Homemade Delicious Schezwan Sauce

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

Creamy Asparagus Pasta#Improv

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 

An InLinkz Link-up

Sourdough Flatbread#BreadBakers

This sourdough bread has a great taste and flavor, but does not rise like a yeast dough. I do not know why my bread does not rise like other's, since seen many breads with sourdough that look so beautiful risen. Am very soon going to attend a class on sourdough baking.

Ingredients

1 Cup Well Fed Starter
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Sugar
1/4 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
2 Cups All Purpose Flour
1/2 To 3/4 Cup Warm Water

Method

Knead the above to soft dough. The dough will be sticky but do not add more flour. Oil your hands and fold for a 15 to 20 turns or till it is not very sticky but form a soft round ball. Keep it in an oiled bowl. Cover it loose with a plastic or towel and keep it to rise. Kneaded it at 2 pm at 5 pm kept it in the refrigerator.  

Next day morning took the dough out and kept it on the counter for 1.1/2 hours to come to room temperature. Lined a baking tray with aluminum foil and oil it well, patted it into an oval shape.Brushed it with warm water. Baked it in a preheated oven at 200 degrees C for exactly 35 minutes.

When done take it out and spray it with little water, cover it with a towel and keep it aside. 

 Slice it and enjoy. 

This  bread paired perfectly with Smoked Saucy Paneer Gravy ( recipe follows)

My Notes
Water will depend on the hydration of the starter. I, used 1/2 cup only.

This dough does not rise like the yeast dough, double it's volume. It rises a little. But do no fret, the taste and aroma of this sourdough bread is awesome.
Labels : Breads, Sourdough, Flatbread, Bread Bakers, Healthy

Have a look at the other breads baked by our group.

Amritsari Paneer Kulcha - Indian Flat Bread from Sonlicious
Bacon Leek Flamiche from Food Lust People Love
Chole Kulche Delhi Style from The Mad Scientist's Kitchen
Creamy Garlic Flatbread Pizza from A Day in the Life on the Farm
Detroit-Style Pepperoni Pizza from Karen's Kitchen Stories
Foccacia Bread from Cook with Renu
Garlic Naan Bread from Palatable Pastime
Manakish Za’atar from Herbivore Cucina
Methi Naan from Mayuri's Jikoni
Naan from Ambrosia
Nángbĭng from A Shaggy Dough Story
Quick Beer Crust Pizza from Cook’s Hideout
Sourdough Flatbread from Sneha's Recipe
Yemeni Malooga Bread from Gayathri's Cook Spot  

#BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. Follow our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated each month on this home page.

We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient.

Dream Delight Cupcakes#BakingBloggers

Seriously, these wonderful cupcakes are super moist and have chocolate oozing out. These I, carried for a party with friends, made double this recipe and they were gone in a dream. So I called them dream delight cupcakes. I do not enjoy frosted cakes, very rarely frost my cakes. But if you wish you could always frost them with chocolate butter cream frosting.

Makes 12 Cupcakes
Ingredients
2 Cups Self-rising Flour 
1 Cup Heaped Caster Sugar 
2 Tablespoons Heaped Cocoa Powder 

1/8 Teaspoon Baking Soda

200 Grams Butter 

200 Ml Cola Drink 

100 Ml Buttermilk 
2 Eggs 
1½ Teaspoon  Chocolate or Vanilla Essence
100 Grams Milk Chocolate (chopped) 
 Method

Pre heat oven to 180 degrees.

Grease and line a cupcake  tray. 

Sieve together flour, baking soda and cocoa in a bowl then add in sugar and mix well. 

Melt the butter and cola drink gently in a pan. Heat it only till the butter melts.  When cooled, add the milk, eggs and  essence . Mix all the ingredients with beater on low speed.  

Stir well and immediately add this to the dry ingredients and again beat on low speed till mixed.  Pour a tablespoon of the batter in each cup cake liner. Place a piece of chocolate in it cover with another tablespoon of batter and  bake them for 18 to 20 mins. 

