Homemade Schezwan Sauce/Schezuan Sauce

I had already posted a recipe for the Homemade Schezuan Sauce, this is a much tastier version of my earlier recipe. Got this recipe from here.

I made Paneer Schezwan and Schezwan Fried Rice and they tasted Yum. I will post those recipes too quite soon.

Ingredients

Tomato Ketchup - 3 tablespoon
Dry Red Chillies - 30 (Remove the top portion and empty the seeds)
Garlic - 20 Cloves (peeled and crushed)
Ginger - 4 tablespoon (grated)
Soya Sauce - 1 tablespoon
Vinegar - 1/2 teaspoon
Water - 1 Cup
Black pepper Powder - 1 teaspoon
Sugar - 1 teaspoon
Salt - As per your Taste
Oil - 1/4 - 1/2 Cup (The original recipe suggests 1/2 cup but I used 1/4 Cup and it tasted good)

Method

• Place the De-seeded Dry Red Chillies in a pan and pour 1 cup of water into it.
• Allow it to boil and then simmer for 5 minutes.
• After 5 minutes, switch off the flame and drain the water.
• Keep the water aside and do not throw it away.
• Now take the Red Chillies in a blender and grind it into a smooth paste.
• Use the reserved water to grind this.
• Now place a kadai on the stove and add the Oil.
• Once the Oil is warm, add the Garlic and Ginger and saute for couple of minutes.
• Now add the Red Chilly paste and stir well.
• To this add Tomato ketchup,Soya Sauce, Pepper Powder, Sugar,vinegar and Salt and mix well.
• Simmer this sauce for 8-10 minutes or till you get a nice thick consistency and the raw smell is completely gone.
• Store this in a Sterilised Bottle for a week.

Lunch Menu 9 - Vegetable Biriyani, Onion Raita and Chilly Paneer (Chilly Paneer in under 10 minutes)

For this week lunch Menu, I have made a North Indian Rice dish and Indo Chinese Chilly Paneer.

Click on the Links below for the Recipes

• Vegetable Biriyani (I have added spring onions, Baby Corns)
• Spring Onion Raita 
• Chilly paneer in 10 Minutes on stove top 

Chilly Paneer in Ten Minutes

I have so many Paneer recipe in my recipe. However, I am not sure whether I have a Chilly paneer recipe. That too this recipe can be done in 10 minutes.

Ingredients
Paneer - 1 Packet
Onion - 1 Large
Capsicum - 1 Medium
Red Chilly powder - 1 Teaspoon
Garam Masala - 1/2 Teaspoon
Amchur Powder/Tandoori Powder - 1/4 Teaspoon
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 Teaspoon
Salt and Oil

Method

• Cut the Paneer, Onion and Capsicum into squares.
• Cut them of same shape and size as much as possible
• Heat a tawa/Pan and add a teaspoon of oil.
• Once the oil is hot, place the chopped paneer,onion,Capsicum on low flame. 
• They will be done in 2-3 minutes. if you want them charred you can leave t for a minute more.
• Then flip them to the other side and cook them for 2-3 minutes.
• Remove them from the Tawa and keep it aside. 
• Meanwhile, in a plate mix chilly powder,Garam Masala,amchur powder,turmeric powder and keep it aside
• Heat a kadai with 1 teaspoon of oil on a low flame.
• Once the oil is hot, add the mixed spices powder and give it a quick stir and then immediately add the Tawa cooked Onion,capsicum and Paneer.
• Be very careful, that the oil is not too hot or not to leave the masala in oil for too long as it will burn.
• Cooking the Spices powder in the oil will ensure that they are cooked fast, however, we need to be quick to add the vegetables along with paneer.
• Now toss it around for couple of minutes
• Add required amount of salt and serve as a starter. 

Golden Fried Baby Corn/Baby Corn Fry

Want a quick Snack that will be ready in a jiffy? Try this. Super Easy,Super Quick and Super Tasty.

Ingredients

Baby Corn - 10
Corn Flour/Rice Flour/Maida (APF) - 1 Teaspoon each
Chilly powder - 1 Teaspoon or to taste
Salt and Oil.
Chat Masala - for seasoning (Optional)

Method

In a mixing bowl, add the Baby corn ,flour, salt and chilly Powder  and leave it aside for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile In a pan, heat oil for deep frying.

Drop the corn one by one, fry them and remove them to a paper napkin.

After removing the excess oil, arrange it on a plate and add a dash of Chat Masala and serve hot.

Tips

• If you don't have all flour, just add Maida and it will still taste good
• Mine was so tender so I did not Parboil,otherwise you need to need parboil them

Mushroom Manchurian

Mushroom is my Hubby's favourite. He was asking me to make the Manchurian for a long time. So the other day, when I made Fried Rice , I served it with this and he really loved it.

