Mushroom Manchurian - Vegetarian's Heaven!!!

Mushroom Manchurian:(Restaurant Style)

During rainy afternoons, day dreaming, is so inevitable. I prefer day dreaming, to be honest...it just smacks of sentimentality. Not that a trait, I inherited or anything. Just like to live in my own post-apocalyptic life style...hunting, fishing, foraging, building tools?...

Hmmm, looking seriously to join the hunting troop at Oxford (only thing that stops me is, its so unusual for girls)! Just want to experiment 'how it would be to hunt and forage for our dinner plate'! What kind of karmic feeling do we actually experience, while doing so!!

Well, for today's recipe...I didn't gather this mushrooms for sure. Though I strongly wish to do in future...but I am ain't sure, how far my instincts are sharp to analyse an edible or poisonous mushrooms!!

Anyhow, I enjoyed this mushroom manchurian at Rain Forest Restaurant, Adyar Chennai with our family friends. Yeah, yeah you got it right...I was accompanied by bunch of vegetarians and that's why happened to taste this interesting appetizers.:)

Ingredients:

Button mushrooms
Salt
MSG
White pepper 1 spoon
Soy sauce light
Green chilies 2 chopped finely
Green onions(white part alone finely chopped)
Corn flour
Egg whites from an egg
Oil for deep frying
Tomato sauce
Soy sauce heavy
Hot sauce(optional, I didn't use any)
Onion 1 medium finely chopped
Green chilies 3-4 chopped
Garlic 7 cloves chopped
Ginger 2" chopped
Green onion 4-6 chopped
Sesame oil few spoons.

Method:

Mix salt, MSG, pepper, chilies, soy sauce, flour, egg white and baste them over the mushrooms.

Now deep fry them in warm oil, till golden to reddish brown.

In a separate pan, heat sesame oil. Add chilies, onions, ginger and garlic, saute them. Add fried mushrooms as well. (Well...I skipped this step, as my mushrooms were very hot already and moreover...I consumed some as soon as they were fried, he he)

Now add all the sauces, let it coat to all the sides. Add green onions and remove from heat.

Enjoy. Yummy right!!!

Bird's Nest Bonda - Jab Mein Choti Thi

Bird's Nest Bonda:

People always remind me with those articles, that talk about quick appetizers/snacks for an unexpected guests. Who is going to visit me after all? Okay, If you decide to show up at my house, without prior notice, well...expect a snack something like this! But still, I cannot argue over a snack that can be whipped in no time together, using only staple at home. It highly depends/differs in each home. Anyhow, potatoes and breadcrumbs are my favorite cheater ingredients!!!

On the other day, I was in need a of an emergency appetizer that required minimal effort. There should be some sort of our favourite childhood snack, but how often do we reinvent it to suit the adult palate? This is one such recipe, which I tweaked for myself in few minutes. As these are usually made with cheese or potatoes, back home...I adjusted with quintessential chicken for a change.

I had a long chat with my brother yesterday, who stirred up all the nostalgic days of our childhood!

Jab Mein Choti Thi:


Ingredients:

Chicken shredded & cooked 1 cup
Potatoes cooked & mashed 1 cup
Green chilies
Ginger-garlic paste
Onion chopped 1 cup
Salt
Turmeric 1/4 spoon
Chili powder 1/2 spoon
Garam masala powder 1/2 spoon
Cilantro few
Egg Whites 1/4 cup
Fine vermicelli 1 cup
Oil for deep frying.

Method:

In a wide wok, heat few spoons of oil. add chilies, ginger-garlic paste, onions and salt. Fry real good.

Add cooked chicken and potatoes...mix well. Add turmeric, chili and garam masala powders. Fry real good till aromatic. Garnish with cilantro leaves.

Now shape them into ping pong sized balls...dip them in egg whites and roll them in vermicelli.

Deep fry till nice and crisp, enjoy with tea.

Deep Fried Jumbo Shrimps

Deep Fried Jumbo Shrimps:

Shrimps Tempura (Japanese Style), Epi-Fry. Prawns Bajji, Shrimps Bajji. Beer battered Shrimps Fry. Fried Shrimps Crispies.

Fried Shrimps is a dish for party...When you are looking for not so messy Finger foods. Its quickly whipped, ready in minutes and a best way to use up the leftovers from the pantry, he he. Vegetarians, please use thinly sliced vegetables in place of shrimps. The results? Pretty good, pretty good indeed.

