Baby Corn & Capsicum Pulao

To all the capsicum and baby corn lovers out there. Here comes an interesting recipe.I had made this for pot luck at my office and it was widely appreciated.This is one easy crunchy and a colorful pulao that can be made specially when you are inviting guests!! The combination of roasted capsicum with mint topped with baby corn is sure to tingle your taste buds!!!

serves:2-3

Ingredients

1. Basmati Rice-1.5 cups
2. Baby Corns- 6-7 nos.(cut into thin disc shaped sizes)
3. Red/Yellow/Green Capsicum - 1/4 cup each (chopped)
4. Onion-2 medium sized (Cut length wise)
5. Mint Leaves-fistful (finely chopped)
6. Ginger garlic paste-1 tbsp
7. Green Chili-2 
8. Ghee-2 tsp
9. Salt to taste

Masala Ingredients

• Cloves-3
• Cinnamon stick-2
• Bay leaf-1
• Star anise-2
• Green Cardamom-3
• Black Cardamoms-2
• Fennel Seed-1 tsp
• Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
• Mace/Japathri -2

Method

1. Rinse well and soak the Basmati rice for  30 minutes in water.

2. Heat ghee in a pan and add all masala ingredients into the pan. Saute for 2 mins on medium low flame.

3. Add onions , green chili and saute till the onions turn nice golden brown. Add ginger garlic paste and saute for another 1 min for the raw flavor to go off.

4. Add the sliced baby corns and chopped mint to the pan and saute for few mins.

5. Strain the soaked basmati rice and add it to the above pan.

6. Mix the rice along with the sauteed masala mixture.Ensure the rice is evenly mixed and covered with the masala mixture.

7. Now transfer the content of the pan to a vessel for pressure cooking.

10. Add salt to rice and cook the rice with 1:2 ratio of rice:water.

11. Now,heat the butter in a pan a and saute the chopped capsicum with a tsp of salt for about 1 -2 mins on a low flame.The capsicum should be crunchy.

12. Add the sauteed Capsicum to the cooked rice and mix gently.

13. The Baby corn-Capsicum pulao is now ready to be served with raitha or any other spicy accompaniments.

Baby Corn Manchurian

One of my favorite crispy dish from Indo-chinese cuisine.This is a very simple and easy to make recipe.You can serve it whenever you have unexpected guests at home.

Tastes best when used as an accompaniment for Veg Hakka Noodles and Veg. Fried Rice.

Serves: 2-3

Ingredients

1. Baby corn- 8-10 (chopped as shown in pic)
2. Oil for deep frying
3. Salt as needed

Batter Ingredients

1. Cornflour - 1/4 cup
2. Maida/All Purpose flour - 1/4 cup
3. Red Chili Powder - 1 tsp
4. Kashmiri Red Chili Powder - 1 tsp
5. Black pepper powder- 2 tsp
6. Salt needed

Manchurian Sauce

1. Garlic Pods-5-6 (Chopped finely)
2. Ginger- 1 inch (chopped finely)
3. Green Chilies-2 (chopped finely)
4. Soy Sauce - 2 tsp
5. Vinegar - 1 tsp (Rice vinegar or any)
6. Spring Onions-Finely chopped(Both leaf and the onion part)
7. Cornflour paste- 1 tbsp + 2 tbsp water
8. Tomato Ketchup- 1 tbsp
9. Red Chili Sauce - 1 tbsp
10. Pepper Powder - 2 tsp

Garnishing

Spring Onion leaves &  the spring Onions bulb- Chopped

Method

1. Mix the ingredients under batter with required amount of water.The batter should be of thick pouring consistency.

2. Chop the baby corns into medium sized length.Boil the cut Baby corns in water for 5 mins with a tsp of salt.Pat dry them.

3. Dip the Baby corns in the batter and coat them well with batter.

4. Deep fry the coated Baby corns in hot oil till the color turns light golden brown and keep it aside.

5. Heat some oil in a pan.Add spring onions and normal onion,garlic,ginger, chilies and saute till the onions turn transparent and the garlic turns light brown in color.

6. Add soy sauce,tomato sauce,vinegar and red chili sauce sauce and cook for about a minute.

7.  Add 1/4  cup water,salt,pepper powder and cook for another few minutes.Add cornflour paste for thickening and also to get a glaze saucy texture.

8. Add the fried  baby corns and saute well till they are coated completely with the sauce.

9. Add chopped spring onion leaves and serve hot.

Notes,Tips & Add-On's

1. Soy sauce already has salt and hence adjust the salt accordingly.
2. You can also garnish with normal onions and capsicum after sauteing them for a min with salt for additional add-on's.
3. Make sure the oil is hot before frying the baby corns,else the masala mixture may come off
4. Tomato ketchup can be adjusted according to the taste.

