Gobi Manchurian

Gobi Manchurian

Ingredients 

A. For Marinating The Cauliflower Florets

1. Cauliflower florets 300g

2. Black pepper powder 1 tsp

3. Ginger paste 1 tsp

4. Garlic paste 21/2 tsp

5. Green Chilli paste 1/2 tsp

6. Salt to taste

B. For The Batter

1. All purpose flour/maida 1/2 cup

2. Corn starch 1/4 cup

3. Pepper powder 1/4 tsp

4. Baking powder 1 tsp

5. Salt to taste 

6. Oil 2 tbsp

7. Ice cold water 1/2 cup or more 

C. For The Sauce

1. Spring onions 3 finely chopped(white & greens separated)

2. Ginger paste 1/2 tsp

3. Garlic paste 1 tsp

4. Garlic very thinly sliced or chopped 5

5. Ginger finely chopped 1"

6. 1 tsp Corn starch dissolved in 1/4 cup of water 

7. Soy sauce 11/2 tbsp plus 1 tsp more

8. Red chilli sauce/siriracha 11/2 tsp

9. Tomato ketchup 2-3 tbsp 

10. White pepper powder 1/2 tsp

11. Peanut butter 1/4 tsp 

12. Sugar 1 tsp 

13. Vinegar 1 tsp

14. Salt 

15. Sesame oil 3 tbsp

D. For Garnish

1. Sesame seeds a little 

2. Spring onion greens a handful 

Method Of Preparation 

A. Marinating The Cauliflower Florets

1. Wash the florets nicely in running cold water & pat dry them or drop the florets in a saucepan of hot water for a minute & cover the pan with a lid. After a minute, immediately wash the florets under cold running water & pat dry.

2. Marinate with ginger garlic green chilli paste, black pepper powder & salt.

3. Cover & keep it on the countertop for 30 minutes.

B. Frying The Florets

1. In a bowl, add the all purpose flour, corn starch, salt, oil & black pepper powder. Mix everything together nicely. Then add sufficient amount of water & add the florets into this batter. After 30 minutes, coat the florets in the batter nicely. 

2. Heat a skillet with oil on medium heat. Deep fry the florets in the oil. 

3. Drain them onto paper towels. 

4. If you want them to be extra crispy, then you may fry them a second time on high flame or if you are unable to serve this soon, then you may fry them a second time .

C. Preparing The Sauce

1. Take a heavy bottomed skillet & add sesame oil into it. Then add the ginger garlic paste & thinly sliced ginger & garlic. Then add the white pepper powder, soy sauce, red chilli sauce, tomato ketchup, peanut butter, sugar, vinegar & spring onion whites. Mix everything together. Do all this with the flame switched off. 

2. Now turn on the flame on medium heat & when the sauce begins to boil add the corn starch dissolved in water. 

3. Mix it well & let the sauce thicken to half of its original quantity, then turn off the flame. If you like it very saucy,you don't have to reduce the quantity to half or if you like it somewhat dry, then reduce it to half just enough to coat the florets. If there's too much sauce, the florets will not stay crispy. 

4. Add the fried cauliflower to the sauce only after 5 minutes. Do not add as soon you turn off the flame as that will make your paneer soggy. If Your adding the florets only at the time of serving, then you may need to heat the sauce a little if it has cooled down.

5. Garnish with white sesame seeds & spring onion greens & serve hot with fried rice/noodles or serve as a starter.

Corn starch dissolved in water

Sauce ready for the florets to be dropped in or to be drizzled over the florets.

Florets coated with sauce

                                        Gobi Manchurian ready to be served

Notes

1. I would suggest you follow the steps exactly until frying the florets & for the sauce you can make adjustments. You can adjust the quantity of the sauces, ketchup, vinegar & sugar as per your choice. If you want it a little more sour, then you can add more of soy sauce. If you feel you don't want to add the above mentioned quantity of soy sauce, then you may reduce it. Also, soy sauce makes the sauce darker in color. If you want it more tangy then add more soy sauce & vinegar, if you like it more sweet, then increase the quantity of ketchup. Increase or reduce the quantity of the ingredients for the sauce as per your liking. It can be altered as per your taste.

