Sweet and Sour Potatoes with Mango

One of the most interesting and challenging part of cooking is experimenting with flavors and spices, just like the blend of flavors in this Vietnamese-style recipe for Sweet and Sour Potatoes with Mangoes! It was an effort to replicate what we enjoyed at our local Tofu House restaurant. The blend of spices with soy sauce, thai chillies, red pepper, semi-ripe mango and rice vinegar resulted into a winning sauce base for the baby potatoes to be simmered in. The addition of Mango in a curry isn't an idea many would relate to, but try this, and I promise you will love it!

Ingredients
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup rice vinegar (you can add more if you like the taste)
1/4 cup tomato puree
1-1/2 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 cup water (more to make the gravy)
1 tspn garlic powder
2 tsp freshly grated ginger
4 tbsp sweet chilli sauce (the red one)
1/2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce (optional)

The ingredients above yield about 2 cups of thick sweet and sour sauce

7-8 baby potatoes
1 small medium-rip mango(more green than yellow)
chopped scallions - for garnish

Method

Sweet and Sour Sauce
Mix all ingredients for the sauce (except cornstarch and water) together and bring to a boil in a small pot. Mix together the cornstarch and water, add to the other ingredients and stir to thicken. You can add more vinegar or water till you achieve your desired consistency.

Boil the baby potatoes and dice them into 2 (or you can leave them whole). Prick them with a toothpick so they can be better flavored with the sauce. Chop the mangoes into thin slices and keep aside.

Now take a pan, add 2 tbsp vegetable oil, then saute the potatoes in it for some time. Then add the sweet and sour sauce, half of the mangoes and grated ginger, then cover with a lid and let it simmer for 8-10 minutes. Keep stirring in between.

Once cooked, check for flavor and consistency of the sauce; add water or seasonings if required. Chop some scallions for garnish.

Serve the Baby Potatoes cooked in Sweet and Sour Sauce with Steamed rice. Garnish with remaining chopped mangoes and green onions.

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Vegetarian Schezwuan Hakka Noodles

Vegetarian Hakka Noodles is a favorite indian-chinese dish for any Indian. Long before I came to the US and was exposed to a variety of pasta, hakka noodles were the only pasta I had ever seen, cooked and relished! My mom had taken indian-chinese cooking classes and she had really mastered the art of making delicious hakka noodles and veg manchurian, which me and my brother were really thankful for:) Thanks to her, I mastered the skill too, and as I grew older and started experimenting with sauces and spices myself, I started admiring asian sauces way more than before! One of our all-time favorites is the Schezwuan sauce; I guess I was more fascinated by the way this word was spelt and pronounced; some call it "schezwan", "schezwuan", or "szechuan" (the last one is the correct spelling, but it would be so much easier if they'd make it spell the same way its pronounced!) Anyways, grammar apart, the kick that this spicy and little sweet sauce generates to your food is amazing, and you can add it to your noodles or fried rice to take your cooking to the next level. So here's my recipe of Vegetarian Schezwuan Hakka Noodles. Mixed with julienned veggies and spiced with garlic, ginger, sesame, peanuts, sherry and chilli, this dish of noodles is sure to set you on fire!!

Ready-to-use schezwhuan sauce packets are available in all grocery stores in the asian foods section. I have used it before and though its good, there's nothing like making your own fresh sauce, and as this one is really simple, I've added the recipe below. Sherry adds a nice flavor to the schezwuan sauce, but if you don't have it, don't worry; you can omit it without compromising much. And try using fresh ginger and garlic instead of the ready-made paste, because none of these can come close to the taste of fresh ginger. You can substitute red chilli powder for cayenne pepper.

You can even add some eggs to the noodles, and feel free to add more veggies too to suit your taste. The sauce can be made 2-3 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator. This plate is on its way to grace the AWED-Chinese Cuisine event over at the Culinary Bazaar!