Ingredients:

Large Jumbo Shrimps (with tail fins-on)
Salt
Beer few teaspoons (optional)
Egg whites
All purpose flour
Bread crumbs (Panko, Japanese bread crumbs)
White pepper pinch
Peanut oil (preferably)
Skewers.

Method:

Do not butterfly the shrimps or anything, have them intact...leave the tail fins-on.

Now marinate them in beer, salt and pepper for few hours. Then coat them with egg or buttermilk...roll them over flour + bread crumbs.

Carefully run the skewer in the middle...deep fry them in hot oil, till crisp.

Enjoy as a starter or as a snack.

Drum Chicken

Cornish hen Drummeties:

Rock Cornish Hen - Grilled Wings. Drum Chicken. Chicken Wings. Grilled Chicken Wings. Baked n Broiled Chicken Wings.

Another Restaurant special, liked by all! Chicken Drummeties...interesting name, as they resemble the drum's stick!! This is served as an appetizer in many restaurants in India. I really never thought of fixing it at home...thought it could be time consuming process! But finally made my mind and started saving Cornish hen wings each time. Yeah...I don't like the usual chicken anymore. Cornish game hen in an interesting variation with less fat and gamier meat!! Well, it was easy to flip them up one day and sear the skin from one end and pull them towards the other end! Making it as little drummeties is not a big deal, very easy! Then marinate them in your favourite spices and either grill or bake+broil them!!

Ingredients:

Chicken Wings 12-16
Salt
Ginger-garlic paste 1 spoon
Chili powder 1 spoon
Egg white 1 spoon
Soy sauce 1 spoon
Chili sauce 1 spoon
Corn flour 2-4 spoons
Yogurt 1 spoon
Lemon juice 1 spoon

Method:

Marinate the drum chicken in all the above mentioned items...for a complete 2 hours.

Grill them in a charcoal oven. Or one can bake them in conventional oven and take it to broiling briefly later...to get that charred effect!

Good to go as an appetizers.

Hong Kong Table - Dim Sums

Hong Kong Table - Test Drive - Dim Sums!!!

My friends chit-chatting!!:)

Platter - Dim Sums.

Cream buns with lotus seeds filling!

Pork BBQ Sums(no idea about the taste)

Lotus leaf wrapped Sticky rice(Leaf is not eaten tho' hee hee)
This was bit stinky to me!:(

Shrimp Dumplings, everyone's favourite!

I fried these Sesame balls.

Daphne & Suzete seriously cooking!
Dim Sums:

I am an active member of Cook! Eat! Share! - the International Club at Oxford, University of Mississippi. It is an unique club, we talk about culture, history, business and life style. Pretty much like the name, we also Cook, Eat and Share!

It is an easy way to learn one's culture, through food! Every 3 months, we feature a table, that reflects the culture and cuisine of the country! We the members, meet up every week and decide about the theme. A member from that particular country will let us know about their lifestyle, how to procure the ingredients, cooking style, eating habits and culture associated with it!! Almost every week, he/she will be bringing in some food, to share...which goes into criticism and approval mode! Finally we will decide the menu for a table and test drive the recipes picked!

Well, on the big day, when we host 'The International Table', it will also have an interesting presentation!! It is a big challenge to cook for 40 - 50 people!! We follow the same restaurant rules. Cook from scratch. All the members will divide our labour, in the kitchen plus at the table services. The member of that particular country(that we are featuring) will be the boss in the kitchen, we will go by his/her rule. The real challenge comes from the table settings, services, cooking to perfection, maintaining the warmness of food through out the episode....etc.

We are featuring Hong Kong table this month, so finally thought to blog about the club!! My friend, Daphne Ingene is native to Hong Kong. She is doing her PH.D in counselling! While talking about the Hong Kong culture, certainly a talk about 'Dim Sums' didn't escape from our conversation. 'Dim Sums' literally means 'Little Hearts' in Cantonese language. It will served along with Oolong tea or Jasmine tea.

History:It seems at first, at various tea shops, they only served tea in the beginning, were folks gathered for a drink and little chit chat. Later they started serving light snacks along with tea. Over time, now dim sums is always associated with tea and became a breakfast menu. There are several Dim Sums Restaurants in Hong Kong today, were families come in for a Saturday breakfast...talk talk and talk.

