Chinese Chicken Pakora

Chinese Chicken Pakora

Ingredients

Boneless Chicken- 500 gms

Garlic powder- 1 tsp

Maggi liquid seasoning or Maggi chicken bullion powder- 1 tsp

Paprika powder or Red chilli powder- 1/4 tsp

Salt- 1/4 tsp + 1/4 tsp

Cornflour/ Cornstarch- 2 tsp

Rice flour- 2 tsp

All purpose flour/ Maida- 2 tsp

Baking soda- few pinch

Water- 3 tbsp

Oil to deep fry

Spring onion/ Scallions to garnish

Chicken Pakora

Method

Cut the chicken into bite size nuggets. In a bowl combine chicken pieces, garlic powder, Maggi liquid seasoning, red chilli powder and 1/4 tsp salt, mix well and allow chicken to marinate for 1 hour. Heat oil to deep fry, to the marinated chicken add rice flour, cornflour, maida, 1/4 tsp salt and water. Mix well until a smooth paste is coated on chicken pieces. Drop chicken pieces in hot oil and deep fry until golden brown and crisp. Garnish Chicken Pakoda with green onions and serve hot with chilli vinegar and soy sauce.

Chicken Fritters

Kadai Paneer

Kadai Paneer

Ingredients

Paneer cubed- 200 gms

Onion finely chopped- 1 no

Tomato finely chopped- 1 no

Capsicum/ Bell pepper diced- 1 no

Ginger and Garlic paste- 1 tbsp

Red chilli powder- 1 tsp

Kasoori methi- 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Cinnamon stick- 1"

Cloves- 2 nos

Cardamom- 2 nos

Bay leaf- 1 no

Oil- 3 tbsp

Kadai Masala

Dry roast and coarsely crush following ingredients

Coriander seeds- 1 tsp

Cumin seeds- 1 tsp

Dry red chilli- 2 nos

Paneer Sabji

Method

Heat oil in a pan when hot add cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and bay leaf and fry for few secs. Add onion and fry until browned. Add ginger and garlic paste and fry for few mins. Now add tomatoes and cook until tomatoes are mashed. Add diced Capsicum, crushed kadai masala spices, red chilli powder, lightly crushed kasoori methi leaves and required salt. Add few tsp water to the pan and cook until sauce like consistency is formed. Now add the paneer pieces and cook for few mins. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with roti or rice.

Paneer sidedish for chapati

Cong You Bing( Chinese Scallion Pancake Recipe)

Cong You Bing

Ingredients

Scallions/ Spring onions- 1 bunch

All purpose flour/ Maida flour- 2 cups

Salt- 1 tsp

Water to knead flour

Oil- 5 tbsp and more if needed

Chinese Scallion Pancake

Method

Wash and finely chop green parts of the scallions( you can use the white bulbs for other recipes). In a large bowl combine flour, salt and water, knead to a smooth and soft dough. Add 5 tbsps oil over the dough, knead for few more mins and cover the bowl with wet towel. Allow the dough to rest for 4 hours. Divide the dough into equal sized balls. Roll out each dough ball into thin circles on a kitchen surface( roll out as thin as possible). Sprinkle the chopped green scallions on the dough circles generously. Roll out the dough circles from one end to form tight cylinder. Roll the cylinder within itself to form spiral and tuck end of cylinder in the center. Once again roll out the scallion stuffed dough into thin circles( pancakes). Repeat the same process with rest of the dough ball. Heat tawa or a griddle, when hot place the prepared pancake on griddle and cook on both sides until golden brown smearing oil if required. Cut each pancakes into four and serve hot along with soy sauce and chilli vinegar.