2. The consistency of the batter needs to be a little thick & not watery. 

3. Follow the above steps exactly for marinating & frying the florets & l'm sure the fried florets will turn out very crispy.

4. Also adjust the quantity of black pepper as per your taste.

5. Corn starch can be replaced with rice flour for marinating the paneer.

6. If you feel the florets will become soggy when you add them in the sauce, then just arrange them on your serving plate & drizzle some sauce over them. This way the florets remain crisp.

Restaurant Style Crispy Honey Chilli Paneer

Restaurant Style Crispy Honey Chilli Paneer

Ingredients 

A. For Marinating The Paneer

1. Paneer 300g cut into 3/4 inch cubes

2. Black pepper powder 1 tsp
3. Ginger paste 1 tsp

4. Garlic paste 21/2 tsp

5. Green Chilli paste 1/2 tsp

6. Salt to taste

B. For The Batter

1. All purpose flour/maida 1/2 cup

2. Corn starch 1/4 cup

3. Pepper powder 1/4 tsp
4. Baking powder 1 tsp

5. Salt to taste 

6. Oil 2 tbsp

7. Ice cold water 1/2 cup or more 

C. For The Sauce

1. Onions cubed 1 medium sized

2. Bell peppers/capsicums cubed 1 medium sized

3. Spring onions 3 finely chopped 

4. Ginger paste 1/2 tsp

5. Garlic paste 1 tsp

6. Garlic very thinly sliced or chopped 10

7. Ginger finely chopped 1"

8. 1 tsp Corn starch dissolved in 1/4 cup of water 

9. Soy sauce 2 tbsp

10. Red chilli sauce/siriracha 11/2 tsp

11. Tomato ketchup 2 tsp 

12. Black pepper powder 1/4-1/2 tsp

13. Honey 3 tbsp 

14. Salt 

15. Sesame oil 2 tbsp

D. For Garnish

1. Sesame seeds a little 

2. Spring onion greens a handful 

Method Of Preparation 

A. Marinating The Paneer

1. Boil water in a saucepan. When it comes to a rolling boil, turn off the flame.

2. Drop the paneer cubes into the water & let it stay in the water for 3 minutes.

3. Take it out of the water & pat dry them.

4. Now you may see the paneer too soft & it is not possible to work with it. So, put it in the freezer for 15 minutes.

5. After 15 minutes take it out & marinate with ginger garlic green chilli paste, black pepper powder & salt.

6. Cover & keep it on the countertop for 30 minutes.

                                            Paneer cut into 3/4 inch sized cubes

Paneer soaked in boiling water

Taken out of boiling water & pat dried. Paneer is too soft now so you cannot work with it. So put it in the freezer for 15 minutes.

Marinated Paneer

Marinated paneer

B. Frying The Paneer

1. In a bowl, add the all purpose flour, corn starch, salt, oil, baking powder & black pepper powder. Mix everything together nicely. Then add sufficient amount of water & add the marinated paneer into this batter. Coat the paneer cubes in the batter nicely. 

2. Heat a skillet with oil on high flame. Deep fry the paneer cubes in the oil. If you think the cubes are getting burnt, then you may reduce the heat to a medium but if you want the paneer to be crispy, fry them on a high flame. 

3. Drain them onto paper towels. 

4. After you have drained them on the paper towels, if you see any of the paneer not fried properly to a golden brown color, then you may fry them again on a low flame.(see pic #4 & #5)

5. If you want the paneer to be extra crispy, then you may fry them a second time on low flame. 

Batter for coating the paneer

Paneer coated in the batter

Deep frying the paneer

See, here I have deep fried the paneer on high flame but a few paneer cubes(on the left) havent turned golden brown in color.

