Chinese Bhel

Chinese Bhel is a famous Mumbai roadside dish. Fried noodles are tossed with veggies and sauces to give a nice texture and taste.
As part of swapping ingredients through mail, The second ingredient I received through mail from my fellow blogger Archana is noodles. So, I thought of making this snack which is loved by all ages.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Serves : 4-5

Ingredients:

Dry Hakka noodles : 2 cups
Carrot : 2 cut into julienne
Cabbage : 1/2 cup cut into thin strips
Capsicum/ Green bell Pepper: 1/2 cup sliced
Red bell pepper: 1/2 cup sliced
Chili garlic sauce: 1 cup
Tomato ketchup: 2 tablespoons
Cilantro/ coriander leaves: 1/2 chopped to garnish
Spring onions/scallions: 1/2 cup chopped
Salt to taste

Method:

Add 6 cups of water in a large saucepan and bring it to a boil. Add salt and noodles and cook for 5 minutes or 75% done.
Drain the water and coat the noodles with some oil.
Heat oil for deep frying and add the noodles and fry till they turn golden. It took me 6 minutes.
Take the noodles into a plate.
Heat oil in a wok and add white part of scallions, cabbage, carrots and sauté for 3 minutes.
Add red and green peppers and sauté for another 3 minutes.
Add fried noodles, ketchup and chili garlic sauce. Toss well and cook for 5 minutes.
Turn off the stove, garnish with scallions and cilantro.
Serve immediately.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing this BM#73

Szechuan Potatoes

This time for Blogging Marathon, we were given a challenge to cook with the ingredients that came through mail where Valli paired us up. I got paired with Archana who is from Goa, I received amazing ingredients to cook along with some Goa special cashews for the kids.
The first ingredient I chose to cook with today is the Szechuan sauce. I made these crispy Szechuan potatoes and kids loved them.
The dish is super simple to make and it works well as a starter or a side dish.

Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Boil Time: 7 minutes
Cook Time: 7minutes
Serves : 2

Ingredients:

Potatoes: 4 medium cut into wedges
Cornflour : 1/4 cup
Salt to taste
Garlic : 2 cloves minced
Dry Red chilies: 2 broken in half
Scallions/green onions : 1 chopped finely
Szechuan sauce: 1/4 cup


Method:

Wash and cut the potatoes into wedges with skin.
Add them to water and bring it to a boil. Parboil the potatoes. It took me 7 minutes.
Drain the water, add salt and cornflour to the potatoes. Mix well.
Deep fry them for 4-5 minutes until they turn crisp.
Take them out into a plate.
Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a pan, add red chilies, garlic and white part of the scallions.
Sauté for 1 minute. Add Szechuan sauce and potatoes, stir well and turn off the stove.
Top it off with scallions and serve hot as a starter or a side dish.


Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing this BM#73

Szechuan Chicken

Szechuan is a style of Chinese cuisine originated from Sichuan province in southwestern China. Lots of garlic and chili peppers are used in the dishes. These dishes are spicy compared to regular Chinese dishes.
We all love spicy food and also Chinese food, Szechuan cuisine satisfies the need. Kids and all my family love this dish. I made it numerous times but never got a chance to take pictures.
I made Szechuan chicken with home made Szechuan sauce. Sauce is easy to make:
Szechuan sauce 

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Resting time : 10-15 minutes
Cook Time : 20 minutes
Serves : 4-5

Ingredients:

For Marination :
Chicken boneless and skinless thighs : 500 grams (cut into small pieces)
Chili flakes : 3 tablespoons
Ground Pepper: 1 teaspoon
Ginger : 1 teaspoon grated
Garlic : 1 teaspoon grated
Soy sauce : 2 tablespoons
Corn starch/flour : 1/3 cup
Salt to taste

For fry:
Oil : 1 tablespoon
Fried chicken
Szechuan sauce : 1/2 cup
Water : 1/3 cup
Cilantro: To garnish

Method:

In a bowl, mix all ingredients listed under for marination, mix well and keep it in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
Heat oil for deep frying and add the marinated chicken in 2-3 batches and fry until golden and crispy about 10-12 minutes per batch.
Take the chicken out and place them on a paper towel.
Heat oil in a wide pan, add Szechuan sauce and fry for 1 minute. Add water, mix well and cook for 1 minute. Add cilantro and mix well.
Add the fried chicken and mix well.
Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with fried rice or as a starter.

Chicken Hakka Noodles

Hakka noodles is one of the most loved Indo-Chinese foods in India. Most of the time you see Vegetable Hakka Noodles but hubby doesn't noodles and to please him, I add Chicken to them so he doesn't complain. Kids love veg version too so, I'll post that soon.

