Schezwan rice

Schezwan rice - Shamala Bhat

Recipe :

• 1.5 cups basmati rice or long grained rice
• 6 cups water
• ½ tsp salt
• 2-3 drops of oil
• for making schezwan rice:
• 2 or 2.5 cups finally chopped vegetables ( i used 1 medium carrot, 8 french beans, ¼ cup finally chopped cabbage, 1 small capsicum/green bell pepper)
• 1 or 2 spring onions/scallions finely chopped, reserve the greens for garnishing
• 1 tsp finely chopped celery (optional), skip if you do not have.
• 2-3 garlic, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp schezwan sauce or as required -
• ¼ tsp black pepper or as required
• ½ tsp rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar or regular vinegar
• 2 tbsp sesame oil or any vegetable oil
• salt as required

Method

• rinse rice very well till the water runs clear of starch. soak the rice in enough water for 30 minutes.
• drain and keep aside.
• in a pot, bring to a gentle boil 6 cups of water with salt and 2 to 3 drops of oil.
• add the soaked and drained rice to the hot water.
• on a low to medium flame cook the rice without the lid.
• when the rice becomes al dente or just cooked, remove the pot from fire and strain the rice.
• gently rinse the rice in water so that they stop cooking and don't stick to each other.
• cover the rice and keep aside.
• preparing schezwan fried rice:
• finely chop all the vegetables. you can even shred the vegetables in a food processor.
• heat oil in a wok. add garlic and saute for a 15 to 20 seconds.
• add the onions, celery and all the vegetables.
• increase the flame and stir fry the vegetables on a high heat.
• more finely the vegetables are chopped, more faster they will cook.
• keep on stirring and tossing the vegetables on a high heat continuously. so that they are equally browned and cooked.
• when the edges of the veggies starts to become light brown, add schezwan sauce.
• stir and then add the drained rice in parts.
• mix and toss the rice with the veggies gently.
• season with salt, pepper and vinegar. stir and toss well so that the sauce coats all the rice grains evenly.
• garnish the schezwan fried rice with the spring onions greens.
• serve schezwan fried rice plain or with a side indo chinese dish like veg manchurian, mushroom manchurian or any dish of your choice.

Bread Manchurian

Bread Manchurian - Prathima Bhandary

Ingredients :

• Bread – 4 slices
• cornflour
• Onions 2 (Finely chopped)
• Big garlic (Finely chopped)
• Ginger small piece
• Green chilli -2
• Tomato ketchup – 3tbsp
• Soya sauce- 2tbsp
• Chilli powder -2 tbsp
• Coriander leaves- to garnish
• Salt
• Oil for frying

Method : 

• Cut the bread into one inch cubes. Make a paste with cornflour,salt, chilli powder, ginger garlic paste and water. 
• Dip the bread cubes in cornflour batter and deep fry. Heat oil in a pan and add the garlic, onions, sliced green chillies, ginger. 
• Saute until transparent. And add the salt, chilli powder, Tomato ketchup, soya sauce. Stir well and now add fried bread. And garnish with coriander leaves.

Eggless Brownie

Eggless Brownie - Anitha Shenoy

Ingredients:

• 1cup maida
• 125 Grams chocolate compound ( dark chocolate )
• 1/2 cup salted butter
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp soda bi carb
• 90 ml water
• 1/2 tin condensed milk...or 200gms 
• 1tsp vanilla
• Chopped walnuts as much as u wish

Method:

• Mix and sieve dry ingredients..maida baking powder and soda
• Take chopped chocolate, add water to it..heat both in a pan ..whisk for a smooth consistency..this makes chocolate sauce...
• In other bowl whisk butter (softened) with condensed milk...taste..add sugar if u think it's less sweet...
• Add vanilla..mix...add chocolate ( melted)..mix...
• Add maida mix...whisk...for 2 mins...
• Pour batter in a greased tin...
• Add chopped walnuts on top...bake at 180 ..mine takes 40 mins...
• Cool...cut ...enjoy warm...keep always in covered container..

Prawn curry with Raw Mango

Prawn curry with Raw Mango - Prasad Naik

Recipe :

• 1 Bigcup of cleaned without shell prawns, 15 Bedgi Mirchi, 10 Kashmiri Mirchi and 1 tsp Coriander seeds Roasted together. 
• Roasted Bedgi Mirchi & Coriander seeds, Fresh 1/2 cup Coconut, 1 onion, 5 seeds of Methi, 1/2 tsp Haldi. Add all these ingredients in a mixer with water and make fine paste. 
• Heat 2tbsp of oil in pan add 1 fine chopped onion, saute till translucent and Prawns with 1cup of water. Cook till it boils as Prawns do not take much time to cook. Add grounded fine paste, 1 Raw Mango Wedges and boil. 
• Now take 20 pods of lightly crushed Garlic make Bhagar in hot oil till Garlic are golden brown. Add them in boiling mixture and your Prawn curry (Kalvan) with Raw Mango is ready to serve with hot boiled Rice.

Channa Bhaji and Dudhi-Lauki Raita

Channa Bhaji and Dudhi-Lauki Raita

Recipe for Channa Bhaji : 

• 1/4 kg Channa to be soaked overnight. Wash and keep aside. In a Pressure Cooker take 2 tbsp oil, heat it up. Add 2 Slit Onions, add Channa, mix well till Onions are soft. 
• Make Masala in Kadhai - Take one cup fresh grated Coconut, 1 Badi Elachi, 2 Dalchini, 4 Cloves, 5 Black pepper corn, 2 tsp Garam Masala, 2 tsp Coriander Powder. 
• Now saute till it gives Brown Color. Now take the mixture off from gas and make it cool and add 2 Green Chilled, Fresh Coriander, 1/2 inch Ginger, 5 Pods Garlic. 
• Put all this in mixer and grind to paste adding one glass of water. Now take out the paste and add it in Pressure Cooker where Channas are getting cooked by adding 1 tsp Salt. 
• Mix well and add 4 glasses of water. Put the pressure cooker lid on and take 6 whistles, where your Channa is cooked well. After the pressure is off, take this lovely thick Channa Bhaji in Vessel garnish with fresh Coriander and it's ready to serve.

Recipe For Dudhi - Lauki Raita :

• Scrape the thick skin off Lauki, cut it in small PCs and Boil in water. Drain the water off and take it in a bowl. Add Roasted Crushed Groundnut, Fine chopped Green Chilli's and Coriander, Salt and Curd. 
• Mix well and bring it to Riata consistency. keep it in fridge if you want it cold. Garnish with Red Chilli Powder and Jeera Powder, Summer Special Raita is Ready to serve.