veg manchurian

"veg manchurian recipe"

 

PREP TIME

40 mins

COOK TIME

20 mins

TOTAL TIME

1 hour

 

indo chinese recipe of veg manchurian.

AUTHOR: Abhinav

RECIPE TYPE: main

CUISINE: indo chinese

INGREDIENTS (measuring cup used, 1 cup = 250 ml)

for the veg manchurian balls:

• 1 cup grated carrot
• 1 cup finely chopped cabbage
• ½ cup finely chopped bell pepper
• ¼ cup finely chopped spring onion/scallion greens
• ½ tsp freshly crushed black pepper or black pepper powder or white pepper powder
• 2 tbsp all purpose flour/maida
• 2 tbsp cornflour
• salt to taste

for the sauce:

• 2 tbsp onion or spring onion/scallion whites chopped
• 1 tbsp finely chopped celery (optional)
• 1 tbsp ginger/adrak
• 1 tbsp garlic/lahsun
• 1 or 2 green chilies/hari mirch
• 1 tbsp corn flour dissolved in 2 tbsp water
• ½ tbsp soya sauce
• ½ tbsp vinegar - i used balsamic vinegar
• 1 or 1.5 cup water or vegetable stock
• ½ tsp freshly crushed black pepper or black pepper powder or white pepper powder
• salt to taste
• sugar to taste
• some chopped spring onion/scallion greens for garnishing

INSTRUCTIONS

preparing the veg manchurian balls:

1. mix all the ingredients listed under veg balls.
2. keep aside for 15-20 minutes.
3. shape into small round balls and shallow fry or deep fry till golden browned on a moderately hot oil.
4. drain on kitchen tissues and keep aside.

preparing the sauce:

1. heat oil. fry the onions, ginger, garlic, chilies, celery on a high flame. there is no need to brown them.
2. add water or veg stock. add soy sauce, crushed black pepper,
3. mix well and add let the sauce simmer for 1-2 minutes.
4. add the cornflour paste to thicken the sauce.
5. thicken the sauce to your desired consistency.
6. add vinegar, salt, sugar and the fried veg balls. stir and simmer for a minute.
7. serve veg manchurian garnished with spring onion greens.

NOTES

1. the best part of any chinese dish is you can change the consistency as per your liking. if you want a thin consistency, add some veg broth or water. if you want a thick consistency, add a few teaspoons of corn flour paste. this dish thickens after it cools down. so when reheating you may have to add some water.
2. i have not added any msg to the recipe. if you want a more restaurant style effect, you can do so. but a word of caution. msg or mono sodium glutamate is not good for the health.
3. remember to fry the veg balls on medium heat. if they are fried on a high heat, then the outside will get cooked and the inside will be not cooked leaving a doughy taste in the mouth.
4. if they are fried on a low heat, they will absorb oil and this will make them oily and soggy.
5. i like the sweet sour taste of indo chinese food and hence i have added sugar to the recipe.
6. also as the soy sauce i use does not have any sugar added to it. you may avoid this or check the ingredients list in your soy sauce if sugar is there in it or not. you can also add tomato sauce for some tang and sweetness.

NUTRITION INFORMATION

SERVING SIZE: 4

Capsicum Pulao

"Capsicum Pulao"

PREP TIME

30 mins

COOK TIME

15 mins

TOTAL TIME

45 mins

capsicum pulao - easy aromatic capsicum pulao.

AUTHOR: Abhinav

RECIPE TYPE: main

CUISINE: north indian

SERVES: 2-3

INGREDIENTS (measuring cup used, 1 cup = 250 ml)

• 1 cup basmati rice or 200 grams basmati rice
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 green cardamoms
• 2 cloves
• ½ inch cinnamon
• 2 small tejpatta or 1 medium to large tejpatta
• 2 single strands of mace
• 1 medium onion, sliced or ½ cup sliced onions
• 75 to 80 grams capsicum, 2 medium capsicum, ¾ cup sliced capsicum
• 3 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
• 4 to 5 drops of lemon juice
• 1.75 cups water
• salt as required

INSTRUCTIONS

1. rinse 1 cup basmati rice very well in water. then soak rice in water for 30 minutes. later drain and keep the rice aside.
2. meanwhile when the rice is soaking, slice the onions thinly. also slice the capsicum.
3. heat 2 tbsp oil in a pressure cooker. add the whole spices - cumin seeds, green cardamoms, cloves, inch cinnamon, tejpatta, strands of mace. saute till the spices crackle and become fragrant.
4. then add the sliced onions.
5. stir very well and saute till the onions become golden.
6. now add the sliced capsicum and chopped coriander leaves.
7. stir very well and saute for 3 to 4 minutes.
8. add the rice. stir and saute for a minute.
9. pour water and season with salt. also add 3 to 4 drops of lemon juice. stir.
10. cover the pressure cooker with its lid and pressure cook the rice on a medium to high flame for 2 to 3 whistles.
11. when the pressure falls down on its own, open the lid and gently fluff the capsicum rice.
12. serve capsicum pulao hot with some curry dish or a dal.

