VEGETABLE MANCHURIAN

 Vegetable Manchurian

Manchurian is a Chinese delight which has small balls made of chicken/vegetables which are deep fried and cooked in soya sauce based gravy. Manchurian recipe is bit modified so that it can suit Indian tastes. The recipe is purely vegetarian. You may make gobhi Manchurian or chicken Manchurian in similar way.

 

Ingredients:-

For making Manchurian balls:-

2 cups chopped vegetables (carrot, cabbage, paneer, cauliflower)

1.5 cups gram flour/all-purpose flour

Salt to taste

1 tsp. pepper powder

Water as per requirement (1/2 cup)

Oil for frying

For Manchurian gravy:

1 tbsp. oil

2 onions, sliced

½ cup vegetables of choice, thinly sliced

Salt to taste

3 cups water

2 tbsp. corn flour

1 tbsp. tomato ketchup

1 tbsp. soya sauce

1 tsp. chilli sauce

2 tsp. sugar

Method:- 

• Mix chopped vegetables with 1 tsp. salt and drain out water by compressing them in hands after 10 minutes.

• Make a thick batter of flour which has a consistency of soft dough by adding little water and add vegetables to the batter.

• Add salt and pepper.

• Make circular balls not bigger than a table tennis ball.

• Deep fry the balls till golden brown on high and then low flame. Keep aside. Alternatively you may use air fryer or appe pan technique to make a healthier version.

For Gravy:-

• Heat oil in wok and add sliced onions to it.Saute it for a minute and add sliced vegetables of choice. I used carrots, beans, capsicum.

• Sauté for another 2 minutes and add water. Let it boil.

• In a separate cup of water mix corn flour, ketchup, soya sauce, chilli sauce and sugar.

• Add this to wok and stir it for 2 minutes.

• Check the consistency and salt.

• Serve hot with fried rice or Hakka noodles.

 

GRILLED BURGER

 Grilled Cottage Cheese & Mushroom Burger With Egg

Burger is a kind of sandwich which consists of patty which is arranged well inside buns specially made for burgers. The popularity of burger can be imagined with the popularity of fast food chains across the world. The burger patties are available in frozen form in almost every super store.

 

We are presenting a healthier version which uses grilling process of ingredients like cottage cheese and mushroom.Kids’s favourite snack can be made healthier by using whole wheat buns though we have used normal ones. Vegetarians can skip egg as per their convenience.

Ingredients:- 

(Serving For 1)

100 grams Cottage cheese 

1 burger bun

Salt to taste

½ tsp. crushed black pepper

½ tsp. chat masala

1 onion slice horizontal

1 tomato slice

1 tsp. tomato ketchup

1 tsp. mint dip

1 tbsp. oil

Omelette (optional)

Salt to taste

1 egg

½ onion slicely cut

 ½ turmeric powder

1 tsp. oil

Method:-

• Take cottage cheese, onion slice, tomato slice and mushroom in a bowl and marinate it with oil, salt and crushed pepper.

• Heat a grill pan/electronic grill and grill cottage cheese steak till nicely brown colour appears. Also grill mushroom, tomato and onion in similar way.

• Take burger bun and make a slit in between with a sharp knife. Apply little butter and grill them.

  

• Make an omelette of 1 egg by beating 1 egg and adding salt and pepper to taste, little chopped onion and 1 tsp. oil.

• When all above steps are done, we’ll arrange the burger. First tomato ketchup is applied in the bun on lower side. The cottage cheese steak is placed over it and then chat masala is sprinkled and onion sliced is placed. Above it we place omelette and again mint dip is applied. Finally grilled mushroom is placed.

• The upper bun is well sealed by using toothpick and a mushroom as shown in picture.

• The burger can be served with more of grilled vegetables or simple potato wedges. You may try your version of grilled steak using tofu or fish.

DHOKLA

  Dhokla

Dhokla also known as dhokra in gujrati is a popular dish. It is made of gram/chickpea flour which is fermented with yoghurt. This light and easy to make dish is liked by all and uses simple ingredients which are most commonly used in kitchen. Once you are able to make this, you may try interesting fusions like sandwich dhokla and Chinese dhokla.

Ingredients:-

2 cups besan/gram flour

1 cup sooji

1 cup yoghurt

Salt to taste

1 tsp fruit salt

1 tsp lemon juice

2 tsp oil

1 tsp sugar

½ tsp turmeric powder

2 green chilies finely chopped

Tempering:-

1 tsp mustard seeds

10-12 curry leaves.

4-5 green chilies sliced

1 tsp oil

Method:-

• Take a large bowl and put besan, sooji, sugar and oil. Beat in the yoghurt slowly till it becomes a smooth batter. Add turmeric and salt in it.

• Let it rest for 20 minutes so that it ferments.

• Add lemon juice, green chilies and lastly mix fruit salt in it.

• Take water in pressure cooker and boil it. You need a stand (can be idly stand) too. Pour in the mixture into a greased plate or container and place it in cooker.

• Remove the whistle and let the dhokla steam for around 15minutes at high flame.

• Remove the lid and check the dhokla by inserting a fork into it. The fork should come out clean.

• Let it cool for 15-20minutes and cut into cubical shape.

• Heat oil in pan and add mustard seeds and curry leaves and crackle it. Add sliced green chilies and pour it over dhokla.

Tastes best with tamarind or coriander chutney.

VADA PAO

 Vada Pao

Vada pav is a famous maharashtrian dish which is flavorful and delicious. I would love to call it an indianised burger. Its made from potato dumplings which are coated with gram flour batter and deep fried called batata vada and served with pav bread along with garlic dip and fried chilly. The amazing snack can be found in nearly every street of Maharashtra and is surprisingly economical. Heres a process following which you can enjoy it at your home.

Ingredients:-     

Boiled potatoes 5no.s
Curry leaves 4-5
Mustard seeds 1tsp
Garlic paste 1tsp
Salt to taste
Red chili powder 1tsp
Turmeric powder 1/2tsp
Coriander powder 1tsp
Fennel seeds 1/4tsp
Anardana powder 1/2tsp
Garam masala ½ tsp
Garlic chutney 2tblspn
Oil 2tblspn

Batter:-

Gram flour 1.5cup
Salt 1/2tsp
Red chili powder 1/2tsp
Turmeric powder ½ tsp
Water
Baking soda 1/4tsp
Oil for frying

Method:-

Filling:- 

• Heat oil in a pan and add curry leaves, mustard seeds to it. When they crackle add garlic paste and mashed potatoes.

• Add all the spices and salt and mix it well. If the mixture seems bit watery, you may add cornflour.Take balls not bigger than a table tennis ball size.

•  Make a batter of gram flour and water with a thick consistency. 

• Add spices and salt except baking soda. When the batter is smooth and you are ready to fry the balls, add baking soda and a spoon of hot water and whisk it up.

• Coat the potato balls in batter with the help of fork and deep fry it until golden brown. 

• Place the balls on absorbent paper. 

• Batata vada is ready.

 

• Take a pav and slit them into halves. 

• Roast them on tawa.Apply garlic chutney and place the fried batata vada inside it. You may apply green mint chutney as well.

Vada Pav is ready to serve. Traditinally its served with fried green chilly.