Criticism:When we test drived our recipes, I did notice, dim sums tasted better...only when we drank tea along with it. Fried Sesame balls are dessert's, but I prefered them as starters, crunchy and chewy to start the food. There was one unique and very interesting recipe...although we all agreed on, not to try it(forever)!! Yeah it is chicken feet dim sums, liked by the natives! Daphne said...they are delicacies the ligaments tastes better(if someone need adventure, keep this info' in mind)!! The lotus wrap sticky rice with chicken and mushroom was too good!! Choy Sum - a Chinese flowering cabbage(Bok Choy in U.S, Australia and France), was pretty much like spinach to me. Choy sum means inner stalks and tips in Cantonese(so don't hesitate to pick them up, next time you see in Korean/Chinese market). I didn't try Pork BBBQ sums, as I have never eaten pork in my life(no beef or pork, by choice). But everyone said it was damn good!! Crytal shrimp dumplings and chive dumplings were awesome(I started to cook them for myself at home). The dessert 'Cream bun' was unique, much like 'Indian Pooran Modhak', were the filling varied...sweetened lotus seeds.

Culture:Imagine we are dinning in Hong Kong...try to order more than 5-7 dim sums varieties and share with friends, yeah that's the culture there. And each table has its own Tea pot, if the pot is empty...you don't have to yell at the waiter...just keep the lid open, the waiter will be soon there. When the waiter comes to service...you may not necessarily say 'Thank you' as you'll be busy engaged in talking...but try to tap twice on the table(use fore and middle finger, to tap twice). It implies that you're thank full, real multi tasking, right!

Fish Fries

Fish Fries:

As usual I was playing with my food, in my kitchen! I had this bag of salmon lying in the freezer, for pretty long time! Actually, I thought of making finger fish...but didn't like the fact of skinning the fish!! Aaah...that takes away all the good cholesterol, right! So...just like that, sliced them into thin strips and marinated with my favourite spices & deep fried them!! I was wondering what to name them finally! Okay, let me call this 'fish fries' for now!:)

Ingredients:

Salmon 1 large fillet
Vinegar 1 cap full
Lemon zest 1 teaspoon
Kosher salt
Chili powder 1 spoon
Turmeric 1 pinch
Corn flour 1-2 spoons
Egg white 1
Oil for deep frying.

Method:

Marinate fish with all the above mentioned ingredients, except oil. Let it sit for 2-4 hours.

Heat oil in a skillet, deep fry them till they turn crispy.

Serve warm as an appetizer.

Buffalo Wings / Hot n Spicy Fried Wings

Hot Chicken Wings:

Cornish Hen Wings. Fried Wings. Rock Cornish Hen - Buffalo Wings. Hot & Spicy Wings.

Well, everyone knows that Buffalo doesn't have wings, yet the name traces its origin to Buffalo(name of a place)in New York. The first recipe was created with left over chicken wings. Later the recipe underwent series of change, ever since. Now I could relate this spicy fried hot wings to my own Indian style of cooking. The special kick of this recipe comes from Southern hot-sauce (the Louisiana Hot Sauce), a perfect blend of hot peppers and vinegar.

After holidays its common to have lots of leftover in the fridge...staring at you! Especially when it comes to chicken wings, flaky fish or cocktail shrimps...I would like to work on it. I don't like wasting food, I try to fix them...create a new innovative dish & present!

If the meat/fish was lying there for really long time(but yet not spoiled)if it perfect for consumption...my idea will either pan-frying or deep frying. It brings up the flavor & makes them crispy. Also adding vinegar/lemon juice will allow them to stay firm. Dusting flour could help holding up too. When we add a little extra-spice(than usual)no one could actually notice...that these were only a fix recipe!!! So one of my such fix recipe is this 'Rock Cornish Hen Spicy Fried Wings', TaDa...

Ingredients:

Left over Rock Cornish Hen Wings 8-12
Chili powder 1/2 spoon
Paprika powder 1/2 spoon
Louisiana Hot Sauce 1 spoons
Soy Sauce 1 spoons
Green chili Sauce 1 spoon
Tomato Sauce 4-6 spoons
Salt
White Vinegar 1 table spoon
Peanut oil for deep frying
Vegetable oil for stir-frying 1/2 table spoon.

Method:

Marinate wings with salt, vinegar, chili and paprika powders. Maybe for at least 2 whole hours.

Then deep fry them till crisp and golden brown.

Now in a separate stir-fry pan, heat oil. Add these fried wings and add all the sauces mentioned above. Saute them real good.