Ingredients

For Schezwuan Sauce
6 garlic cloves - minced
1/4 cup fresh ginger - peeled and chopped
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup tahini (sesame paste)
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup dry sherry
1/4 cup sherry vinegar
1/4 cup honey
1/2 tspn hot chili oil (just warm some oil and add red pepper flakes or chopped green chillies to it and leave so for 3-4 hours)
2 tbsp dark sesame oil
1/2 tspn freshly ground black pepper
1/8 tspn ground cayenne pepper

For Noodles
1 pound Asian Hakka noodles
1 red bell pepper thinlu sliced
4 scallions - sliced diagonally (white and green parts)
1/2 cup red onion - thinly sliced
1/4 cup spring onions - just the greens
2 sp salt (or adjust to taste)
2 tbsp soy sauce

Making the Sauce
Method
Add the garlic and ginger in a food processor; Add the vegetable oil, tahini, peanut butter, soy sauce, sherry, vinegar, honey, chili oil, sesame oil, and ground peppers. Puree the sauce to make a smooth paste.

Making the Noodles
Add a splash of oil to a large pot of boiling salted water and cook the noodles as directed on the package. Drain the pasta in a colander, place it in a large bowl, and while still warm, toss with i tbsp oil so that the noodles don't stick to one another.

Now take a wok, add 4 tbsp oil, and saute the chopped onions and bell peppers till they become soft and glazed. Add the scallions and toss well. Add salt and 5-6 tbsp soy sauce (adjust to your taste), then add the prepared schezwuan sauce and turn off the heat. Gently pour the sauce over the noodles while still hot. Garnish with some chopped spring onion greens and serve hot!

Veg Hakka Noodles (Schezwuan) are a delicious Indian-Chinese Meal cooked right at home! To compliment these noodles, try some of the recipes below:

Veg Hot and Sour Soup
Dry Gobi Manchurian
Vegetable Fried Rice
Veg Manchurian Gravy
Spicy Chilli Paneer

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Vegetarian Hot and Sour Soup - Chinese Soup, Indian Style

For anyone who loves soups, there is one name, besides the famous Tomato Soup, which would surely go into their favourites for its unique smell, taste and flavor, and that is undoubtedly, the Hot and Sour Soup. This soy-sauce based chinese soup has the right blend of sourness and chili, providing a spicy kick which is offset by a bit of sugar that the recipe demands, and also the use of veggies and spring onions. Made of simple ingredients, this soup does not take a lot of your time, and is great for people suffering from cold. The use of pepper and ginger help in controlling appetite, and the taste is just too good for your tongue and will continue to linger in your mind even after you have finished the entire bowl!! I have indianised the traditional chinese recipe a bit to suit my palette, but basically, feel free to use your choice of vegetables so it works best for you.

Ingredients
2 tbsp Chili Sauce
11/2 tbsp Corn Flour / Corn Starch
1-1/2 tbsp Soy Sauce
2 tbsp Vinegar
2 tbsp Capsicum - chopped
2 tbsp Spring Onions - chopped
2 tbsp Tomato Sauce
2 tbsp Carrots - chopped or grated
1/4 cup Cabbage - chopped finely
1/4 cup soft tofu or paneer - cut into small cubes (optional)
1 tsp Black Pepper Powder
1-1/2 tsp fresh grated Ginger
1/2 tsp Sugar
Salt to taste
4 cups Water

Method
Mix 4 cups of water, chili sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, salt, ginger and pepper powder and bring the mixture to a boil. Now add all the chopped vegetables into the soup, except tofu or paneer. Cook for a minute on medium heat. Dissolve corn starch in 1/2 cup water and add to the soup stirring constantly till it becomes thick. Cook again for a few mins then remove from flame. Add the cubed tofu or paneer and transfer to a serving bowl.

Garnish with some more green onion and serve hot!! This spicy tongue-tingler Hot ans Sout chinese-style soup is on its way to Holler's edition of Spicy Soups event!

