Veg ManChow Soup

ManChow Soup is a Indo Chinese Soup which is a little spicy but loaded with lots of veggies. 

You can add cooked and shredded chicken to this too. But, I love the veg version of ManChow.

Preparation Time : 15 minutes 

Cook Time: 15 minutes 

Serves : 2-3

Ingredients:

Garlic : 2 cloves minced

Ginger : 1" piece chopped finely

Green chilies: 2 chopped finely 

Onion : 1 chopped finely 

Mushrooms: 1/4 cup sliced

Cabbage: 1/4 cup shredded 

Carrot : 1/2 of a large grated

Veg broth : 3 cups

Soy sauce: 2 teaspoons 

Black pepper: 1 teaspoon 

Corn Starch: 6 teaspoons 

Water : 4 tablespoons 

Rice Vinegar: 1/2 teaspoon 

Green onions/scallions: 2 chopped 

Method:

Heat oil in a vessel and add Ginger, garlic and green chilies. Fry for 1 minute.

Add onions and sauté till the turn translucent.

Add mushrooms and fry for 1 minute. Add the rest of veggies and cook them on high heat for 4 minutes. Add the soy sauce mix well. Add the veg broth and black pepper, mix well and bring it to a boil on medium flame.

Now make a slurry by mixing corn starch and water. Add it to the soup and cook for 2-3 minutes until the soup thickens.

Turn off the stove, add vinegar and garnish with scallions. Serve hot.

Baby Corn Pulao

My mom is a Vegetarian so I'm always trying out something new for her especially when I make Biryani with meat in it for the family. 

I have all the ingredients to make a pulao and I had baby corn on hand so I tried this out. It came out very well and she enjoyed eating it. Kids loved it too.

My baby corn was a little too long so I cut them into pieces but if you can get small ones, use the whole baby corn.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes 

Cook Time: 25 minutes 

Serves : 2-3

Ingredients:

Basmati Rice: 1 cup

Onion : 1 sliced

Turmeric: 1 teaspoon 

Baby corn : 250 gms

Capsicum/Green pepper: 1/2 sliced

Carrot: 1 cut into 1"pieces

Ginger garlic paste: 1 tablespoon 

Cilantro: small bunch

Mint: small bunch

Green chilies: 7-8

Salt to taste 

Garam masala: 1 teaspoon 

For tempering:

Cinnamon: 1" stick 

Bay leaf: 1

Shahi jeera : 1 teaspoon 

Green cardamom/Elachi:2

Method:

Wash and soak rice for 30 minutes.

Heat 2 tablespoons of ghee in a pan and add ingredients listed for tempering. Fry for 1 minute. Add onions, turmeric and sauté till they turn translucent.

In the meanwhile, take cilantro, mint and green chilies and grind them into a paste.

Add ginger garlic paste to onion and fry for 30 seconds. Add cilantro paste and fry for 1 minute.

Add all veggies and cook for 5 minutes.

Add 1 3/4 cups of water, garam masala and salt. Bring it to a boil. Add drained rice and bring it to a boil again.

Simmer the stove and close lid. Cook for 10 minutes until rice is done.

Let it rest for 5-10 minutes before opening the lid.

Serve hot with raita.

Anjappar Style Chicken Biryani

Anjappar Style Chicken Biryani comes from an Authentic Chettinadu Restaurant Chain based in Chennai, India but have restaurants all over South India and Several Countries.

The aroma and flavors are too good not to give it a try. This biryani has become one of the favorites for our family.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes 

Marinate Time: 1 hour

Cook Time: 40 minutes 

Serves : 4-5

Ingredients:

To Marinate:

Chicken: 500 gms with bones

Red chili powder: 1 teaspoon 

Salt : 1 teaspoon 

Turmeric: 1/2 teaspoon 

Yogurt/ curd : 1 tablespoon

Lemon juice: 1/4 teaspoon 

For Tempering:

Cloves: 6

Elachi/Green cardamom: 4

Cumin: 1/2 teaspoon 

Cinnamon: 2" stick 

Fennel seeds: 1/2 teaspoon 

Bay leaves: 2

Marathi Mogga : 1

Others:

Basmati rice: 2 cups 

Onion: 2 sliced

Green chilies: 3 slit 

Tomato: 1 large diced

Ginger garlic paste: 1 tablespoon 

Cilantro/ coriander leaves: 5-6 sprigs chopped 

Mint : 5-6 sprigs chopped 

Water : 3 1/2 cups 

Red chili powder: 1 teaspoon 

Garam masala: 1/2 teaspoon 

Biryani masala: 1/2 teaspoon 

Salt to taste 

Method:

Take all ingredients listed under marinate, mix well and keep in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Wash and soak rice for 10 minutes.

Heat 2 tablespoons of ghee and 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan and add the ingredients listed under tempering.

Add green chilies and onions and sauté till golden brown.

In meanwhile, drain rice. Heat 2 teaspoons of ghee in a pan and add drained rice. Keep frying the rice until it changes the color to light yellow.

Add ginger garlic paste to the onions and mix well. Fry for 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and cook until they turn mushy.

Add cilantro and mint leaves mix well.

Add the chicken mix well and fry for 15- 17 minutes until the chicken is done by mixing in between. 

Add water, garam masala, biryani Masala, red chili powder, salt mix well and bring it to a boil. 

Add the rice, gently mix and close lid. Simmer and cook for 12-15 minutes until the rice is done. 

Let it rest for 5 minutes before opening the lid, fluff up with a fork and serve hot with gravy or raita.