Once all the sauces coat up well and no moisture left in the pan, its perfect to transfer.

Arrange them in your salad tray or serve as appetizers.

Baby Corn Crispies

Baby Corn Crispies:

Finger Corn. Baby Corn Fritters. Baby Corn Pakoda. Baby Corn 65. Fried Baby Corn. Crispy Fried Corn Fingers. Corn Fingers.

I always appreciated finger foods. Its easy to fix, nice to pop-in!!!:) Since it was always pouring outside last week, I was kind of shut down at home, had lots of visitors besides. So to keep people entertained.....I chose something spicy, crispy, fried and warm finger foods. My friends did enjoy them....and I am glad that they did. So....one of my fabulous creation 'Baby Corn Fritters' today. I generally don't use artificial food color to my preparations, but today I did! As I believe hot chili powder gives rich deep red color to my food....it also signifies the strength of the chili pepper's hotness!!! Its like more red, more chili, eating palate hitting food shows power among my friends!!! But today....didn't go by my rule, as my friends here don't eat so much spicy food, kept it simple...used organic food color!

Ingredients:

Baby Corn 10-15
Salt
Chili powder 1 spoon
Chili sauce 1 spoon
Corn flour 2 spoons
Food color - red 1 pinch
MSG 1-2 pinch
Soy sauce 2 spoons
Ginger-garlic paste 1/2 spoon
Egg whites from 1 egg
Oil for frying

To Garnish:

Green Onions

Method:

Marinate corn with all the above mentioned ingredients, except oil.

Then shallow fry them quickly in warm oil. Never load your oil. Always fry few at a time. Let the corn turn crispy on the outside.

Repeat the same for the remaining batch, set aside on kitchen towels.

Garnish with chopped green onions.

Serve to go with your tea.

Vegetable Manchurian

Vegetable Manchurian:

Veg Manchurian. Restaurnat Style Veg Manchurian.

Being a carnivore....never appreciated veggie food in the restaurant. But very rarely do order veg' appetizers and soup for my friends(almost all my friends were vegetarians, during college). So only on such occasions, came across some delightful veg recipes, purely practised only in restaurants.....got to say 'veg Manchurians are the yummiest veg appetizers'. Later I did make them several times at hostel. Since the kitchen was not well equipped, it never turned up like the restaurant ones.

As my pantry was full of veggies and I was bit confused what to fix, thought of my long lost fav' recipe! Good that I had all the sauces this time in hand. As most of the time, I will be missing few ingredients that the recipe calls for....so I give up making them on the whole!!!

Ingredients:

Veggies chopped into teeny meeny bits(carrots, beans, cabbage was my choice)
Salt
MSG
White pepper 1 spoon
Soy sauce light
Green chilies 2 chopped finely
Green onions(white part alone finely chopped)
Corn flour
Egg whites from an egg
Oil for deep frying
Tomato sauce
Soy sauce heavy
Hot sauce(optional, I didnt use any)
Onion 1 medium finely chopped
Green chilies 3-4 chopped
Garlic 7 cloves chopped
Ginger 2" chopped
Green onion 4-6 chopped
Sesame oil few spoons.

Method:

Steam cook all the veggies and squeeze away the water. Maybe use them in making soup later!

Now mix salt, MSG, pepper, chilies, soy sauce, flour, egg white and green onions. Bring them to tuff dough. Make equal parts out of it.

Now deep fry them in warm oil, till golden o reddish brown.

In a separate pan, heat sesame oil. Add chilies, onions, ginger and garlic, saute them. Add fried veg-balls too.

Now add all the sauces, let it coat to all the sides, add green onions and remove from heat.

Enjoy as an appetizer! Yummy right!!!

Chili Shrimps:

Fried Spicy Shrimps. Chili Prawns.

Since its always pouring outside, the nasty weather makes me to fix fried foods these days. Also I am a big fan of finger foods, holiday season...don't have to mention, visitors do appreciate appetizers.

When it comes to finger food, first thing comes to mind is this cocktail shrimps. Its not pricey and also comes in handy package! As a spice lover, I made them in an Indian way. Who doesn't like hot & spicy, palate hitting food, during rainy evenings!!!