Tip: This soup should be prepared just before serving as it tastes best when fresh; you can prepare the stock and keep, but boil it again and add the veggies before serving it, else you won't enjoy the same taste! You can also throw in peas, baby corn or other veggies of your choice.

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Veg Manchurian Dry (Ginger Flavored Gobi Manchurian)

Alright folks, after having this on my to-do list for a long time, I finally managed to make this Indian-chinese dish called Vegetable Manchurian Dry. I have had this dish in a lot of restaurants, but the best one I've had has been at "Bombay Chinese" - a restaurant in Dallas, TX. Unlike other places, their manchurian was always soft and well-cooked from the inside, yet with the nice and crispy exterior. And what made me crave more of it was the distinct ginger and chilli flavor. Paired with plain or Fried Rice, it was pure heaven!! So dig into this tasty and spicy Manchurian recipe that is sure to scintillate your taste buds, and have you craving for more!!

This one has a lot of ingredients, so it'll be best to plan around it and do some preparation in advance to save time. pic(source)



Ingredients

4 cup cauliflower - separated into small florets

2 tsp ginger - minced (add more if you like ginger flavor)

1 tbsp garlic - minced

3 tbsp maida (all-purpose flour)

2 tsp corn flour

1 tsp red chilli powder

1/2 tsp white pepper powder

2 tsp salt

1 tsp soy sauce

1/2 tsp vinegar

1 pinch ajinomoto (optional)



For Saute

1 red onion - diced

1 green bell pepper - diced

2 green chillies - slitted and cut in halves

1 tsp ginger garlic paste

3 tbsp green spring onions - finely chopped

1 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp chili-garlic sauce

3 tbsp tomato ketchup

2 tsp salt (or to taste)

3 tbsp oil (for saute)

2 cups oil (for frying)



Method

Wash the cauliflower florets and semi-boil them in salt water for few minutes. Drain the water completely and pat dry with a kitchen towel. Mix maida, corn flour, salt, red chilli powder, white pepper powder, ginger garlic, vinegar, soy sauce, and ajinomoto in a bowl. Make a thick paste and add cauliflower and toss in to coat it with the paste. Heat some oil and deep fry the cauliflower florets and drain the excess oil with a paper towel. Keep this aside.



Now heat 3 tsp oil in a wide saucepan on high flame. Then saute the red onions, green peppers, ginger garlic, green chilli for a few mins and once they turn slightly tender, add the fried cauliflower along with soy sauce, tomato ketchup, chilli garlic sauce and salt. Toss everything and mix well for few minutes until the masala becomes dry. Finally add the green onions and lower the heat to low flame. Keep stirring for another couple mins, then set aside. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve Veg Manchurian with Fried Rice!



Related Recipes:

Veg Manchurian Gravy

Hot and Sour Soup

Veg Fried Rice

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Spicy Chilli Paneer

"Variety is the spice of life"- this shows how important spice is in anyone's life, so today we salute the ingredient which brings spice into our lives, literally. "Chillies" are available in various forms, shapes, sizes and colours, but the end result is always the same, something tasty and spicy. Today I share with you my recipe of Chilli Paneer. Its a favourite amongst elders and youngsters alike. With the succulent paneer (cottage cheese) coated and flavoured in soy sauce and green chillies, this dish is perfect to enjoy with rice or bread/parathas. And simple to cook, it takes not more than 15-20 mins!

Ingredients
1/2 slab of paneer - cut in small rectangular cubes
7-8 green chillies - slit half cross-sectional and cut in length
1/2 onion - diced into long thin strips
1/2 capsicum (bell peppers)- diced into thing strips
4-5 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tsp ginger - shredded
2 tsp garlic paste
1 tsp sugar
salt/black pepper - to taste
1 tsp ajinomoto (optional)

Method
Take a pan and heat the oil in it. Add the green chillies, and onions. Saute till they become golden brown.Then add the ginger, garlic paste, and capsicum and cook till all veggies are tender. Add soy sauce, salt, pepper and ajinomoto. Finally mix in the paneer cubes and cook everything together on medium flame for 8-10 mins. Do not add water!!