So, I fried them one more time on low flame & now you can see that all the cubes are uniformly browned

C. Preparing The Sauce

1. Take a heavy bottomed skillet & add sesame oil into it.

2. On a high flame, add ginger garlic paste, followed by very thinly sliced garlic & finely chopped ginger. 

3. Sauté for a few seconds, then add spring onion whites, cubed red onions, cubed bell peppers. Sauté for two minutes. 

4. Then add the corn starch dissolved in water.

5. Give it a stir & add the black pepper powder, soy sauce, Chilli garlic sauce & tomato ketchup. Mix everything together.

6. Now thicken the sauce & reduce it to half of its original quantity & then turn off the flame. 

7. After you turn off the flame, add honey.

8. Add the fried paneer to the sauce only after 5 minutes or at the time of serving. Do not add as soon you turn off the flame as that will make your paneer soggy. If your adding the paneer only at the time of serving, then you may need to heat the sauce a little if it has cooled down.

9. Garnish with white sesame seeds & spring onion greens & serve hot with fried rice/noodles or serve as a starter.

This is corn starch dissolved in water

Ginger garlic paste, thinly sliced ginger & garlic in the oil.

Onions, spring onion whites & capsicums added

Corn starch dissolved in water added

Sauces, ketchup added. Then honey added after turning off the flame.

                                  Paneer added to the sauce after 5 minutes.

Notes

1. If you follow all the above steps correctly, you can make the most amazing honey Chilli paneer. 

2. I would suggest you follow the steps exactly until frying the paneer & for the sauce you can make adjustments. You can adjust the quantity of the sauces, ketchup, honey as per your choice. If you want it a little more sour, then you can add more of soy sauce. If you feel you don't want to add the above mentioned quantity of soy sauce, then you may reduce it. Also, soy sauce makes the sauce darker in color. If you want it more tangy then add more soy sauce, if you like it more sweet, then increase the quantity of ketchup & honey. Increase or reduce the quantity of the ingredients for the sauce as per your liking. It can be altered as per your taste.

3. While preparing the sauce, make sure the flame is on high. Cooking the sauce on a low flame makes the veggies really soggy. Hence, cook on high flame & make sure not to burn the sauce. So, be quick in adding each sauce one after another. 

4. The veggies need to be sautéed no more than 2 minutes as you want them to be crunchy and not soft.

5. The consistency of the batter needs to be a little thick & not watery. 

6. Follow the above steps exactly for marinating & frying the paneer & l'm sure the fried paneer cubes will turn out very crispy.

7. Also adjust the quantity of black pepper as per your taste.

8. Corn starch can be replaced with rice flour for marinating the paneer.

Kerala Style Chicken Drumsticks Fry

Kerala Style Chicken Drumsticks Fry

Ingredients 

1. Chicken drumsticks 4 large sized

2. Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp 

3. Chilli powder 1 tbsp 

4. Pepper powder 1/2 tsp

5. Garam masala 1 tbsp

6. Ginger garlic paste 1 tbsp

7. Juice of 1/2 lemon 

8. Onions thinly sliced 1 big onion

9. Green chillies slit 8-10

10. Curry leaves 2 sprigs plus 1 sprig

11. Ginger finely chopped 1"(optional)

12. Garlic finely chopped 6-7(optional)

13. Salt 

14. Water a few drops 

15. Coconut oil for shallow frying 

16. Lemon wedges(optional)

Method Of Preparation 

1. Wash the drumsticks well & pat dry them.

2. Make 2 slits/gashes on each drumstick & using a fork poke them on all the sides so that the flavors can get into the chicken & make it nice, juicy & flavorful.

3.  Make a marinade with chilli powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, ginger garlic paste, salt & add a few drops of water to make a wet marinade. Apply the marinade well on the chicken & let the it rest on the countertop for 2-3 hours.

4. Add 1 tbsp of oil in a heavy bottomed skillet & heat it. Add 2 sprigs of curry leaves to the oil & fry till they turn crisp & remove them from the oil. 