Two Colour Layered Vanilla Cake

Tried a 2 Color Layered Vanilla Cake with whipped cream frosting for the first time.It came out really well.The 3rd cake from the house of griha Bhojanam.

Veg Hakka Noodles

Hakka Noodles is one of the main dish from the chinese cuisine and a very frequent menu in any restaurant.This yummy noodles is very easy and simple to me.Lets explore the ching's secret!!!

INGREDIENTS

1. Hakka Noodles- 1 medium packet *I used Ching's Secret
2. Soy sauce-2 tsp
3. Sesame Oil/Olive Oil/Cooking Oil-2 tbsp
4. Keya Chinese Seasoning - 2 tsp (Optional)
5. Sugar- 1 tsp
6. Salt and pepper - as needed

Veggies Used

• Spring Onions-3-4 finely chopped(Onion Part)
• Carrot-1 (Thinly shredded)
• Beans-8-10 (finely chopped)
• Capsicum/Bell Pepper-1 (green,red or yellow cut in thin Julienne)
• Green Chilies-2-3 (slit lengthwise)
• Garlic-3 pods (finely chopped)
• Cabbage-1/4 Cup (shredded thinly)

Garnishing

Spring onion leaves-finely chopped

Method

1. Boil noodles as per package instructions and keep it aside.

2. Heat up oil in a pan and saute the chopped garlic pods.

3. Add all other vegetables along with sugar and stir fry them quickly on medium high flame.This should be done until the veggies are semi cooked yet crunchy.

4. Add boiled hakka noodles,add soya sauce,salt and pepper powder. 

5. Toss the noodles well until the noodles is mixed well with veggies,soy sauce,salt and pepper.

6. Garnish with spring onions and serve it hot.

Notes,Tips & Add-On's

1. The vegetables have to be stirred continuously on a high flame.Ensure they don't get burnt.
2. Soya sauce already contains salt and hence watch out on the salt added.
3. Sugar is added to balance the taste and retain the color for veggies.

Gobi Manchurian

This is one of the most important recipe from the Chinese Cuisine and always kid's favourite.Goes very well as a starter and also as a side dish.Tastes best when used as an accompaniment for Veg Hakka Noodles and Veg. Fried Rice. This recipe is very similar to my recipe Baby Corn Manchurian.

Serves: 2-3

Ingredients

1. Chopped Cauliflower - 10 florets 
2. Oil for deep frying
3. Salt as needed

Batter Ingredients

1. Cornflour - 1/4 cup
2. Maida/All Purpose flour - 1/4 cup
3. Red Chili Powder - 1 tsp
4. Kashmiri Red Chili Powder - 1 tsp
5. Black pepper powder- 2 tsp
6. Salt needed

Manchurian Sauce

1. Garlic Pods-5-6 (Chopped finely)
2. Ginger- 1 inch (chopped finely)
3. Green Chilies-2 (chopped finely)
4. Soy Sauce - 2 tsp
5. Vinegar - 1 tsp (Rice Vinegar or any vinegar)
6. Spring Onions-Finely chopped (Both leaf and the onion part)
7. Cornflour paste- 1 tbsp with 2 tbsp water
8. Tomato Ketchup- 1 tbsp
9. Red Chili Sauce - 1 tbsp
10. Pepper Powder - 2 tsp

Garnishing

Spring Onion leaves &  the spring Onions bulb- Chopped

Sauteing of vegetables in sauce

Adding fried Gobi and stir frying

Garnish with spring onions

Method

1. Mix the ingredients under batter with required amount of water.The batter should be of thick pouring consistency.

2. Boil the cut cauliflower in water for 2 mins with a tsp of salt.Pat dry them.

3. Dip the cauliflower in the batter and coat them well with batter.

4. Deep fry the coated cauliflower till the color turns light golden brown and keep it aside.

5. Heat some oil in a pan.Add spring onions,ginger,garlic,chilies and saute till the onions turn transparent and the garlic turns light brown in color.

6. Add soy sauce,tomato sauce,vinegar and red chili sauce sauce and cook for about a minute.

7.  Add 1/4  cup water,salt,pepper powder and cook for another few minutes.Add cornflour paste for thickening and also to get a glaze saucy texture.

8. Add the fried  cauliflower and saute well till they are coated completely with the sauce.

9. Add chopped spring onion leaves and serve hot.

Notes,Tips & Add-On's

1. While deep frying the florets,ensure the oil is at the right temperature and perfectly hot.If the oil is not hot, the florets will draw in more oil and it will become soggy.At the same time, too much heat can cause the florets to burn.
2. Soy sauce already has salt and hence adjust the salt accordingly.
3. You can also garnish with normal onions and capsicum after sauteing them with salt for a minute.