Baby Corn Manchurian!!!

Hello Everyone!!!! I’m back after a short vacation to my hometown Mangalore. Shortly, I will put up a post chronicling my Mangalore tour. I cannot put in words what an awesome tour it was, I am still reminiscing the memories. And on returning to Mumbai, it was back to the usual grind; office work, sorting out the vacation laundry and a pile of other stuff. With all this blogging has taken a hit for a while now.  Worry not, my dearies, I am back now with a whole load of sumptuous recipes from Mangalore and much more ready to flood your inbox shortly. Also, I want to say a big thank you to all of you who have written on email and on the facebook page enquiring on where I was all the while. Thanks a ton guys, for all the love and support you have shown to the bog. And a special thank you to my friend Stephane from My French Heaven for writing and asking about my next post. Do check his wonderful blog here

As is the case with most holidays, we ate and ate and traveled and tanned. One resolution we made on the way back home was go light on the food (no prizes for guessing why… Lol) over the next few days.  That is perhaps why, you will see a nearly stir-fry dish making it to the blog today. But, to understand today’s recipe you need to understand a cuisine called Indo-Chinese. A cuisine that’s perhaps a cross between the Indian taste and Chinese stir fry. Honestly, any Indian would swear by this; proof of which is the millions and millions of carts (and small dingy restaurants) with their trademark glaring red colour and signs saying “Authentic Chinese served here”. One of the most famous dishes of the Indo-Chinese is the Chicken Manchurian very simply bite sized chicken bits covered in a batter deep fried and thrown into a tangy sauce. But folks, the only way to stay in the game is through product diversification and so, considering the huge Indian appetite for vegetarian food all sorts of vegetarians options started coming up, the most famous among them being “Gobhi (cauliflower) Manchurian” and followed closely by “Paneer (Cottage Cheese) Manchurian”.  For today, the humble baby corn basks in glory.           

We had it with Sichuan Fried Rice. But goes well with steamed rice as well.

Baby corn Manchurian

12-15 Babycorn, diced into bite sized pieces

1 bunch spring onions, finely chopped

7-8 garlic cloves, minced

1 inch ginger, minced

2 Tablespoons Soya Sauce

2 tablespoons, tomato ketchup

1 tablespoon white pepper powder

3 tablespoon cornflour and some more for the gravy

2 tablespoons oil, some more for frying

1 cup vegetable stock/ or plain water

Salt to taste

Procedure:

1. Cut the babycorn into bite sized pieces. Coat them with cornflour and keep for 10    minutes.
2. Heat oil in a pan and fry the baby corn till just about a golden brown. Remove and drain on an absorbent paper. Sprinkle very little salt and some white pepper powder powder and keep aside.
3. Now, heat the remaining 2 tablespoon oil and add in the garlic. Saute till reddish brown. 
4. Add the onions and saute. Once done, ad the soya sauce and tomato ketchup. Stir for a minute.
5. Add the baby corn and mix well so that the sauces cover them well.
6. Add in the stock or water and let it boil. Meanwhile, dissolve the remaining cornflour in some water and keep aside.
7. Once the stock comes to a boil, add in the dissolved cornflour and stir well
8. Garnish with spring onion greens and serve hot.

Chatpati Subzee Paneer (Tangy Cottage Cheese with Vegetables)

After celebrating Easter festivities, we were to attend three wedding in a span of four days. So then, with all those celebrations and festivities done, it was time to give the tummy a well-deserved break.  I thought it would be nice prepare a vegetarian dish  this week.

This is one such recipe that ticks all the check boxes when you are looking for a quick, high on taste, nutritious recipe and more importantly doesn’t give you that feeling of guilt even after you’ve had your fill. The ingredient that that holds everything together is the chaat masala. This tangy spice mix is perhaps the Amitabh Bachchan of the culinary world. Put in two tablespoons in a bland dish and presto, you have a taste blockbuster.

Paneer (cottage cheese), is something we prepare regularly for either lunch or dinner.  Once a North Indian staple, it is now readily available in stores and supermarkets; my mum though makes awesome paneer at home. The gentle texture and the ability to adapt itself to any ingredient or cooking technique like grilling, barbeque or even stir fry make it a chefs favorite. Pair it with the ever reliable bell peppers and you have a combination that’s finger licking good…

We had it with chappatis, but it makes a good combo with rice or naan. 

