Manchow Soup: Indo - Chinese Food

March 31, 2014

Indian-Chinese food is very popular in India, and is my favorite. I enjoying watching the street side food joint cooking noodles, fried rice,soups etc., in a wok over high flame.  In India we have adapted seasonings and cooking techniques of Chinese cuisine to our taste and style.  Here is a vegetarian version for Manchow Soup. This soup is  transparent and you can see all the vegetables. This soup thickens because of cornflour; no cream is added to it. Since soup is my dinner, I make it even more healthy by not adding fried noodles or boiled noodles to it. Its not that I do not eat noodles, love them but avoid them in my night dinner. Also, I have not add mono sodium glutamate (MSG) or ajinomoto in my soup. If you like MSG add it in your bowl of soup about 1/4 teaspoon).

Ingredients
1 Teaspoon chilli oil
1 Teaspoon Coriander chopped

1 Teaspoon Spring Onion Whites, chopped
1 Teaspoon Garlic, chopped finely
1 Teaspoon Ginger, grated
1/4 Cup Assorted Vegetables, finely chopped
2 Cups Vegetable Stock or 2 cubes of vegetable soup mixed in 2 cups water
1 Teaspoon Soy Sauce
1/4 Teaspoon Chili Sauce
Salt, Sugar, Black Pepper Powder to taste 

1 Teaspoon Cornflour
1/2 teaspoon Vinegar 

For garnishing
Spring Onion Greens, chopped
Chili Oil
Crispy Noodles

I used vegetables- 2 French beans, 1/2 a Carrot, 1Capsicum, 2 leaves of Cabbage and 3 tablespoons sweet corn kernels. I just put all the vegetables except the corn in the chopper and chopped them finely. They get cooked faster and the soup is easy to make. I even chop the white of the spring onions, ginger and garlic in the chopper.  These gadgets make our cooking a lot easier and less tiresome.

To make

Chili oil
Heat 1/4 cup  oil in a pan on high flame till smoking point, add to it 5-6 broken dry red chilies & switch off heat. Allow to cool. Strain use this ‘chili oil’ as and when required.  This oil does not turn rancid for 2 to 3 weeks.

Crispy Noodles
Boil a packet of Chinese noodles along with a tsp of oil & salt until just about 50% cooked. Let it drain completely on the strainer & spread them on dry cloth & let them dry for 15-20 mins. Then sprinkle some corn flour over them and deep fry in hot oil till just about golden-brown & crispy. Drain on absorbent paper & allow to cool. Use it to garnish soups or eat it as a snack. Can be stored in airtight container for a week. ( This I avoided to make the soup healthy). You can avoid this process totally, now in the stores fried noodles are available.

Method
Heat oil in wok on high flame, then add spring onion whites, garlic,ginger ,coriander, sauté few seconds & add the vegetables stir fry 2 minutes. Add vegetable stock, soy sauce, chili sauce, mix well, add salt, sugar and  black pepper powder to your taste let it boil.  Then add the cornflour paste ( mix cornflour in 2 tablespoon water ) and  cook, stirring continuously till it thickens. Finally add vinegar, mix & remove from heat.  Transfer to bowl, sprinkle chili oil on it, garnish with spring onion greens and crispy noodles, serve hot.  As I am writing this post, am enjoying the bowl of  Manchow Soup.  Do try this recipe and post your comments.

Labels:  Healthy, Pure Veg, Soup, Vegan, Continental Cuisine, Chinese, Manchow Soup 

Eggless Almond-Date Cake - Vegan and Healthy

March 30, 2014

Baking gives me so much of joy that if you tell me to bake at anytime and for any occassion I will do it.  This was the cake I baked for our trekking group when we visited Mridul point at Yeor Forest on a Sunday. 

Ingredients
1 Cup  Almonds
22  Dates  (pitted) (I used black dates)
150 ML Oil
1.1/2 Cup Wheat Flour
1.1/2 Cup All Purpose Flour
2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1 Teaspoon Salt
3/4 Cinnamon Powder
1.1/4 Brown Sugar or Light brown sugar
Golden syrup for glaze.

Method
In a cup of water add the dates and micro for a  2 minutes.
Grind the almonds and dates to a fine paste adding as much of water as is needed to make about 3 cups of the paste (a little thick batter consistency should be fine).Add oil to the paste and  give a run in the mixer.

