Friday 19 / April / 2024
Chicken Wanton Soup
Chicken Wanton Soup is a light yet wholesome soup of stuffed wontons. Wonton, which translates to ‘swallowing a cloud’, is an apt way to describe how light these dumplings are. Ground chicken, green onions and flavourings are mixed together then wrapped in wonton wrappers and cooked in a delicious broth for a light and healthy soup.
Ingredients
• 500g chicken breast chopped into large pieces or ground chicken
• 1 medium green onion scallion, finely chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon vinegar
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger peeled and chopped finely
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sugar
• Small pinch of salt
• Small pinch black pepper
• 30 wonton wrappers
• 200g baby bokchoy
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1 green onion cut on diagonal scallion
• 3 very thin slices of ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon soy sauce
• Pinch of white pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon of sesame oil
Preparation
• To a food processor, add the chicken, chopped green onion, soy sauce, vinegar, ginger, sugar, salt, and pepper. Pulse until the meat is ground and comes together in a ball. If you are using ground chicken add all the above ingredients to a bowl and mix well. On a clean surface or cutting board, arrange the wonton wrappers.
• Have a small bowl of water nearby.
• Spoon 1/2 teaspoon of the chicken mixture into the centre of each wonton. Wet a finger in the water and wet 2 edges of the wonton. Fold the opposite corner to meet the wet edge to make a triangle. With the wet corner facing away from you, bring the left and right corners around to meet at the bottom, press together. Use water to help them stick.
• Set aside.
• Bring a saucepan of water to a boil.
• Cook the bokchoy for 2 minutes in boiling water, remove and set aside.
• Drain the water. In the same saucepan, add the chicken broth, ginger, sugar and pepper and simmer.
• Add wonton and simmer for 3 minutes. Add the bokchoy back into the soup. Serve and garnish with green onions and a drizzle of sesame oil.
Drums of Heaven
A slight twist to your ordinary chicken lollipop, these chicken wings fried and tossed in schezwan sauce is a finger licking appetiser.
Ingredients
• 6 chicken breasts (ligaments removed and turned into lollipop)
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
• 2 tablespoons cornflour
• Salt to taste
•1/2 teaspoon pepper powder
• 1 teaspoon chili sauce
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon vinegar
• 300ml oil for deep frying
For Schezwan Sauce
• 4-5 garlic, chopped
• 1” piece ginger, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 green chillies, slit
• 1 teaspoon chili sauce
• 1 teaspoon soya sauce
• 1 teaspoon vinegar
• 1 teaspoon tomato sauce
• Salt to taste
• Spring onions, chopped for
garnishing
• 2 teaspoons oil
Preparation
• Clean the 6 chicken drumsticks (i.e. 3 chicken breasts which yields 2 lollipops each) and keep aside. In a different bowl whisk the egg and then add all the other ingredients to it except oil and whisk again. Marinate the chicken drumsticks in this prepared batter for at least 1 hour.
• Once the chicken is well marinated deep fry the pieces till golden brown. Heat oil in a pan and add the chopped garlic and ginger and sauté for a minute.
• To this add the onion and green chillies and sauté for another minute till the onion becomes pink. Now add the chili sauce, soya sauce, tomato sauce, and again sauté for another minute. Add salt and very little water to prepare the sauce. Once the desired consistency is reached toss the chicken lollipops in the sauce. Garnish with spring onion.
Crackling Spinach
A hearty, crispy spinach snack that has finely shredded spinach deep-fried till crisp and perked up with roasted sesame seeds, garlic, and a sprinkling of sugar and salt.
Ingredients
• 4 cups finely shredded spinach, washed and drained
• Oil for deep-frying
• 1 teaspoon oil
• 4 teaspoons chopped garlic
• 4 teaspoons sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
• Salt to taste
Preparation
• Heat the oil for deep-frying in a deep non-stick pan and place half of the spinach in a strainer. Dip the strainer in the hot oil and deep-fry for approx. 2 to 3 minutes or till the spinach is crisp. Remove from the strainer and drain it on an absorbent paper. Repeat to deep-fry the remaining spinach. Keep aside. Heat the oil in a broad non-stick pan and add the garlic and sesame seeds. When the seeds crackle, add the fried spinach, powdered sugar and salt and mix gently. Serve hot.
American Chopsuey
A delicious savoury dish prepared with crispy noodles and saucy stir-fried vegetables, is an Indian adaptation of popular American dish.
Ingredients
For the crispy noodles
• 4 cups parboiled hakka noodles
• oil for deep-frying
For the chopsuey topping
• 1/2 cup sliced onions
• 1/2 cup capsicum strips
• 1/2 cup carrot juliennes
• 1/2 cup shredded cabbage
• 1/2 cup boiled noodles
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cornflour
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 cup tomato ketchup
• 2 teaspoons chili sauce
• 2 tablespoons vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• Salt to taste
Preparation
For the crispy noodles
Heat the oil in a deep wok, add 2 cups of hakka noodles and spread it evenly to form a layer and deep-fry till it turns crispy and golden brown in colour from both the sides. Drain on an absorbent paper.
For the chopsuey topping
Combine the cornflour with 11/2 cups of water in a deep bowl, mix well and keep aside. Heat the oil in a deep non-stick pan, add the onions and sauté on a medium flame for 1 minute. Add the capsicum, carrot, and cabbage and sauté on a medium flame for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the boiled hakka noodles and sauté on a medium flame for 1 minute. Add the tomato ketchup and chili sauce, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 1 minute, while stirring occasionally. Add the cornflour-water mixture, vinegar, sugar, and salt, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 3 to 4 minutes or till the sauce thickens, while stirring occasionally. Divide it into 2 equal portions and keep aside.
How to proceed
Just before serving, place one portion of the crispy noodles on a serving dish and top it with one portion of the chopsuey evenly over it.
Honey Crispy Noodles with Ice cream (Darsaan)
Ingredients
• 1 packet flat noodles
• Oil to deep fry
• 1 teaspoon roasted white sesame seeds (til)
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon water
• Vanilla ice cream for topping
• In a roaring boiling pan of water, drop the noodles and allow it to cook. (Don’t over cook it, it should be 90% done)
• Drain and keep it under a running tap. Immediately deep fry it in small batches till golden brown and crispy. Strain and remove on an absorbent paper. Keep it aside. Heat a thick bottom sauce pan. Add sugar + water, cook till the sugar melts on low flame. Add honey and sesame and mix well, and switch off the flame. Add the crispy noodles to it and toss it or use tongs to mix it, so that it gets coated with the syrup. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. —[email protected]