Chatpati Subzee Paneer

Ingredients:

• 250 grams Paneer (Cottage Cheese)
• 1 large Capsicum, cubed
• 2-3 baby corns, sliced
• 1 large onion, cubed
• 1 large tomato, cubed
• 1 tablespoon red chilli flakes
• 4-5 flakes garlic, minced
• 1 inch ginger, minced
• 4 large tablespoons Chaat Masala (and some for garnishing)
• Few sprigs of corriander for garnishing
• 2 tablespoons oil
• Salt to taste

Procedure:

•  Heat oil in a pan and saute the garlic and ginger till the garlic is just about turns brown.
• Next, add the onions and saute till they caramelise. Once the onions caramelise, add the tomatoes and stir till the tomatoes are limp.
• Now, add the red chilli flakes, sliced baby corn and bell peppers and give it a good stir. Do not cook them  for long as the veggies would go soft.
• Add the paneer and stir well. Mix well. 
• Sprinkle the chaat masala well across the pan. Sprinkle some water in the pan and give it a good mix. The water will help the chaat masala to stick well on the veggies.
• Lastly, add the salt. Garnish with corriander leaves and serve hot.

Malai Kofta (Cottage Cheese Dumplings in a rich tomato gravy)

What’s in a name?” quoted Shakespeare. “Lot’s”, I’d say, if the name is “Malai Kofta”. And so, as promised on my facebook page, here is the recipe for this culinary equivalent of the hydrogen bomb.

I must not hesitate to admit that this was one of the more difficult dishes I’ve made. What sets this dish apart this that it is that although it is extremely popular (almost a “cannot-do-without) at wedding functions and large festivals. This mildly spiced, almost sweetish gravy is a combination of finely blended spices and enriched with cream, onion and tomatoes. Can I see you salivating already?

Let me tell you, making this dish is a long drawn and elaborate process; however, it will be worth the effort when you have a soft, perfectly fried koftas covered with creamy gravy, that you will want to share with your family and friends.

The taste queens loved it, and I’m sure you will as well.

Go ahead, indulge!!

Malai Kofta

For the Koftas:- (will yield about 18 medium sized koftas)

•          220 grams Paneer (Cottage Cheese)
•          80 grams dried fruits; roughly chopped (I used almonds and raisins)
•          1 tablespoon corn flour (and some more for dusting)
•          Oil for frying
•          Salt to taste

For the Gravy:-

•          1 cup boiled onion paste
•          1½ cup tomato paste
•          2 tablespoons tomato puree
•          3 tablespoons cashew paste
•          2 tablespoons ginger-garlic paste
•          2 green chillies, roughly chopped
•          1 teaspoon cumin seeds
•          1 teaspoon red chilli powder
•          1 teaspoon turmeric powder
•          1 teaspoon garam masala powder
•          3 tablespoons ghee (Clarified butter)
•          1 cup fresh cream (I skipped this)
•          Whole Spices (2 green cardamoms, 1 black cardamom, 1 inch cinnamon stick, 1 small bay leaf)
•          Salt to taste
•          Coriander leaves for garnishing.

Procedure:

To make the kofta’s:-

•  Heat a pan on a low flame, dry roast the almonds and raisins till they change colour. Once done allow them to cool and then chop them roughly.

•   In a bowl, roughly grate the cottage cheese, add 1 tablespoon corn flour, salt and mash it together such that it forms a single lump

•  Now take a lemon sized piece and roll it well between your palms. Then make a small well in the center and fill in some of the chopped dry fruits. Cover the well and roll it once again between the palms of your hand. Repeat the process with the other Koftas. Dust each kofta with corn flour and keep aside.

• Fry the koftas in oil on a low flame till they are bright orange in colour. Frying on a slow flame will ensure that the Koftas are cooked right to the center and pass the ultimate test of being crisp on the outside and soft inside.

•  Once done remove and drain on an absorbent paper.

     For the gravy:-

•     In a heavy bottomed pan heat ghee, and add in the whole spices. Sauté spices till you have a fragrant aroma from them.
•      Once the spices are done, add the onion paste and allow it to cook till the oil leaves the sides. Now, add the ginger garlic paste and stir well, allowing to cook.
•     Add the cashew paste and mix well till the onion and cashew paste have integrated well. This will take time. You will know it’s done when the mixture moves around the pan in a single lump.
•     Now, add the spice powders, green chillies.
•     Once the spice powders have integrated well, add in the tomato paste and puree & salt. Allow this to cook well. If required, add in a cup of water at this point.
•      If you are using cream, add it in at this point.
•      Add the koftas in the gravy and give it a stir.
•     Serve hot garnished with coriander leaves and  accompanied with parathas

Subzi Cheese Biryani (Vegetable Cheese Biryani)

“Can vegetarian food be made interesting as well?” wrote a reader recently. “Yes, of course”, was my enthusiastic answer. With a little bit of creativity and innovation, even a vegetarian meal can be an absolute delight. Though, I am a hardcore non vegetarian, I always opt for a vegetarian meal whenever I require a change from the regular stuff. Ever since the “Aloo Saunfiyana” recipe was well received on the blog, I have decided to start posting all vegetarian recipes that have been lying in my folder for eons now.

