American Chopsuey, which is served in most restaurants across India, is essentially a vegetarian dish. The Indian version of this American dish has crispy fried noodles topped with select vegetables cooked in sweet and tangy sauce. Interestingly, vegetable chopsuey has fried noodles with similar vegetables cooked in white sauce. A mixed version also exists, where small quantities of fried noodles are blended with the white sauce, stir fried vegetables and cooked noodles.
Ingredients:
Hakka noodles -1 packet
Pizza seasoning -1tsp
Chilli flakes - 3tsps
Tomato puree - 4tblsps
Tomato sauce - 4tblsps
Garlic paste -1tsp
Corn flour -5tsps
sugar -1tsp
Onion -2
Capsicum -1/2
Spring onion -6 to 7
Green peas -50gm
Cauliflower -50gm
Salt and oil -As required
Method:
Cook the noodles as per the instruction in the pack. Do not wash it with cold water. Drain and spread it on a plate. Keep it under the fan for 15 to 20 minutes to dry. Next, dust little cornflour over it and allow it to dry further. Then, deep fry them in oil till they are crispy.
fried noodles
To prepare the sauce:
Mix 1tsp of corn flour to half cup of water. To this add the tomato puree, tomato sauce, salt and sugar. Keep it aside.
Wash and chop the vegetables. Blanch the cauliflower and peas. In a frying pan fry the onion till they turn translucent. Then add the garlic paste, pizza seasoning and chilli flakes in quick succession. Next, add the blanched vegetables. Stir cook for few seconds. Then add the corn flour mixture. Stir cook for few seconds till the vegetables are blended and the liquid reaches a saucy consistency. Pour the hot sauce over the fried noodles and serve immediately.
Coconut and coconut products are my favourite. Not only that, I also stock up good quantities of them for my culinary use. No wonder I belong to gods own country. This time Chennai had a little harsh summer that my stock of fresh coconuts got dried up little faster. I used some of them to make coconut milk and the rest to make this delicious dessert.
Ingredients;
Dried coconuts -2
Sugar -1cup
Dried milk/milk powder -2blbs
Cardamom powder -1tsps (optional)
Method:
Cut open the coconut and discard the shells. Scrape off the brown outer covering. Grate them manually or in a blender. It must measure about two cups. Powder the sugar and combine it with the grated coconut. Heat the mixture over a low flame, stirring continuously. Initially, the sugar will melt. Then it will begin to solidify. At this stage add the dried milk and cook for few more seconds. Remove from the flame and add the cardamom powder. Divide it into equal parts and roll it out into small balls while it is still warm.
I had returned home after a short visit to my friends place. I was hungry and had to cook up some good meal. I didn't have the time to run to the market to buy more vegetables. So, I decided to cook with the little stocks stored in my fridge. I had some blanched vegetables, few pieces of bread and a chunk of blended cheese. I used all of them to make this delicious vegetable bake, which was a meal in itself. Go ahead try it.
Ingredients:
Blanched carrot -1/2cup
Blanched beans -1/4cup
Blanched potatoes -1cup
Tomato sauce -3tblsps
Chilli sauce -3tblsps
Chopped onions -2cups
Pizza seasoning -1tsp
Bread pieces -1cup
Grated cheese blend -1cup
Salt and oil -as required
Method:
In a frying pan fry the onions in little oil. When it turns translucent, add the blanched vegetables, salt and the pizza seasoning. Switch of the flame and add the two sauces. Allow it cool for few minutes. Transfer the prepared vegetables to a greased baking tray. Press it lightly to level it. Top it with bread pieces and grated cheese. Bake it in a pre-heated oven at 200°C for 10 to 15 minutes.
Note:
Cheese blend is blend of mozzarella cheese and cheddar cheese. Mozzarella cheese can also be used instead of cheese blend.
Dokla is a steamed snack from the state of Gujarat. It is served with green chutney or dates chutney. There are many types of dokla like khaman dokla (made from chickpea flour), rave dokla ( made from semolina), moong dal dokla (made from lentil). Then, there is this khatta or white dokla which is made from fermented rice and lentil dough, similar to the idli dough. Here, I am presenting Khaman dokla which is prepared with chickpea flour.