These noodles are a little spicy but has a lot of veggies and mix of sauces brings a distinct flavor.

Preparation Time: 15 minutes 

Cook Time: 25 minutes 

Serves : 4-5

Ingredients:

Noodles: 2 packs cook as per package instructions 

Garlic: 6 Cloves chopped 

Green/Red chilies: 6 slit

Onion: 1 large sliced

Capsicum/Green pepper: 1 large sliced 

Cabbage: 1 cup shredded 

Carrot: 2 cut in julienne 

Hot sauce: 3 tablespoons 

Red chili paste: 2 tablespoons 

Soy sauce: 2 teaspoons 

Vinegar: 1 teaspoon 

White pepper: 1/2 teaspoon 

Cilantro/Coriander leaves: 1/4 cup chopped 

Salt to taste 

For Chicken:

Chicken: 500 gms 

Black pepper: 1/2 teaspoon 

White pepper: 1/2 teaspoon 

Salt to taste 

Method:

Boil the noodles according to the package instructions, drain the water, toss in some oil and keep aside.

Heat oil in a pan on high heat and add all ingredients to cook chicken. Sauté for 10 minutes until the chicken is golden brown.

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok and add garlic and chilies. Fry for 30 seconds and add all veggies. Sauté them for 3-4 minutes on high heat until the veggies are cooked. They should still be crisp. 

Add all the spices, sauces and mix well. Add the chicken and cook for 2 minutes.

Add the noodles and mix well to coat and cook for 2 minutes.

Add cilantro and mix well. Serve hot.

Burnt Chicken Garlic Fried Rice

Burnt Chicken garlic fried rice is a dish where you can definitely taste the garlic. The garlic, ground pepper and red chili flakes gives a distant flavor and is very aromatic too.

The dish is a good one for a weekday dinner. 

Preparation Time: 10 minutes 

Cook Time: 20 minutes 

Serves : 3-4

Ingredients:

Long grain rice: 1 1/2 cups

Chicken boneless: 250 gms cut into cubes

Onion : 1 medium sliced 

Garlic: 12-14 cloves chopped 

Red chili flakes: 1/2 teaspoon + 1/2 teaspoon 

Ground pepper: 1/2 teaspoon + 1/2 teaspoon 

Soy sauce: 2 teaspoons

Rice vinegar: 1 teaspoon 

Salt to taste 

Peanut or Sesame oil: 3 tablespoons ( you can use any oil of your choice)

Method:

Cook rice with 3 cups of water and 1 teaspoon of oil, wait for 5 minutes and fluff it up with a fork and keep aside.

Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a wok on high heat, add garlic and onions. Sauté for 1 minute and add chicken and sauté till all of them turn light brown for 5 minutes. 

Add 1/2 teaspoon of red chili flakes and ground pepper, mix well and cook for 1 minute.

Add rice, rest of the red chili flakes, ground pepper, soy sauce, vinegar and salt and mix well to coat.

Serve hot.

Veg Fried Rice Restaurant Style

Restaurant Style veg fried rice is the dish from north India. The rice has a lots of veggies and very less spices but flavors come from veggies, soy sauce and pepper. It's tasty and light on the tummy too.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes 

Cook Time: 20 minutes 

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

Basmati Rice: 1.5 cups 

Onion : 1 medium cut in half and sliced

Carrot: 2 diced

Capsicum/Green Pepper: 1 diced

Beans : 1/2 cup

Cabbage: 1/2 cup chopped 

Green chilies: 2 slit 

Ginger: 1" piece minced

Garlic: 3 cloves minced 

Cilantro/coriander leaves: To garnish 

Black Pepper: 4 teaspoons

Soy sauce: 2 teaspoons 

Vinegar: 1 teaspoon 

Salt to taste 

Ghee : 2 tablespoons 

Oil : 3 tablespoons 

Method:

Wash and soak rice for 10 minutes. Drain the rice.

Heat ghee in a vessel and add the rice and fry it on low heat for 4-5 minutes. Add 5-6 cups of water and 1 teaspoon of salt and cook rice until the grains are just cooked but not too soft. Once boiling begins for about 7-8 minutes.

Drain the water and water the rice with cold water and keep aside.

Heat oil in a wok, and add ginger and garlic. Fry for 10 seconds and add all veggies and sauté them for 4-5 minutes on high heat. Add rice, and the rest of the ingredients and toss well.

Turn off the stove and garnish with cilantro.

Serve hot with any gravy.