One such interesting recipe is the Subzi Cheese Biryani, which was the outcome of my sisters creative thought process. This dish was the outcome of a very healthy debate between my sister and me as what’s the best thing to make when you have almost every vegetable at your disposal. Since the two of us are the greatest biryani fans on the planet, we decided that biryani it would be, but hero of the dish would not be the veggies but a very special ingredient “cheese”. That decided, my sister, pen and paper in tow, sat conceptualizing the biryani while her brother went on and got into executing the dish.

When we decided to make this biryani, it was planned like the way a usual biryani was to be made, and we weren’t too sure of how the final product would turn up but wanted to go ahead with it nevertheless. I tried and kept the oil and fats to a minimum considering that there is a generous amount of cheese, enough to cause the mild hearted a few jitters. I must say it is time consuming but worth every bit of the effort

We had it with Prawns in Butter Garlic Sauce. The verdict?  Awesome. The joy of cooking a meal together is priceless. Try doing it sometimes, I promise it will leave a smile on your face and memories in your heart.

Subzi Cheese Biryani

Ingredients:

 2 cups long grained basmati rice

·     100 grams mixed vegetables (I used French beans, cauliflowers, green capsicum & green peas)

·         2 medium onions- finely chopped

·         2 medium tomatoes- finely chopped

·         200 grams thick curd- beaten well

·         3 tablespoons cashew paste

·         100 grams processed cheese – for grating

·         3 cheese cubes- sliced for garnishing

·     Assortment of whole spices (2 green cardamoms, 1 black cardamom, 1 inch cinnamon stick, 1 small bay leaf)

·         1 ½ tablespoon ginger—garlic paste

·         1 teaspoon coriander powder

·         1 teaspoon red chili powder

·         1 teaspoon turmeric  powder

·         1 teaspoon garam masala powder (all spice powder)

·         4 large tablespoons oil or ghee (clarified butter)

·         Salt to taste

·         Juice of half a lime

·         Some milk

·         Few leaves of coriander and mint for garnishing.

Procedure:

For the rice:

·         Soak the rice for atleast 20-25 minutes in water before you begin working with it.

·         In a large pan heat water equivalent to double the quantity of rice. When the water starts boiling, add in the rice.

·         Add some ghee to the rice. This will ensure that the grains don’t stick to each other.  Also, add some salt.

·          When the rice is about ¾th  done, take out from heat drain it on a colander and let it cool for a while.

·         Take out a large spoonful of the rice and keep aside.

·          Add ½ teaspoon of the turmeric powder to the milk and stir well. Pour this milk on the rice that has been kept aside and mix well. This will give the rice a nice yellow colour.

For the gravy:

·          

·         In a deep pan add the oil or ghee and let it heat. Once the oil is hot add in the whole masalas and let them crackle.

·         Once the masalas are done, add the onions and cook till the onions are nicely browned. Add in the ginger garlic paste and cook well.

·         Add in the chopped tomatoes and cook till the tomatoes are pulpy. This is important since if the tomatoes are not well cooked; the gravy will separate.

·         When the tomatoes are pulpy, add in all the spice powders (coriander, red chili, turmeric& the garam masala powder) and cook well. Add a little water if required.

·         Now add the cashew paste and cook till the oil leaves the sides and the mixture has thickened a bit. Add in the curd and let it simmer for about 7 minutes

·         Add in the vegetables, salt and cook for 5 more minutes.

·         Finally, add in the juice of lime and mix.

·          

For the assembling:

·         Line a heavy deep bottom vessel with ghee and pour in half of the gravy.

·         Now , on top of this add a layer of half the rice; grate half the cheese on top the rice. Also, add some of the coloured rice to this

·         Repeat the layering process with the other half of the gravy, rice and cheese

·         Slice the cubes into fine squares and layer on the top.

      Seal the vessel tightly and cook for about 30* minutes on medium flame and for another 10 minutes on a low flame.

     Once done take out from the heat and let it rest for about 10-15 minutes.

      Serve with refreshing raita.