Kathirikai Podi Varuval/ Stuffed Brinjal Fry

Kathrikai Podi Varuval

Ingredients

Purple brinjals/ small eggplants- 8 nos

Mustard seeds- 1 tsp

Urad dal- 1 tsp

Chana dal/ Bengal gram dal- 1 tsp

Curry leaves- few

Oil- 5 tbsp

Podi/ Masala ingredients

Chana dal/ Bengal gram dal- 3 tbsp

Coriander seeds/ Dhaniya- 1 tbsp

Black sesame seeds- 2 tsp

Red dry chilli- 7 nos

Peppercorns- 6 nos

Tamarind- very small piece

Chopped coconut- 1/4 cup

Crispy Brinjal Fry

Method

Dry roast the Podi masala ingredients and grind to coarse powder with less than 1/4 tsp salt. Wash and trim the Brinjal stems and make four slits on the Brinjal without detaching the base. Pat dry the brinjals and stuff the coarsely ground Podi masala powder inside each brinjal, keep the excess Podi masala powder aside. Heat oil in a pan when hot add mustard seeds and allow to crackle, add urad dal, chana dal and fry until browned. Now add the curry leaves, stuffed brinjals and 1 tsp salt, fry until the brinjal turns color. Sprinkle some water on brinjal and cover with lid, simmer for 5 mins and cook until brinjals are done. Once brinjals are done add the rest of Podi masala powder and stir fry until the Brinjal are dry and crisp. Serve hot with steamed rice, sambar and Rasam.

Stuffed Brinjal Fry Dry

Vegetable Pulao Recipe

Vegetable Pulao

Ingredients

Basmati rice or short grain rice cooked- 2 cups

Carrot medium diced- 1 no

Green beans chopped- 6 nos

Green peas- 1/2 cup

Green chilli minced- 1 no

Cumin seeds- 1 tsp

Cloves- 2 nos

Cardamom- 2 nos

Cinnamon- 1/2"

Butter- 2 tbsp

Salt to taste

Vegetable Pulav

Method

Par boil the vegetables, drain well and set aside. Heat butter in a pan, when butter starts to melt add cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and cumin seeds. Fry for few seconds, reduce the heat to medium and add the par boiled vegetables along with minced green chilli to the pan and sauté for few secs. Add the cooked rice and sprinkle required salt. Toss well the rice and vegetable until well mixed. Serve hot vegetable Pulao with gravy of your choice.

Vegetable Pilaf

Chettinad Soya Chunks Curry/ Meal Maker Kurma Recipe

Soya Chunks Curry

Ingredients

Soya chunks/ Meal maker- 20 nos

Onion medium finely chopped- 1 no

Tomato medium finely chopped- 1 no

Ginger and Garlic paste- 1 tbsp

Curry leaves- few

Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp

Pepper powder- 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Oil- 4 tbsp

Cinnamon- 1"

Cloves- 4 nos

Green cardamom- 2 nos

Red Chilli-2 nos

Masala to grind

Coconut shredded- 1/4 cup

Poppy seeds /Kuskus- 1 tsp

Fennel seeds- 2 tsp

Jeera- 1 tsp

Pepper corns- 8

Meal Maker Kurma Recipe

Method

Grind the masala ingredients to smooth and fine paste adding little water.

Cook soy chunks as per box carton instructions, squeeze excess water from soy chunks and set aside. Heat oil in a pan when hot add cinnamon, cardamom and cloves and fry till aroma rises. Add chopped onions and ginger- garlic paste, fry for few mins until raw smell of paste leaves and onions are browned. Add curry leaves and tomatoes and cook till tomatoes are mashed. Add turmeric powder, pepper powder, ground masala paste and salt. Fry paste until oil separates on the sides. Add required water to the frying masala paste to get required gravy consistency. Add soy chunks and cook for another 5 mins. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with idli, Appam, Idiyappam and Chapati.

