - up to four hours - producing meat almost jelly-like in tenderness.


Unusual Ingredients
As for special Chinese ingredients (listed below) one hardly ever needs more than 10 or 12 of them. They are all easily obtained in the Chinese stores and supermarkets that can now be found in many provincial towns. In London, of course, there are three or four dozen of them. With their help you can launch into Chinese cooking with the fullest confidence and produce typical (and authentic) Chinese dishes.


Soya Bean Products

Soy Sauce
Used extensively for flavouring or as a condiment or dip. Light soy sauce has a more delicate flavour and delicately flavoured dished. When the colour is not specified in a recipe, this is the one to use Dark soy sauce imparts a rich colour to food and is used for red- cooking for dark stews and meats.

Yellow bean paste or sauce
Available in jars or cans in Chinese food stores. Often used instead of soy sauce when a thicker sauce is required.

Black bean paste or sauce
Similar to yellow bean paste, only darker.

Salted black beans
These are very salty indeed and need to be soaked for 5-10 minutes before use. They are then usually mashed into the cooking oil or sauce over high heat.

Hoisin sauce
(also called barbecue sauce) A thick soy-based sauce with a sweet, hot flavour.

Bean curd
Also known as tofu. An almost tasteless substance made from pureed yellow soya beans, which are very high in protein. It looks like junket, and is sold in cakes about 7.5 cm (3 inches) square.

Dried bean curd
Also sold in cake form. It can be cut into strips or slices and stewed, braised or fried.

Bean curd cheese
(fermented bean curd) Made by fermenting bean curd cubes in rice wine or salt. Available in two forms - white, or the Southern China red, which is more strongly flavoured. Both are very salty and strong-tasting.


Dried Vegetables and Fungi

Chinese dried mushrooms
Widely used for their flavour and aroma. Soak them in warm water for 20 minutes before using.

Wood ears
(also known as cloud ears) Dried grey-black fungi which should be soaked in warm water for 20 minutes before use. They have a crunchy texture and a mild flavour.

Straw mushrooms
are completely different to other Chinese mushrooms in flavour and texture. They are only available canned.

Dried chestnuts
Soak overnight in cold water then simmer in fresh water for 20 minutes.

Lotus nuts
Available dried or canned in syrup. If dried, they should be soaked for 24 hours before use.

Lotus leaves
Often used to wrap food before cooking, in the same way the West uses foil. The food is then usually steamed, the leaves imparting a special flavour to the food. The parcels are usually served whole and unwrapped at the table, the leaves being discarded afterwards.

Tiger lily buds
(golden needles) They have a musky, slightly acrid flavour. Soak for 30 minutes in hot water before use.

Dried tangerine peel
Gives a strong orangey flavour to meat and stews. Soak for 20 minutes in warm water before use. You can dry your own.


Dried seaweed
Sold in wads. When deep-fried in oil it becomes crisp and has a toasted fragrance.

Hair seaweed
Fine black dried seaweed. A traditional ingredient of some vegetarian Buddhist dishes. It should be soaked for at least 20 minutes before use.
Canned Vegetables

Water chestnuts
Available canned ready peeled. They have a mild, sweet taste and a very crunchy texture. Bamboo shoots
(not to be confused with beansprouts) Available canned in large chunks. Often used in stirfrying to give texture to dishes.


Dried Fish and Seafood

Dried squid
Tastes quite different from fresh squid and is regarded highly as a delicacy. Used to give extra flavour to dishes. Soak before use in a solution of bicarbonate of soda, to soften it.

Dried shrimps
Widely used to flavour savoury dishes. Soak in warm water for 30 minutes before use.

Fish maw
Comes from the shark. Dried, it looks like a small yellow sponge, and has to be soaked for 2 hours before use.


Pickles

Snow pickle
This is salted mustard greens. It is greenish in colour and has a milidly sour flavour.

Winter pickle
Salted cabbage, brownish green in colour, is savoury and mildly salty. Sold in earthenware jars.

Szechuan pickle
is hot and salty, with a peppery flavour. Often used to intensify the spiciness of a dish.


Sauces, Pastes and Oils

Chilli sauce
A hot-tasting sauce made from red chilli. Similar in flavour to Tabasco. Greatly used in Szechuan.