Palak Paneer

"Palak Paneer"

AUTHOR: Abhinav

RECIPE TYPE: main

CUISINE: North Indian

SERVES: 3-4

INGREDIENTS (measuring cup used, 1 cup = 250 ml)

For spinach puree:

• 250 grams or 8 to 9 oz spinach/palak
• 3 cups hot boiling water for blanching spinach
• 2 cups water for ice bath

For pan frying paneer:

• 250 grams or 8 to 9 oz paneer/cottage cheese
• 3 tbsp oil

For the gravy/sauce:

• ½ tsp cumin seeds/jeera
• 2 small tej patta or 1 medium to large tej patta/indian bay leaf
• 1 medium onion, 60 to 70 grams or ⅓ cup tightly packed finely chopped onion
• 1 tsp ginger paste or ½ inch ginger, crushed to a paste in mortar-pestle + 1 tsp garlic      paste or 6 to 7 small to medium garlic, crushed to a paste in mortar-pestle
• OR 2 tsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1 or 2 green chilies, chopped or 1 to 1.5 tsp finely chopped green chilies (add ½ tsp red    chili powder instead of green chilies)
• a pinch of turmeric powder/haldi
• ½ tsp black pepper, crushed in a mortar-pestle (optional)
• 1 tsp kasuri methi/dry fenugreek leaves, for more hints of bitterness you can add overall    2 tsp kasuri methi
• ½ tsp garam masala powder
• ¼ cup low fat cream or 3 tbsp whipping cream
• a pinch of sugar
• salt as required

INSTRUCTIONS

blanching and preparing the spinach puree:

1. rinse the spinach leaves well in water and then keep them in a colander, so that the excess water drains off. if the stems are tender, then keep them. but if they are hard or fibrous, then discard them.
2. boil water in a pan. add the spinach leaves in the water.
3. stir and blanch the spinach leaves in water for 3 minutes.
4. when the spinach leaves are blanching, in another bowl, take some water and add 8 to 10 ice cubes in it.
5. after 3 minutes, remove the spinach leaves and add them to the cold water.
6. stir gently so that all the leaves are immersed in the cold water. after 1 minute, remove them.
7. place the leaves in a grinder or blender jar.
8. grind or blend to a smooth puree. no need to add any water while grinding or blending.

pan frying paneer cubes:

1. this step is optional. but lightly golden pan fried paneer cubes taste good in palak paneer. heat oil in a well seasoned or non stick pan. place the paneer cubes.
2. turn over when one side is light golden and fry the other side.
3. fry till the paneer cubes are light golden evenly. don't fry too much as then the paneer cubes become dense.
4. remove and then drain them on kitchen paper towels.
5. to soften the paneer more, keep them immediately in water for 3 to 4 minutes. this is an optional step and you can skip it.

preparing the gravy/sauce:

1. now in the same oil, in which we pan fried paneer, add cumin seeds and tej patta. saute till the cumin seeds crackle.
2. then add finely chopped onions. stir well.
3. saute the onions till they turn light golden.
4. then add ginger paste, garlic paste and finely chopped green chilies. you can also use green chili paste instead of chopped green chilies. alternatively instead of green chilies, red chili powder can also be added.
5. stir and saute till the raw aroma of ginger-garlic goes away.
6. now add the spice powders - a pinch of turmeric powder, ½ tsp black pepper, crushed in a mortar-pestle (optional) and 1 tsp kasuri methi/dry fenugreek leaves. crush the kasuri methi and add.
7. stir well. then add the spinach puree.
8. season with salt. then add a pinch of sugar. stir well and on a medium flame, simmer the gravy for 5 to 6 minutes or till it thickens slightly and the spinach is cooked well.
9. add ¼ cup low fat cream or 3 tbsp whipping cream along with ½ tsp garam masala powder. stir very well.
10. the cream should be mixed very well with the palak gravy. then switch off the flame.
11. add the fried paneer cubes. mix them well with the rest of the gravy. cover the pan.

smoking method:

1. burn a small piece of natural charcoal on a stove top with the help of tongs.
2. place a small flame proof rack on the stove top and on top of the rack, place the charcoal. burn the charcoal till its red hot.
3. now place a small bowl or some layers of onions in the palak paneer gravy. place the charcoal on top. add ½ tsp oil on the charcoal. you can also keep 1 clove or ½ tsp cumin seeds on the charcoal and then pour the oil. as soon as you pour oil, smoke will emit from the charcoal.
4. immediately cover the pan with a lid. keep the pan closed with the lid for a minute, so that the charcoal flavor gets infused with the palak paneer gravy. for a slight tang you can add ¼ tsp dry mango powder or a few drops of lemon or lime juice and stir before serving.
5. serve palak paneer hot with tandoori rotis, naan, chapatis, paratha or jeera rice or biryani rice.