Lables : Cakes, Cupcakes, Chocolate, Kids delight, Baking Bloggers

These are going to our Baking Bloggers event the theme for the  month are Cupcakes.

Baking Bloggers

Cupcakes

• Boston Cream Cupcakes by The Redhead Baker
• Breakfast Cupcakes by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Chocolate Toffee Cupcakes by Trampling Rose
• Dream Delight Cupcakes by Sneha's Recipe
• Red Wine Dark Chocolate Cupcakes by Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Tiramisu Cupcakes by Sid's Sea Palm Cooking

Fresh Green Garlic Mince Bake#Foodieextravaganza

This is fantastic party pleasers. Make this advance and then reheat and serve.

Ingredients

500 Grams Mutton Mince - handmade
6 Eggs
150 Grams Fresh Green garlic - chopped
1 Teaspoon Heaped Ginger garlic paste
2 Onions - chopped
1.1/4 Teaspoons Heaped Red Chilly Powder
1.1/4 Teaspoons Coriander powder
½ Teaspoon Turmeric powder
½ Teaspoon Garam Masala powder
1 Teaspoon Salt
Salt to taste
1/3 Cup Oil
2 Tablespoons Ghee / Butter
Bread or Parathas for serving

Method
Chop green garlic and keep aside.

In a pan heat oil fry chopped onion

 Fry till light brown 

now add mince , ginger garlic paste, 

fry well till it changes color from pink to white , 

then add red chili powder,turmeric, salt , coriander powder , garam masala powder , then add 1/2 cup water, fry well cover and cook till the mince is done and there is just a slight moisture in the mince. 

 Transfer this on to baking dish and 

spread the mince evenly 

then on top of spread fresh green garlic evenly, 

Break egg one at a time place them in a line as far as possible so that when baked /done you can cut slices with an egg on each piece. 

Heat ghee in a pan and pour this with a spoon over the eggs, sprinkle a little salt and black pepper powder to taste on the eggs and cover it lightly ( make a loose tent ) with foil and bake it in pre-heated oven for 20 minutes at 180 degrees .

Then remove the foil and broil for 8 to 10 minutes to dry off  any moisture left. Cool it completely and then loosen the sides.  

Cut into slices - each slice should have an egg. arrange them in a serving plate and serve with parathas or make sandwiches. These are yum. 

My Notes

If you are lover of fresh green garlic then increase it more.

If you have a skillet that can be placed the oven then make this in it directly. Since I did not have it transferred it into a baking dish and then baked it. This can be completed on the stove top too.

Can use beef mince, but,  the mince should not be fine / pastey.

Labels :   Baked, Foodie Extravaganza Party, Fresh Green Garlic, Mince, Mutton, Egg, Party pleasers

Foodie Extravaganza is a monthly food fest, where a group of bloggers all create and share a recipe around one of the monthly food 'holidays' as detailed in The Nibble. This month Sneha from Snehas Recipe is hosting, Peanut Butter is our theme. Posting day is always the first Wednesday of each month. If you are a blogger and would like to join our group and blog along with us, come join our Facebook page Foodie Extravaganza. We would love to have you! If you're a spectator looking for delicious tid-bits check out our Foodie Extravaganza Pinterest Board! Looking for our previous parties? Check them out HERE.

Today we're sharing our love of garlic for Foodie Extravaganza hosted by Caroline's Cooking: - see all the tasty recipe ideas below:
Aïgo Bouido (Provençal Garlic Soup) by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
Alcachofas al Ajillo or Garlicky Artichokes by Food Lust People Love
Cuban Cube Steak - Bistec de Palomilla by Caroline's Cooking
Fresh Green Garlic Mince Bake by Sneha's Recipe
Garlic Fried Calamari by Palatable Pastime
Garlic Knots by Karen's Kitchen Stories
Garlic Loaded Tzatziki Sauce by Hardly A Goddess
Garlic Roasted Brussels Sprouts by Jolene's Recipe Journal
Homemade Creamy Garlic Salad Dressing by A Day in the Life on the Farm