Ingredients:

Shrimps 100-200 grams (I like to retain tail fin, but you can shell them completely)
Salt
Chili powder 1 spoon
Chili sauce 1 spoon
Corn flour 2 spoons
Food color - red (optional, I didn't use any)
MSG pinch
Soy sauce 2 spoons
Ginger-garlic paste 1/2 spoon
Egg whites from 1 egg
Oil for frying

To Garnish:

Garlic 10 cloves sliced
Green chilies 4 sliced
Curry leaves 2-4 twigs.

Method:

Marinate shrimps with all the above mentioned ingredients, except oil.

Then shallow fry them quickly in warm oil. Never load your oil. Always fry few at a time. Let the shrimps come out crispy on the outside.

Repeat the same for all the shrimps, set aside on kitchen towels.

In the same oil or using different oil....fry all the garnishing items too, then toss them together.

Serve to go with your tea.

Paneer 65:

Deep Fried Indian Cheese. Panir 65. Paneer Porichadhu.

When I was in Delhi, I shared my room with Poorani! The girl was(yeah was)strict vegetarian back then. When ever we went out for Dinner, she'll always order paneer 65as her appetizers. She said its vegetarian's Chicken 65'. Although...I could'nt agree with her term, I said...it could be never compared to chicken! Later she started trying my chicken recipes....she said its like Paneer and I could eat it all the time! Ha ha ha.

Later when I moved to Hyderabad...she came down to visit me. Before did she come I researched most of the restaurants in the city.(I tried Minerva, Seafood Place, Biriyani house, Bawarchi....so on) To my knowledge...'Paradise Inn' had the best 'Paneer 65'!

Well...today I tried my level best to give an exact restaurant style Paneer 65, except that I didnt use any food color and used only pinch of MSG. To create exact restaurant style...do go by my ingredients and recipe below! But hope you guys are aware of health hazard using artifcial colors and MSG!

Ingredients:

Indian Cottage Cheese(Paneer)
Ginger 2" minced
Garlic 3 cloves minced
Salt
MSG 1/4 Spoon
Soy sauce few spoons
Lemon juice few spoons
Corn flour few spoons
Red food color(organic would be fine)
Chili powder 2 spoons
White pepper 1 spoon
Black pepper 1/2 + 1/2 spoon
Cloves 3 - powderd
Curry leaves 1 bowl
Oil for deep frying.

Method:

Combine all the ingredients together(except oil, paneer and 1/2 spoon of pepper).

Now add paneer to it and mix well. Let this sit in fridge for real good hours(4 hours)

Heat oil in a deep frying pan. When it comes to smoky hot, fry few paneer pieces at a time. Leave them over kitchen tissues for a while. Repeat the same for each batch.

Crisply fry curry leaves and use them as garnish.

Then sprinkle pepper on top...while they are still warm.

Serve warm as a snack/appetizers/ side dish.

Mini Pizza

Mini Pizza:

Ingredients:

For Dough:

All purpose flour 1 cup
Salt
Baking soda 1/4 spoon
Baking powder 1/4 spoon
Sugar 2 spoons
Butter - melted few spoons
Dry yeast 2 spoons.

For Sauce:

Tomato sauce 1 table spoon
Salt
Italian herbs sesonning powders 2 spoon
Parsley falkes 1/2 spoon
Dry red chili flakes 1/2 spoon
Ground black pepper 1/4 spoon
Olive oil few spoons.

For toppings(as per choice)

Jalapenos
Black & green olives
Purple ONions
Tomatoes
Mushrooms
Zucchini
Cheese
Olive oil few spoons
Italian herbs sesonning powder 2 spoons.

Method:

For Dough:

In a wide bowl, add luke warm water. Add salt, sugar, butter and yeast. let this stand till they becoem foamy.

Now add flour, baking salt and soda to it. Knead them to soft, smooth fissure less dough. Cover with damp cloth. Let this sit for 7 hours. Maybe till it rises to 3 fold.

Make equal parts out of it. Knead them gently. Using a biscuit cutter, cut them into desired shapes. Set aside.

For Sauce:

In a sauce pan, heat oil. add all the above mentioned items and bring it to thick sauce to paste like consistency. Set aside.

For Mini Pizza:

Line the oven tray with aluminium foil. Run few spoons of olive oil.

Place the mini pizza with equal gap. Run 1 spoon of sauce on each of it. Spead tehm evenly. Now top with your desired topping. Run again few spoons of oil and herbs.

Bake them for 12-15 minutes over 350.

When they are almost done. Cheese it and rebake again till the cheese melts(another 4-6 minutes).

Serves good as a snack.