Ingredients:
Chickpea flour -11/2 cup
Lemon juice -11/2 tsp
Green chilli paste -1tsp
Ginger paste 1/2tsp
Sugar - 1tsp
Fruit salt -1tsp
Water -1/2 cup
Salt to taste
For tempering
Mustard seeds -1tsp
Curry leaves -few
Green chillies -2(cut into two)
Chopped coriander leaves -2tsps
Asafoetida -1tsp
Sugar -1tsp
Oil -2tsps
Water -1/2cup
Method:
Combine all the ingredients except the fruit salt. Make a thick batter in pouring consistency like the idli batter. Add more water if the batter is very stiff. (The need to add more water depends on the quality of the chickpea flour). Set the steamer/cooker on the stove. Then, add the fruit salt to the batter and mix well. Pour the batter on a greased plate and steam it. Prick the centre of the batter with a toothpick. If it comes out clean, then it is done. Remove from the steamer. Cool for few seconds and invert it over another plate.
How to prepare the tempering?
First, heat mustard seeds in little oil, when it crackles, add the asafoetida, curry leaves, green chillies, coriander leaves, sugar and water in quick succession. Pour the tempering over the dokla. Allow the water to soak the dokla for few seconds. Then, cut it into desired shape.
This is a famous English dessert, where apple chunks are cooked with sugar under a layer of buttered flour. The top is crispy while the bottom is soft with tender apple pieces in sugary syrup. It can be eaten alone or along with vanilla ice cream.
Ingredients:
All-purpose flour - 11/2cup
Powder sugar -1cup
Cold unsalted butter -1/2cup
Apple -250gms
Lemon juice -1/2tsp
Cardamom powder -1tsp (optional)
Salt -1pinch
Method:
Peel and core the apple. Cut into small pieces. Add lemon juice, cardamom powder and 3/4 cup of sugar. Set it aside for few minutes. Then cook it over a low flame till the sugar melts and the apples turn tender. Allow it to cool. Next, combine the flour, salt and the balance sugar. Then, slowly rub the butter little by little to the flour mixture. Its texture should resemble like wet sand. Grease a square baking dish. Spread the apple mixture evenly. Top it with the flour mixture. Press the flour down lightly with a fork. Bake it in a pre-heated oven at 200°C for 30 to 35 minutes. Serve it alone or along with vanilla ice cream.
Tender mangoes flood the market during the month of April and everything gets sold out in a week or less. So it is important to look out for these mangoes in the market when summer arrives. They are small button sized mangoes that come with stalks. Pickles made of tender mangoes are famous in the southern states of India. It is known as maavadu or vadu manga in Tamilnadu and Kadugu manga in Kerala. It is very easy to make and stays for over a year if preserved properly.
Ingredients:
1. Tender mangoes -250gms
2. Chilli powder -1/2cup
3. Salt -1/2cup
4. Mustard powder -1tsp
5. Turmeric powder -1/2tsp
6. Castor oil -1tsp (optional)
Tender mangoes
Method:
Select mangoes with the stalk. Wash and dry them. Take care to retain a little bit of the stalk. This helps to prevent the pickle from getting spoilt. Rub castor oil and turmeric to it. Then, add salt and close it. Stir once every day for six days. The mangoes would have oozed out water during that period. On the seventh day, add the chilli powder and mustard powder. Adjust the salt. Store it in air tight glass jars. It will stay for over a year.
Noodles can be made in different ways. Veg noodles are prepared by tossing cooked hakka noodles with stir fried vegetables. It is usually flavoured with seasonings like oregano, pepper powder and garlic. Indian flavours used in paneer tikka can also be used to give it a desi taste. Here is a simple veg noodles that uses minimum spices.
Ingredients:
Hakka noodles -1packet (200gm)
Capsicum -1/2
Carrot -1
Onion - 1
Spring onions with greens - few
Garlic paste -1/2 tsp
Ginger paste -1/2tsp
Chilli flakes -1tsp
Salt and oil - as required
Method:
Chop all the vegetables length wise. Cook the hakka noodles as per the instructions in the pack. Cool and keep it aside. In a wok or frying pan stir fry the carrot in little oil. Remove and keep it aside. In the same pan fry the onions and spring onions without the greens. When it changes colour, add the garlic and ginger paste. Stir for few second. Then add salt, chilli flakes, capsicum, spring onion greens and the cooked noodle. Sauté till everything is blended well. Serve it with tomato sauce.
