Wednesday 20 June 2018

Vegetable Fried Rice


Vegetable fried rice is a quick and easy to make rice dish that goes along with so many indo-chinese dishes like manchurian, chilli paneer, chilli potatoes and many more. It is preferable to use a day old rice stored in refrigerator so that each rice grain remains seperated from each other. This can be made with numerous variety of vegetables which are available, the choice is endless. Its perfect for kids' lunch box and can be made in a jiffy early winter mornings with the leftover rice. I always make this with vegetable manchurian.

Preparation time: 15 min.
Cooking time: 5 min.
Type: Main-course
Cuisine: Indo-chinese
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups rice (boiled)
  • 1 tsp garlic (grated)
  • 1 tsp ginger (grated)
  • 1 big spring onion (chopped)
  • 1 tsp green chilli (chopped)
  • 1/4 cup carrot (finely chopped)
  • 1/4 cup green capsicum (finely chopped)
  • 2 tsp green chilli sauce
  • 1 tsp soya sauce
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp white pepper powder
  • 2 tsp vinegar
  • 1 tblsp oil
  • 2 tblsp spring onion greens (chopped, to garnish)

Method:

  1. Heat oil in a pan, add ginger and garlic, saute for few seconds.
  2. Add spring onion and green chillies, saute for a min.
  3. Next, add all the vegetables and cook for 2 min. on high flame.
  4. Add chilli sauce and soya sauce.
  5. Season with salt and pepper.
  6. Finally, add vinegar and garnish with onion greens.
  7. Serve hot with vegetable manchurian.

Vegetable Manchurian



Vegetable manchurian is my favourite indo-chinese dish to enjoy alongwith a bowl of fried rice or hakka noodles. It is not at all complicated to be made at home as it looks. The main part of the dish is the balls which can be made with a variety of finely chopped, grated or minced vegetables like cabbage, cauliflower, carrot, corn etc. It can be made dry, semi-dry or with gravy, the consistency of the manchurian depends entirely on personal choice. I always prefer to make this with gravy and so sharing the same today.


Preparation time: 20 min.
Cooking time: 20 min.
Cuisine: Indo-chinese
Type: Main-course
Serves: 2

Ingredients:

For Manchurian Balls:

  • 1 cup carrots (grated)
  • 1 cup cabbage (grated)
  • 1 tsp green chilli sauce
  • 2 bread slices
  • 1 tblsp all-pupose flour (maida)
  • 1 tblsp cornflour
  • 1 tsp salt

For gravy or sauce:

  • 1 tsp ginger (grated)
  • 1 tsp garlic (grated)
  • 1 tblsp celery stem (chopped)
  • 2 green chillies (chopped)
  • 1 big spring onion white (chopped)
  • 4 tsp soya sauce
  • 2 tblsp tomato ketchup
  • 3 tsp green chilli sauce
  • 2-3 tsp cornflour
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 2 tsp vinegar
  • 2 tblsp spring onion greens (chopped)
  • 2 tblsp sesame oil (preferably)

Method:

Manchurian Balls:


  1. Squeeze cabbage and carrots to remove any moisture.
  2. Make bread crumbs in a mixer grinder.
  3. Mix all the ingredients and make lemon sized balls and deep fry till golden brown.


Manchurian Gravy or Sauce:


  1. Heat oil in a wok or pan and add ginger and garlic, saute for few seconds.
  2. Add celery, green chillies and spring onion whites.
  3. After a minute, add chilli sauce, soya sauce and tomato ketchup.
  4. Add 1 and a half cup of water and let it boil.
  5. Mix cornflour and remaining half cup of water in a seperate bowl.
  6. Add the cornflour slurry in the boiling gravy, stirring continuously.
  7. Add salt, sugar and vinegar.
  8. Finally add the fried manchurian balls.
  9. Garnish with spring onion greens and serve hot with fried rice or noodles.

Note:

If manchurian balls begin to break or crumble while deep frying add little cornflour to the balls mixture to ensure proper binding.

Sunday 10 June 2018

Jam Thumbprint Butter Cookies


Try these butter cookies with the goodness of your favourite jam in the centre making them kids favourite snack. Indulge your kids while making them and they will love to do the filling part.

INGREDIENTS:
  • 1 and 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 125 gm soft butter
  • 125 gm sugar 
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla essence
  • strawberry jam as required

METHOD:

  1. Preheat oven at 180 degree celcius.
  2. Line a baking sheet with butter paper.
  3. Sift together maida, baking powder and salt.
  4. Beat together butter and sugar for 5 min. well till fluffy add 1 egg and vanilla essence beat well.
  5. Gradually mix in dry ingredients till resembles bread crumbs and stop the beater.
  6. Gently mix to make dough.
  7. Scoop out 1 inch balls using cookie scooper on the lined baking sheet.
  8. Press a thumb print into the centre of each cookie about half inch deep.
  9. Fill each centre with 1/2 tsp jam using spoon or piping bag.
  10. Bake at 180 degree celcius for 12-15 min or until edges turn golden in color.
  11. Let these cool on a wire rack and serve.

Saturday 2 June 2018

Mushroom Quiche




Quiche is a classic french dish with an open pie crust filled with egg and cheese custard along with cooked vegetables or chicken. It can be eaten hot or cold, during breakfast, lunch or dinner depending upon personal taste or preferences.
This is the first time i made a quiche and it came out so well and was liked by all.. the crust came out so flaky and the mushrooms and cheese combination was worth a try.


INGREDIENTS:

For the pastry crust:

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 75 gm butter (chilled)
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 3-4 drops vinegar or lemon juice
  • 2-3 tbsp chilled water
For the filling:

  • 2 cups mushroom (chopped)
  • 1/2 tsp garlic (crushed)
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 eggs
  • 3/4 cup fresh cream
  • 1/2 black pepper
  • salt to taste
  • 2 tbsp parsley or fresh coriander
  • 100 gms mozzarella or cheddar cheese (grated)
METHOD:
For the pastry crust:
  1. Mix together all-purpose flour, salt and butter using finger tips.
  2. Add vinegar or lemon juice and mix gently.
  3. Do not knead the dough, lightly bring together using chilled water.
  4. Cover with cling film and refrigerate for atleast 30 min.
  5. Roll out the dough and transfer to the pie mould.
  6. Gently cover all the edges completely and trim the extra edges.
  7. Lightly prick using a fork.
  8. Blind bake for 10-15 min. at 180 degree celcius.
For the filling:
  1. Heat olive oil and add garlic, stir for few sec.
  2. Next, add mushrooms and cook till light golden in colour.
  3. Add lemon juice and remove from flame.
  4. In a bowl, beat eggs and cream together.
  5. Add salt, pepper and parsley, mix well.
  6. Add cooked mushrooms into the egg mixture.
  7. Put about 2 tablespoons of filling on the base of the baked crust.
  8. Pour the filling over the cheese and top with some more cheese.
  9. Bake in a preheated oven at 200 degree celcius till cheese melts and the crust gets nice golden brown in colour.