Remove from flame, garnish with more slit green chillies and chopped green onion leaves. Serve your Spicy and Tasty Chilli Paneer piping hot with plain or fried rice!!

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Vegetable Fried Rice

Veg Fried Rice is what all of you must have cooked and eaten at home or in restaurants. It's a really simple dish to make, and healthy too because of all the veggies that it has. I describe my recipe for making Veg Fried Rice which goes extremely well with my Veg Manchurian Gravy recipe

Ingredients
2 cups long-grained rice
3/4 cup French beans, finely chopped
3/4 cup carrots, finely chopped
1/4 cup capsicums, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
2 spring onions, finely chopped
1/2 tsp soy sauce
2 tbsp oil
2 green chillies - finely chopped
salt to taste

Method
Wash the rice properly with water to remove excess starch. Then soak them in water for about 10 mins. Now cook them on the stove while stirring occasionally to make rice which has all grains separated, (not sticky rice). Now take a pan, add the oil, saute the green chillies, then all the veggies and cook it covered for 7-8 min. now add the soy sauce to it and let the veggies soak it well. Add salt to taste and finally the cooked rice. Mix well and remove from flame. Garnish with remaining spring onion greens and serve hot with Veg Manchurian Gravy!!

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Vegetable Manchurian Gravy

A colleague at work who read about my review on the restaurant Spice Hut was surprised to know that there actually exists a cuisine called Indian-Chinese which is very popular in India. So to her benefit, and for all the others who savour Indian food, here's my Veg Manchurian Gravy which will leave you smacking your lips! It has most of the Indian spices, but the gravy is soy-sauce based, hence the name Indian-chinese:) This tastes best with the Chinese-style Fried Rice, and once you finish reading this post, hop on to that recipe to make a complete meal!! (photo courtesy Zeenews)

Ingredients
1 cup grated cabbage
1 cup grated carrots
1/2 cup cauliflower florettes - shredded
4-5 finely chopped French beans
1/4 cup finely chopped spring onions
1/4 cup finely chopped green capsicum
1/3 cup refined flour (maida)
2 large tbsp cornflour (to hold and bind the veggies)
1 egg - beaten
2 large tbsp soy sauce
1-2 tbsp vinegar
2-3 tbsp oil
Water - around 4 cups to make the gravy

Spices: 1/2 ginger and 5-6 garlic cloves,2-3 green chillies (all finely chopped)
1 tsp sugar,1/2 tsp msg (optional, salt- to taste

Method
Reserve the chopped greens of the spring onions for garnishing.

Mix all the veggies in a bowl, add the beaten egg, spring onion, capsicum, refined flour and one tbsp of cornflour. Add the salt for this mixture according to your taste (remember, the gravy will have salt too) and mix thoroughly. Take a spoonfull of this batter and shape into small balls. (Do NOT add water)

Now heat sufficient oil in a wok or pan and deep-fry vegetable balls, 3-4 at a time so they do not stick to each other, on medium heat until they turn golden brown.
Remove and keep them on a tissue paper to absorb excess oil.

Now heat 2 tbsp of oil again and add ginger-garlic and the green chillies. Then add soy sauce, sugar, MSG and salt to taste. Add 3 cups of water and bring to a boil.

Dissolve the cornflour in a cup of water and add slowly to the gravy. Also add the vinegar to it. Stir till the sauce starts to thicken. When it looks reasonably thick, remove from flame and keep aside.

Now add the fried manchurian balls and mix well. Garnish with spring onions and Serve hot with Veg Fried Rice !!

Tip: You can use bread crumbs instead of cornflour while making the veggie balls.


Note: MSG (Monosodium glutamate) enhances the flavour and is commonly used in chinese food preparations. But some people have reported allergic reactions to it. So unless you are sure you have eaten it before, you can safely omit it from the above recipe to avoid any allergies

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