Oyster sauce
A thickish brown sauce made from soy sauce and oysters. Used mostly in the south.

Sesame paste
Paste made from seame seeds - very similar to peanut butter. Extermely rich and aromatic.
Sesame oil
Widely used for its nutty, aromatic flavour. Sold in jars. It will keep almost indefinitely.
Chilli oil
The oil is made by frying small red chillies slowly in oil. The oil is reddish in colour and very hot.


Rice and Noodles

Egg noodles
made from wheat flour and eggs, can be round, like spaghetti, or flat ribbons. They can be bought fresh or dried in Chinese supermarkets. Italian pasta can be used as a substitute. Fresh noodles need a very short cooking time -- 3-4 minutes.

Rice noodles
(also called rice stick noodles) are white and thread-like. They can be found both round and flat, and are sold in packets in Chinese supermarkets.

Pea-starch noodles
(also called cellophane noodles) or vermicelli, are white and translucent and resemble candyfloss. They should be soaked for 5 minutes before use. Glutinous rice
Round-grained rice used for stuffings and puddings such as Eight Treasure Rice. Pudding rice can be used instead.


Spices and Flavourings

5-Spice powder
A mixture of star anise, fennel seeds, cloves, cinnamon and Szechuan peppercorns. It is very pungent and should be used sparingly.

Ginger root
Sold by weight. It should be peeled and finely sliced or chopped before use.

MSG
(Monosodium Glutamate) also called Flavour Powder or Gourmet Powder. It is obtained from glutamic acid, which is present in a wide range of vegetables, and is also found naturally in the human body. It has little taste of its own, but possesses an amazing capacity to enhance the flavour of other foods. Its use in Chinese recipes is optional.

Szechuan peppercorns
Reddish-brown peppercorns, native to Szechuan. Much stronger and more fragrant than normal peppercorns.

Star anise
Dried, star-shaped seed head with a pungent, aromatic smell like fennel. One of the ingredients of 5-spice powder.

Sandwich Stick

Ingredients:
2 slices Bread
1 slice Cheese
1 leaf Lettuce
1 cup Pineapple
5-6 Olive
1 cup grape tomatoes
Method
Cut up cubes of bread and cheese. Slide one cube of bread onto a toothpick and then slide through cheese cube, lettuce, tomato, olive and cap it up with another bread cube.
Serve with Mayonnaise or Mustard Dip.

Tip - You can add any other vegtable of your choice .Also after arranging you drizle little olive oil on it and toast it lightly on a flat nonstick pan.

Baigan ki sabzi - Veggie Brinjal

A delicious preparation of brinjal,easy to cook and can be made in a jiffy...

Ingredients

Small Brinjals          :  1/2 Kg (Thornless) -Roughly chopped in squares.

Onion                     :  2 Nos - Finely Chopped

Tomatoes                :  2 Med - Finely Chopped

Cumin Seeds           :  1 teaspoon

Ginger-Garlic          :  1 Teaspoon (Paste)

Coriander               :  2 Tablespoon (Powder)

Red Chilly              :  2 Teaspoon (Powder) or as per requirement

Turmeric                :  1/2 Teaspoon

Garam Masala       :  1 Teaspoon

Aamchur Powder  :  1 Teaspoon  (optional)

Greenchilli             :  1 No - finely chopped

Salt                      :   As per Taste

Oil                       :   2 Tablespoon


Method :   

Heat Oil in a thick bottomed wok or vessel.Add cumin seeds,chopped green chillies, ginger garlic paste and fry it nicely until garlic and ginger smell evaporates.Now add the chopped onions and saute till soft only.Then add chopped brinjals to it and stir it on high flame until onion and brinjal turn a bit brown.Now add coriander powder,turmeric,red chilli powder,salt and stir well..Now add tomatoes and mix well.The tomatoes will soften immediately. Add garam masala powder and aamchur powder ,mix well and simmer the gas.Cook covered till brinjals are cooked well in the masala.The brinjals will cook sooner and in its own juices.No need to add water.Once cooked garnish with fresh Coriander and serve hot.

Tips : Serve this with jowar roti or hot phulkas.You can also cook this in olive oil .The taste will be as great as normal cooking oil!!!


Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Maharashtrachi Assal Misal Pav

A favourite Maharashtrian snack – sprouts cooked in masala and served with pav

Ingredients

Moong sprouts     :  1 cup
Matki sprouts       :  1 cup
Oil                        : 2 tablespoons
Asafoetida            :  a pinch
Mustard seeds      : 1/2 teaspoon
Curry leaves         :  a few
Onions                 :  finely chopped 2 large
Green chillies        :  slit 2
Garlic paste          : 1 teaspoon
Ginger paste         : 1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder  : 1/2 teaspoon
Red chilli powder  : 1 1/2 teaspoon
Coriander powder : 1/2 teaspoon
Cumin powder       :1/2 teaspoon
Salt                        : To taste
Garam masala pow : 1 teaspoon
Fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped a few sprigs
Farsan 1/2 cup
Lemon juice as required
Lemons, sliced as required
Pav 8

Method

Mix sprouts in a colander and wash under running water for a minute. Drain and keep aside.Heat oil in a pan, add asafoetida, mustard seeds, curry leaves and half of the chopped onions. Sauté for a minute and add green chillies. Add garlic paste and ginger paste. Stir well and sprinkle a little water. Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder and dhania-jeera powder. Mix well and add the sprouts. Add salt to taste and three cups of water. Bring to a boil. Add garam masala powder and chopped coriander leaves, keeping some for garnish. Cover and cook for ten to twelve minutes. To serve: Pour a ladleful of cooked sprouts in a deep bowl. Sprinkle generously with farsan. Sprinkle remaining chopped onion, chopped coriander leaves and freshly squeezed lemon juice. Serve with lemon slices and pav.

Tips : To make it healthier, you can replace normal pav with brown pav..which are easily available in the market.

Bombilche Tikhle - BombayDuck Curry

A tangy and spicy fish preparation which will tickle your taste buds !!!

Ingredients

Fresh BombayDucks (Bombil)              :   8 to 9 Nos (Washed and cut in medium pieces)

Fresh Scraped Coconut                        :   1 small cup

Garlic                                                   :   4 Cloves

Ginger                                                  :  1/2 Inch

Green Chillies                                       :  2 to 3 (Or as required)

Fresh Coriander                                   :  2 to 3 Tablespoon (Chopped)

Turmeric Powder                                 :  1/2 Teaspoon

Tamarind Pulp                                     :   3 Tablespoon

Salt                                                     :   As per taste

Water                                                 :   1 Cup

Method :

Grind into a paste Coconut,Coriander,Garlic,Green Chillies,Ginger.Now Add this paste to the bombayducks,add turmeric,tamarind pulp and salt.Keep it marinated for about 45 mins to 1 hour.After that Heat oil in a pan .Add 2 teaspoon finely chopped garlic to it.Now add the marinated bombayducks into the pan directly.Add sufficient water to form a semidry consistency.Cook covered until Bombayducks are ready.Garnish with Fresh Coriander and serve hot with Chapatis or Bhakris.

Tips : Taste Good when served hot.You can also add onion to this with garlic in the beginning.Onions shud b finely chopped.

Monday, July 18, 2011

Chocolate Muffin

Ingredients
Maida                                                -              1 Cup
Butter                                                -              ¾ Cup
Condensed Milk                                -              ¾ Cup
Dark Chocolate                                 -              ¾ Cup (Chopped)
Baking Powder                                  -              1 teaspoon
Vanilla Essence                                 -              1 teaspoon
Chopped Nuts                                   -              ½ cup (walnuts & almonds)
Paper Cups                                         -              8 to 10

Method
In a microwave safe bowl, put the chocolate pieces and butter with 2 teaspoon milk for 30 seconds to melt. Add the condense milk to it and mix thoroughly. Sieve the flour and baking powder in it and mix it in cut and fold method. Now add chopped nuts and vanilla essence to it and mix it well to a cake batter consistency. If required Add milk to form a thick and smooth consistency. Preheat the oven to 180 Degrees. Fill the cup cakes with this batter. Take care to fill the cup cakes only half, so that they can rise enough. Bake in Pre-Heated oven at 180 Degrees for 25 to 30 Mins. Cool on a wire rack. Decorate with a icing of your choice.
Tips – You can serve these warm with chilled ice-cream or custard.