In a mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients and seive it thrice. Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix so there are no lumps. Don't over mix it.
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Grease and flour the baking pan.  I used a Bundt pan  and also a rectangle pan, since the bundt pan was a small one.
Carefully pour the batter into the prepared pan and place it in the middle rack of the oven.
Bake for about 55 minutes depending upon the oven or until a tooth pick comes out clean. When the cake is slightly cooled unmould it and pour the hot glaze over it.

For the glaze :  Take 2 tablespoon water and 2 teaspoons golden syrup and boil it.
This cake was so spongy and soft that all enjoyed it. I wanted to decorated this cake with almonds but it was so late when I finished baking, so I left it just like that.  The glaze cannot be seen but this glaze make the cake even more soft and spongy.

Labels: Cakes, Eggless, Healthy, Vegan, Almond, Date

Drumsticks Sabzi

Scientific name Moringa oleifera, known popularly as drumstick tree, is an herbaceous plant grown for its nutritious greens, flowers, and mineral-rich pods. It is a well-recognized member in the Moringaceae family of trees and thought to be originated in the sub-Himalayan ranges of Indian subcontinent. The plant possesses horseradish-like root and, hence, known to the western world as horseradish tree. The seed pods are popular as murnga in Tamil, and malunggay in Philippines.

Health Benefits of Drumstick
Juice of Drum stick when mixed in milk and offered to children greatly helps by strengthening their bones as it is said to be a great source of Calcium. Also drumstick is said to be a great blood purifier.
Pregnant women should often eat drumsticks as it helps ease any kind of pre and post delivery complication.
Drumstick soup helps ease any kind of chest congestions, coughs and sore throats.
Inhaling steam of water in which drumsticks have been boiled helps ease asthma and other lung problem.
Finally drumstick juice greatly adds to the glow on one’s face. Make a mixture of drumstick and limejuice and dab it on your face. You will find your face glowing greatly.
The greens as well as pods also contain good amounts of many vital B-complex vitamins such as folates,vitamin-B6 (pyridoxine), thiamin (vitamin B-1), riboflavin, pantothenic acid, and niacin. Much of these vitamin functions as co-enzymes in carbohydrate, protein, and fat metabolism.
This sabzi is very tasty, try it and you will definitively love it. 

Ingredients

6 Drumsticks
2 Tablespoon oil or ghee
1 Medium Onion - sliced
A Sprig Curry Leaves
¼ Teaspoon Turmeric powder
1 Teaspoon Black Pepper powder
2 Tablespoons Coconut - coarsely ground
½ Teaspoon Pav Bhaji Masala
½ Teaspoon Sugar
Salt to taste

Method

Cut the drumsticks into 4 inch pieces and peel the green skin. Keep aside.

In a pan, heat ghee/oil and sauté onion over moderate heat till light pink then add curry leaves, turmeric powder, the drumsticks and mix well, add salt, sugar, black pepper, and ground coconut, stir well. Add little water cover with lid add water on top of the lid and cook. Stir in between, when cooked add the pav bhaji masala and serve hot. This sabzi can be eaten as a side dish with rice/dal, rotis, chapattis, etc.  
Labels: Main course, Drumstick, Healthy, Vegan, Gluten free, Vegetarian, Sabzi, Indian, Side Dish

Low Cal – Pita Pockets with Herbed Eggless Mayonnaise And Veggies

Pita bread is served at just about every meal in the Middle East. It can be used for dipping, or to make delicious sandwiches in the pocket. In the Middle East, pita is made in brick ovens, where very high heat can be achieved. It is very hard to duplicate in a home kitchen, but this recipe, combined with high heat, comes very close. The Syrian call Pita bread as Syrian bread in their country.

Pita bread can also be baked in oven but I baked in on the non stick tava. This bread baked on the tava taste much better than when baked in the oven. While baking the pita bread the aroma that fills your kitchen is awesome. The mayonnaise that is made a vegetarian , easy and tasty. This pita pocket was my lunch today.

Ingredients for Pita Bread ( Makes 4 )
¾ Cup Wheat Flour
½ Cup All Purpose Flour
2 Tablespoons Semolina (Rawa)
½ Teaspoon rapid rising yeast
1 Teaspoon sugar
¼ Teaspoon salt
½ Teaspoon oil
1 Cup Lukewarm water.

