Sneha's Recipe: Delicious

This is my version of the Schezwan sauce or as some refer to as chutney, a famous and much sought sauce of Chinese cuisine. This sauce is famous for street food's like, momo's chinese bhel, chicken lollipops, spring rolls, fried rice , stir fried veggies, chicken & noodles etc. This can be used as a dipping sauce for spring rolls or any other starters.

To make this, have used dry Kashmiri red chillies and since they are less spicy compared with other variety of chillies, to bring down the spiciness of this fiery sauce also to give it an awesome color. However, you can use combination of any dry spicy chillies of your liking. But I would suggest that you use more of Kashmiri red chillies in making this sauce. You must definitely try this mouth watering Homemade Delicious Szechwan Sauce which is also preservatives and color free.

Ingredients

1/3 cup Sesame Oil

15 + 15 Cloves Garlic - finely chopped
20 Dry Kashmiri Red Chilies
1 Tablespoon Soy sauce
1/4 Cup Vinegar
2 Tablespoons Tomato ketchup

2 Tablespoons Hot Chilli Garlic Sauce
1 Tablespoons Sugar
1 Teaspoon Sea Salt

1 Teaspoon Chinese Salt / Ajinomoto - optional

Method

Soak the red chilles in 1/4 cup vinegar and boiled water for an hour or two. If you do have time to soak them then boil them till they soften. When cooled de-seed them.

Grind the chillies with 15 garlic cloves and soy sauce to a fine paste without adding any water. If required add a tablespoon of vinegar to grind it.

Heat oil in a pan, add garlic, saute for a second only, do not brown the garlic. Add the ground paste with the remaining ingredients. Saute on a low flame till it comes to a boil. Taste for salt and sugar add accordingly to your taste.

Switch off the flame and let it cool. Once the sauce has completely cooled down, transfer to an airtight container/ sterilized bottle and store in the refrigerator for up to 15 days with an inch layer of oil on top or better still freeze it since it does not turn hard and icy. There is not need to thaw each time you want to use, just slice a part of it with a knife and use accordingly.

My Notes :

I have not added ajinomoto in the sauce.

You can use vegetable oil if you do not have sesame oil, the only difference is that sesame oil gives a nice nutty flavor to the sauce.

Labels : Schezwan Sauce, Jams & Sauces, Chinese, , Delicious, Homemade, Preservatives free, Color free, Dipping Sauce, Asian Cuisine

Making a asparagus cream puree out of the stalks means that every spoonful of pasta will have a delicious taste of asparagus, yummy and delicious.

For this month's Event for Improv Cooking Challenge, Hosted by Nichole Little, the theme is Asparagus & Cream.
Serves 2
Ingredients
6 Asparagus
1/2 Cup Fresh Cream / Single Cream
2 Whole Garlic Cloves
2 Tablespoon Grated Parmesan Cheese
1/2 Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper powder
1 Cup Heaped Macaroni Pasta
Salt to taste
Butter as required

Method

To prepare the asparagus, cut off and discard the woody ends, then neatly cut the tips away from the stalks. Keep the tips and stalks separate.

In a small saucepan add half a teaspoon of butter add garlic saute it for a minute then add the cream and heat till bubbles begin to appear at the sides of the pan. Take off the heat, set the pan aside.

Cook the stalks in boiling salted water for about 5 to 7 minutes until tender, drain, then tip into the cream with the grated Parmesan. Blitz it in a small blender or with a hand blender until smooth.

Cook the pasta according to packet instructions, then throw in the tips 2 minutes before the end of cooking time.

In a big skillet heat a teaspoon of butter add the pasta, red chilly flakes and toss it for a minute now add the blended cream, toss till the pasta is coated with cream.

Divide into individual serving bowls, top with grated cheese, a sprinkle of black pepper and serve. Enjoy ...

Labels : Fresh Cream, Asparagus, Garlic, Pasta & Noodles, Healthy, Delicious, Improv Cooking Challenge,Vegetarian

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