Ingredients

Mushroom  - 1 Box (Washed,dried and cut into halves)
Cornflour - 1+ 1 Tablespoon
Rice Flour -  1/2 Tablespoon
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1/4 teaspoon
Soya Sauce/Chilli Sauce/Vinegar - a dash 
Manchurian Gravy - 1/2 Cup
Garlic - 10 (finely chopped)
Ginger - 1/2 inch (finely chopped)
Spring Onion - 1 Tablespoon (finely chopped)
Capsicum - 1/4 cup (finely chopped - optional)

Method

•  In a vessel, sprinkle courflour,rice flour,salt,ginger garlic paste,soya sauce,chilly sauce,vinegar and mix.
• Now add mushroom and toss it.
• In a kadai,please heat some oil and fry the mushroom.
• Keep in a paper towel.
• In a wok, add a tablespoon of oil and heat it to the smoking point. 
• Then add the garlic, Ginger,onion and Capsicum and saute  for 1-2 minutes.
• Then add the base for manchurian gravy and cook for a minute.
• Then add fried Mushroom and cook for a minute.
• While this is happening, take a tablespoon of Cornflour and mix it well little water.
• Adding the cornflour water thickens the gravy and also gives it a shine. 
• Then add the cornflour water,salt and spring onion and serve hot with Vegetable Fried Rice. 

Schezuan vegetable fried Rice

Who does not like Chinese? Or should I say Indo Chinese food.. When I had authentic Chinese I did not  like it at all. So I decided to stick on to Indo Chinese Food.

Fine, now lets look at the recipe. 

Ingredients

Schezuan Sauce - 1 Tablespoon (Adjust to your taste)
Rice  - 2 cups
Capsicum- 1/4 (Finely Chopped)
Cabbage - 1/2 Cup (Finely Chopped)
Other Vegetables - 1/4 cup (Finely Chopped)
Garlic- 10 (Peeled and Finely chopped)
Ginger -1/2 inch (Peeled and finely chopped)
Spring Onion - 1 Bunch (Washed and finely chopped)
Soya Sauce - 1/4 Teaspoon
Chilli Sauce  - 1/4 Teaspoon
Vinegar  - 1/4 Teaspoon
Ajinomoto  - 1/4 Teaspoon
Salt and Oil

Method

In a wok, heat some oil to the smoking point. Then quickly add garlic,Ginger,onion (from the spring onion) and Saute. 

Then add the cabbage and other veg and saute them. Then add the Schezuan Sauce and cook for 2 minutes.

Then add the Soya sauce,chilli sauce,vinegar,salt and ajinomoto and Saute.

Now add the rice and saute. Garnish with Spring Onion. Serve with Paneer Manchurian or Mushroom Manchurian.

How to cook the Rice for Chinese fried Rice

• Wash the rice thoroughly and soak in 3 cups of water for 30 minutes. Drain and keep aside.
• Boil 6 to 8 cups of water, add salt
• Add the rice to the boiling water. Cook till the rice is 3/4th cooked.
• Pour into a colander and let the water drain out. Pour some cold water on the rice to arrest further cooking.

Schezwan Sauce

We use Schezuan sauce in almost all Chinese Dish. I am not a great fan of buying these ingredients. So I make it at home as and when it is required.

You can make it well in advance and store in refrigerator.

Ingredients

Dry Red Chillies - 12
Garlic - 15 (Peeled)
Salt and Oil

Method
 Boil some water in a vessel. Once the water is hot, remove it from the stove and soak the Dry Red Chillies and Garlic in it for 20 minutes.

Drain the water and grind the Garlic and Red chillies. Use the drained water if required. Add some salt and very little oil.

Use it in Schezwan Fried Rice,Manchurian Sauce etc.I will post these recipes in the coming days.

Paneer Manchurian - My Style

Too bored with usual style of Paneer Butter Masala, try this. I always keep stock of peeled Ginger, peeled garlic so this recipe was done in no time.

Ingredients
Paneer - 200 Grams
Garlic - 1 Tablespoon (Finely Chopped)
Ginger - 1 Teaspoon (Minced)
Onion - 1/4 cup (From Spring Onion,finely onion)
Green Capsicum - 1/2 cup (Finely Chopped)
Base for Manchurian Gravy - 1/2-3/4 Cup
Cornflour - 1 Tablespoon.
Salt and Oil.

Method

•  In a wok, add a tablespoon of oil and heat it to the smoking point. 
• Then add the garlic, Ginger,onion and Capsicum and saute  for 1-2 minutes.
• Then add the base for manchurian gravy and cook for a minute.
• Then add paneer and cook for a minute.( Usually they fry the paneer with a batter, however I did not do that.)
• While this is happening, take a tablespoon of Cornflour and mix it well little water.
• Adding the cornflour water thickens the gravy and also gives it a shine. 
• Then add the cornflour water,salt and spring onion and serve hot with Vegetable Fried Rice. 

Manchurian Gravy Base

 This is the base I usually use to make a chinese cuisine, whether it is Schezuan fried Rice,Schezuan Potatoes or Manchurian.

Ingredients

Stock - 2 Tablets
Ajinomoto - Pinch
Schezwan Sauce - 1 tablespoon
Dash of Chilli Sauce,White Vinegar,Soya Sauce.
Pepper Powder and Salt.

Method

I always have stock of Vegetable stock. I used to store them in fridge. But these days, given the power cuts in Chennai I don't store them. So I buy and Keep Maggi Stock Tablets. It is easy to store and Use.

In this recipe, I have used the tablets. All you have to do is take some hot water and put these stock tablets for 2 minutes and mix them.

To this stock,add ajinomoto,chilli sauce,soya sauce,white vinegar,Schezwan sauce and pepper powder. Adjust the quantity to your taste. While adding salt,be careful as the stock,sauce and Ajinomoto will have some salt.

This is the basic sauce I use in my Chinese Cuisine.