Method
Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup of warm water. Add sugar and stir until dissolved. Let sit for 10-15 minutes until water is frothy. Combine flour and salt in large bowl. Make a small depression in the middle of flour and pour yeast water in depression. Slowly add the warm water, and form it into a dough knead till the dough is no longer sticky and is smooth and elastic. Coat large bowl with vegetable oil and place dough in bowl. Turn dough upside down so all of the dough is coated. Allow to sit in a warm place until it has doubled in size.

Once doubled, roll out in a rope, and pinch off 4 equal pieces. Place balls on oiled floured surface. Let sit covered for 10 minutes. Roll out in oblong shape with your hand ¼ inch thick and keep it on a plastic sheet. Heat a nonstick pan on medium flame and cook the pita bread on each side for a minute until it puffs up or a cavity is created in the bread. When cooled cut the pita bread in 2 halves. Create a pocket with a bread knife carefully and lightly.
Note:  You can also bake these in the oven. Preheat oven to maximum temperature and make sure the rack is at the very bottom of oven. Be sure to also preheat your baking sheet. Bake each circle for 4 minutes until the bread puffs up. Turn over and bake for 2 minutes.
Remove each pita with a spatula from the baking sheet and add additional pitas for baking.

Storing Pita Bread
Pita bread can be stored for up to 3 days in a bread box, and up to a month in the freezer. Be sure to use freezer bags when storing in the freezer.

Ingredients for the Herbed Eggless Mayonnaise

1 Cup Hung Curd

1 Medium Boiled and Mashed Potatoes
1/2 Cup Fresh Bread Crumbs -  sides removed
2 Teaspoon Caster Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Heaped Mustard paste
2 Tablespoon White Vinegar
1/3 to 1/2 Cup Olive Oil 

2 Teaspoon Chopped Parsley or Coriander leaves

Method

In a mixer jar add all the ingredients except the oil and chopped parsley/coriander and blend well . Then add the oil in stream while the blender is still running, till it forms a thick mayonnaise. Transfer to a bowl add the parsley/coriander. Keep aside.

Other ingredients
1/4 cup finely chopped cabbage leaves
2 cucumber sliced finely
3 Tablespoon boiled corn
1 Capsicum finely chopped.
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Assembling the Pita Pockets

In the Pita pocket spread the herbed mayonnaise lightly, then put the corn, cabbage, capsicum, cucumber, sprinkle lemon juice on the veggies and on top a spoon of herbed mayonnaise. Serve immediately. This is a delicious pita pockets. I enjoyed every bit of it. To make it vegan use soy curds.

Look out for a post of Pita Bread with a different yummy and tasty filling.

Lables: Breads, Healthy, Wraps, Chutneys & Dips, Low Cal, Continental Cuisine, Pita Bread, Sandwiches,Herbed Eggless Mayonnaise, Vegetables

Carrot Roulade

March 27 , 2014

The word roulade originates from the French word "rouler" meaning "to roll". Usually roulade is a dish consisting of a slice of meat that is rolled around a filling and cooked. Here I, have prepared a roulade with carrot halwa stuffed with chopped nuts. Here is a recipe for Carrot Roulade.

Ingredients

2 cups grated carrot
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoons ghee
2 tablespoons Malai
1/4 cup Milk
1 teaspoon cardamon powder
2 tablespoons milk powder
2 tablespoons almond powder
1/3 cup chopped nuts (almonds and cashews)
2 sheets of butter paper to roll

Method
In a heavy bottom pan place the grated carrots, ghee, malai and on medium flame fry well for 5 minutes. Then add the milk and cook on slow fire till it evaporates, add sugar and stir till it melts. Then add the milk powder, almond powder and cook till dry and starts leaving the sides of the pan.

Place the carrot mixture on the sheet of butter paper and spread it with a spatula. Spread the chopped nuts and roll by lifting the butter as you are rolling it lightly. When the roll is complete place it a another sheet of paper and tighten both the ends. Keep it in the fridge till it cools and hardens till firm. Cut into slices and serve.

Labels: Sweets & Desserts, Healthy, Carrot