5. Then to the same oil add the chicken drumsticks. Do not overcrowd the pan with too many drumsticks. Cook them till they are done or become brown on both the sides. This might take less than 5 minutes. Cook the drumsticks in very less oil. While they are getting cooked, if needed(if you feel there isnt any oil in the skillet or if you feel the chicken is getting burnt), you may add 1 tsp or two tsp more of oil on the chicken & let it cook. Do not pour a lot of oil into the skillet. Just a tsp or two will do.

  

6. Once done, remove the drumsticks onto a plate.

7. When you have finished frying all the drumsticks, to the same oil/pan add a sprig of curry leaves followed by onions, finely chopped ginger & garlic & sliced green chillies. Adding ginger & garlic is completely optional. If there is no oil left in the skillet after frying the chicken, then you may add a tsp of oil for coking the onions.

8. Sauté till the onions turn translucent.

9. Now add the cooked drumsticks & the fried curry leaves(already kept aside) into the skillet on the onion base & mix everything together well for a minute on a low flame & turn off the flame.

10. Keep it covered for 15-20 minutes.

11. Pile up the onions, green chillies & curry leaves on the drumsticks & serve hot along with lemon wedges(optional).

Notes

1. Adjust the quantity of spices as per your spice level tolerance & the size of the drumsticks.

2. Do not make a watery marinade. Just make it wet so that the marinade sticks in the drumsticks. Add only a few drops of water.

3. If you do not have drumsticks, then you may use any other part of the chicken. 

4. If you do not want to shallow fry the chicken, then you may grill/bake/broil it & then add it to the onions.

5. Adding coconut oil gives an awesome aroma to the dish, if you do not want to use it, then you may use the oil of your choice. 

Cream Of Mushroom

Cream Of Mushroom 

Ingredients 

1. Mushrooms chopped 2 cups

2. Onions finely chopped 1/2 cup

3. Garlic 1/4 cup thinly sliced or finely chopped

4. Salt to taste 

5. Pepper 2 tsp

6. Corn starch 21/2 tsp dissolved in some cold water

7. Milk 3 cups

8. Vegetable or chicken stock 1/2 cup

9. Heavy whipping cream 1/4 cup

10. Butter 11/2 tbsp

Method Of Preparation 

1. Wash the mushrooms well & chop it.

2. In a heavy bottomed skillet, add butter. When it's hot, add garlic. When it changes color, add the onions & sauté till it turns translucent.

3. Add the chopped mushrooms & salt & pepper & cook on a medium-low flame till the water released from the mushrooms almost dries out.

4. Add milk & broth to the cooked mushrooms & stir till it begins to boil. 

5. Now add the corn starch dissolved in water & stir well for a few seconds so that it doesn't form any lumps in the soup. 

6. Add the fresh cream & when it begins to boil, turn off the flame. 

7. Serve hot with bread sticks/crackers.

Notes: 

1. The quantity of milk, cream & broth given above is what I used & how I like it. You may add or reduce the quantity as per your taste.

2. Instead of cream, you may also add cheddar cheese to the soup & let it cook till the cheese completely melts & top it with some more grated cheddar & serve.

3. like my soup to be nice & garlicky, hence add a lot of garlic. You may always reduce the quantity. I have thinly sliced them but you can even chop them into fine pieces if you want to.

4. You can skip the addition of cream if you don't want the soup to be very heavy, instead you may add some more milk.

5. I didn't add too much corn starch as the cream itself would make the soup thick when cooled, if you want it thicker or if your not going to add cream, then you may add more cornstarch.

6. You need to let the water released from the mushroom evaporate before you add the milk, otherwise the soup will not taste good.

7. If you do not have broth, then you may add just water. If you want your soup to be more creamy, then skip water & just add only milk.

8. Add more pepper if you want to make it more peppery.  You may sprinkle some pepper at the time of serving.