Paneer Peas Capsicum Masala

Paneer Peas Capsicum Masala

Ingredients

Paneer- 200 gms

Capsicum/ Bell pepper medium- 1

Peas- 1 cup

Onion medium chopped- 1

Red chilli powder- 1 tsp

Garam Masala powder- 2 tsp

Salt- 1 tsp

Cumin seeds- 1 tsp

Cloves- 4

Cardamom- 2

Cinnamon- 1" piece

Oil- 2 tbsp

Coriander leaves- few

Paneer Peas Capsicum Masala

Method

Heat enough oil in a pan. When hot add cloves, cardamom, cinnamon and cumin seeds, fry for few seconds. Next add the chopped onions, capsicum, peas and paneer cubes, fry for 2 mins.

Add red chili powder, garam masala powder and salt to the frying vegetables. Sprinkle 2 tbsp water and fry on medium heat until dry. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with pulka, nan or pulao.

Paneer Peas Capsicum Sabzi

Rava Pongal Recipe

Rava Pongal

Ingredients

Rava/ Sooji- 2 cups

Moongdal- 1/2 cup

Pepper corns- 1 tbsp

Cumin seeds- 1/2 tbsp

Cashew nuts- 20 Nos

Curry leaves- few

Salt to taste

Ghee- 4 tbsp

Oil- 4 tbsp

Water- 3 cups

Sooji Pongal

Method

Wash and soak Moongdal in water for 30 mins and pressure cook dal until mushy.

Roast rava until aroma rises and set aside. Heat oil and ghee in a pan, add cashew nuts, fry until cashew nuts turn golden brown, drain and set aside. In the same hot oil add cumin seeds, pepper corns and curry leaves, fry for few seconds. Add cooked dal and water to the pan( be cautious since water splutters). Add required salt and bring it to boil. When the dal mixture starts to boil slowly add the roasted rava and keep stirring continuously so no lumps are formed. Add cashew nuts to the rava pongal and cook until rava pongal is soft and semi dry.

( if the rava pongal is too dry increase the amount of oil accordingly).

Serve hot with coconut chutney and sambar.

Rava Pongal Recipe

Vegetable Manchurian

Vegetable Manchurian

For Manchurian balls

Shredded cabbage- 1/4 cup

Shredded carrot- 1/4 cup

Grated paneer- 1/2 cup

Finely chopped Capsicum/ Bell pepper- 1/4 cup

Finely grated onion small- 1 no

Cornflour- 4 tbsp

Maida/ All purpose flour- 2 tbsp

Cooking soda- less than 1/4 tsp

Salt and pepper to taste

Oil to deep fry.

For the sauce

Minced onion- 3 tbsp

Minced green chili- 2 Nos

Minced garlic- 5 cloves

Minced ginger- 1 tsp

Red chili paste- 1 tsp

Black pepper powder- 1/4 tsp

Garlic powder- 1/4 tsp

Onion powder- 1/4 tsp

Soy sauce- 1 tbsp

Ajinomoto- 1 tsp

Cornflour- 1 tbsp

Sugar- 1/4 tsp

Salt to taste

Oil- 1 tbsp

Vegetable Manchurian Indo Chinese

Method

Combine shredded cabbage, shredded carrot, grated paneer, chopped Capsicum, grated onion, cornflour, maida, cooking soda, required salt and pepper. If required sprinkle little water and shape the vegetable mixture into equal sized balls. Heat oil in a pan to deep fry when hot add the prepared vegetable balls and fry until golden brown and crisp. Drain the veg balls on a paper towel and set aside.

Next heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok when hot add sugar and allow to caramelize. Add minced onion, garlic, green chili and ginger, fry for few seconds. Reduce the pan heat to medium add red chili paste, pepper powder, garlic powder, onion powder, soy sauce, ajinomoto and required salt. Saute for few seconds and add 1 cup water. Now mix cornflour with1/2 cup cold water. Increase the pan heat and add the cornflour mixture stirring continuously. Check the Manchurian sauce seasoning and add the prepared vegetable balls. Simmer gravy for two mins, turn off the heat and garnish the Vegetable Manchurian with greens of scallions.