CAULIFLOWER MANCHURIAN (GOBI MANCHURIAN)

Hello,

    Cauliflower Manchurian or as it is popularly known Gobi Manchurian is a well-loved Indochinese dish. This dish is very popular amongst Indians specially who are vegetarians. My version of this recipe is a very easy one, although the list of ingredients might look a little bit scary but these are quite easily available and doesnot cost much either. So you can easily prepare this dish with your fresh local produce. This will be much more healthier than buying it from a restaurant.

Since my mom nowadays is not allowed to eat outside food so I am trying to make healthy versions of my mom's favourite dishes. Cauliflower has some great nutritive value - It helps to fight cancer, boosts heart health, it is low in calories etc. So it is a great vegetable to include in your diet. However if your uric acid levels are high or you suffer from any kidney diseases then you should check with you doctor before having cauliflower.


Anyways, I hope you like my recipe and do try it out :)

INGREDIENTS :

• 1 medium cauliflower (gobi) cut into small florets
• 1 medium bell pepper cut into thin strips
• 1 Tbsp finely chopped ginger
• 1 Tbsp finely chopped garlic
• 1 Tbsp ginger garlic chilli paste
• 1 Tsp Onion Paste
• Chopped Green Chillis as per taste
• 3 Tbsp All Purpose Flour
• 1 Tbsp Cornflour
• 2 Tbsp Rice Flour
• Water as reqd
• 1 Tbsp Vegetable oil + Oil for deep frying
• 2 tbsp Tomato sauce
• 2 Tbsp Chilli sauce
• 1 !/2 Tbsp Vinegar
• Pinch of Sugar
• 1 Tbsp Red Chilli Sauce
• 2 1/2 Tbsp Chopped Spring Onions (both white and green parts)
• 2 1/2 Tbsp Chopped Chives
• Salt to taste

PROCEDURE :

• Cut the cauliflower into small florets and par-boil it in salted water for about 10-12 minutes.

• Let it cool and they marinate it with onion paste and ginger garlic and chilli paste for half an hour to an hour.
• Prep the other vegetables that are required. Roughly chop the ginger, garlic, spring onions, chives, bell pepper and chillis. You can use onions instead of spring onions.

• Now make a batter using the flour, cornflour and rice flour. Use cold water for the batter and season the batter with salt to taste. 
• Then coat the florets with the batter. Heat oil in a pan for deep frying and once the oil is hot slowly put the florets in the hot oil.

 

• Fry the florets in a low flame and once golden-brown in colour , take them out and with a paper napkin soak off the excess oil.

• For the sauce mix well the tomato sauce, chilli sauce, vinegar, sugar, red chilli sauce and the chopped chillis together and keep aside.
• Now in a pan heat about 1/2 tablespoon of oil and add the chopped garlic and ginger once the oil is hot. Once it becomes golden add the white part of the spring onions and the chives (we will add the green part later).

• Then add the bell peppers and the sauce. Add the fried florets and stir well.

• This is a dry dish so once the sauce coats the florets and the veggies then the dish is ready. Serve hot with any sauce of your choice :) :)

Do try this dish and I am sure you will love it. 

Thanks for reading :) :)

For any queries and suggestions please do comment :) :)

Thank You 

CHICKEN HOT AND SOUR SOUP

Hello Everyone,

Sorry for the long gap of almost an year. I was engaged in all sorts of work including preparing for the MBA entrace exams. However during this period I reinvented my love for Bengali Cuisine and also started making chocolates and got a few orders as well. I will be creating an official FB page for the chocolates .  I do promise I have some delicious recipes coming up for Christmas as well as for parties, luncheons and dinners :)

So after almost an year here is my new post ..... a delicious chinese soup recipe which you will love to have during the winters. Chicken Hot and Sour Soup is something which we Kolkatans are quite familiar with. I personally love this soup it has different veggies, its slightly hot and its bit sour at the same time. This soup can be customised in different ways you can add different veggies and make it vegetarian or add different kinds of proteins to make it non-veg as per your choice. I have kept this recipe very simple and its extremely easy to make.

INGREDIENTS :-

• Onion Sliced 
• Ginger Chopped
• Garlic Chopped 
• Carrot Sliced
• French Beans Sliced
• Cabbage Sliced
• Green Bell Pepper Sliced
• Chicken Boiled and Sliced 
• 1 Egg Beaten
• 1 Tsp Cornflour
• 2 Tbsp Light Soy Sauce
• 2 Tbsp Vinegar
• 2 Chillis Finely Chopped 
• 1 Tbsp Oil (I used Sunflower Oil)
• 2 Cups Chicken Stock
• Pinch of Ajinomoto (Monosodium Glutamate)
• Salt to taste 

PROCEDURE:-

• Chop the vegetables as finely as possible. The chopping is the key to chinese food. I didnot mention any quantities because you can use as much or as little as you want. Again you can you different veggies as well like chinese cabbage, sprouts, red / yellow bell peppers etc.
• Heat oil in a pan and add the ginger and garlic. fry them for a bit and add the onions and add the ajinomoto and fry them well. You can omit the ajinomoto is you want.

• When the onions become translucent add the vegetables and fry them. In a small bowl mix the soy sauce, vinegar and chopped chillis together. Then add the mix to the veggies.

• Then add the boiled chicken and stir well.

• Now add the chicken stock and let it simmer for a while. Add salt according to your taste. I used fresh chicken stock however you can use stock cubes as well.

• Mix the cornflour with water and slowly pour this mixture into the soup. This will thicken the soup so you can adjust it as per your need. I personally like light broths so I use it in small quantities. 
• Now as the soup thickens, beat the egg and add it into the soup. You can skip the egg if you want but it gives a good flavour to the soup.

• That's it this delicious soup is ready. Enjoy!!!!!!!!!! Do give me your feedback.

A Family Favourite :)

DEVILLED EGGS

This is one of my grandmother's most famous recipes. My grandmother always used to make this dish on special occasions and this was one of the very first dishes I learnt from my grandma :)  This recipe is a meat-less version of scotch eggs. One morning, we were bored with our regular breakfast items so I decided to try and make them my way. My version here is a tasty yet easy-to-make snack :) :)

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 boiled eggs + 1 raw egg beaten
• 6-7 boiled potatoes (medium size)
• Red chilli powder to taste
• Salt to taste
• Chat Masala to taste
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• Finely chopped green chillis
• 5 Tbsp Cornflour
• 7-8 Tbsp bread crumbs
• Oil for deep frying

PROCEDURE:

• Mash the potatoes and add the chat masala, chilli powder, lemon juice, salt and the chopped chillis.

• Now take a handful of potato mash to cover the egg entirely with the mash.

The egg half covered with the mash (pic with flash)

• Follow this step with all the eggs.

All the eggs covered with potato mash (pic without flash)

• Now dust these eggs in cornflour (you can use flour as well) and then dip them in the beaten egg and then roll them in bread crumbs.

• Now deep fry them till the crust is golden brown. (you can chill them for sometime as well before frying)

DEVILLED EGGS :)

I hope you try this recipe out and give me feedback :) :)

THANKS :)