Vegetable Hakka Noodles (Chowmein)

I have to share this with my readers, my little 2 year old is a big time picky eater. He wouldn't try anything new and have to really trick him to eat something special. I had my OMG moment when I saw him running after his father to try these Hakka noodles !!!  he actually ate not one, not two or three but many spoons.To my surprise he didn't find the noodles hot ..well, whatever, I am happy he tried something new, thats a good sign :))

Ingredients:

Chings Hakka Noodles - 1 packet
Organic extra firm tofu - 2 cups [cubed]
Chings Chili sauce - 2-3 tbsp
Chings dark soy sauce - 3-4 tbsp
White vinegar - 2-3 tbsp
Spring onions - 1 bunch
Cabbage - 2.5 cups [shredded]
Bell pepper - 1 medium [sliced]
Carrot - 2-3 medium [sliced]
Broccoli - 1 cup [chopped]
Garlic - 2 pods [minced]
Salt to taste
Black pepper
Cooking oil - 2 tbsp

Method:

1. Marinate tofu in 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp chili sauce and some salt for 1 hour
2. Saute' or broil tofu in very little oil
3. Boil noodles per you packet instructions (DO NOT OVERCOOK)
4. Heat oil in a large skillet, add chopped ginger and garlic followed by onions, carrots, bell-pepper, broccoli and cabbage
5. Stir fry on medium heat till the vegetable are cooked al dente
6. Add sautéed tofu pieces
7. Mix soy sauce, chili sauce and vinegar in one bowl, mix and pour it on the vegetables, sprinkle salt and reduce heat.
8. Add boiled noodles and stir well (gently)
9. Adjust for sauces and sprinkle with onion greens and serve hot !!!!

Note: I have used Chings brand as it was recommended by many friends and I just love them. They are easily available in Indian stores. Feel free to use any other brand of your choice 

   

Lauki Kofta in Onion Gravy [Opo squash dumplings in onion gravy]

Lauki [Opo Squash] is also known as doodhi in North India. This is a very typical side dish from Uttar Pradesh prepared on festive occasions. My mother makes a special onion gravy with little [preferably none] tomatoes....the curry has unique taste and I love this uniqueness... try it out yourself !

Ingredients:

Lauki [Opo squash] - 1 medium
Onion - 2 medium [finely chopped]
Tomato - 1/2 medium [finely chopped]
Ginger-Garlic paste - 1 tsp
Gram flour [Besan] -  1/2 - 3/4 cup
Grated ginger - optional

Dry Spices

Turmeric - 1 tsp
Garam Masala - 1.5tsp
Coriander powder - 1tsp
Chilli powder - optional
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt

For seasoning

Bay leaf - 1
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Cooking oil

Method:

Gravy

1. Grate lauki, sprinkle some salt and keep it aside
2. Heat oil [2 tbsp], add cumin seeds and when they start to crackle add 1 bay leaf and immediately add the chopped onions. Saute onions till golden brown in color (You can add some salt to hasten the process). Add ginger garlic paste and cook till done
3. Now add all the dry spices and quickly add chopped tomatoes. Cook till the tomatoes get tender.
4. Add water to desired consistency and boil on slow to medium flame (can use water from squeezed lauki). The curry has slight watery consistency.
5.  In the mean while prepare kofta balls as below.

Kofta Balls

1. Squeeze excess water from grated lauki (do not throw the water, use it to make gravy above)
2. Dry roast besan [gram flour] and add it to grated lauki. Add more salt (if less), cumin seeds, coriander powder, green chillies, grated ginger and make balls (the balls may not keep their shape, make sure you round the balls when you drop in hot oil )
3. Heat oil in kadai (deep skillet or wok) and when hot enough drop kofta balls and deep fry till golden color. Drain excess oil on paper towel

Once all kofta balls are fried, drop them in the gravy and give a gentle boil, turn off the heat and let it sit for sometime. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve it with hot chapati, paratha or rice

Moong Bean Sprouts

Read it somewhere Moong beans [mung beans, green daal] are most consumed sprout on earth ! These are good way of getting proteins in a vegetarians diet.

A cup of moong sprouts offers:

Calories	Proteins(gm)	*Fiber	*Vitamin C	*Iron	*Folate
26	2.5	4	23	4	9

* Percent daily value
source here

Method

• Soak moong beans in water for 6-8 hours or overnight
• Drain water and place the seeds in wet cheese cloth and tie it around 
• Keep the cheese cloth with beans and little water in a closed box and keep it in a warm place for 10 hours
• Voila !! you will see looong sprouts 
• Rinse the sprouts carefully and its ready to eat as a salad with some lime juice or prepare soup [daal], fried rice, dosa [crepe](use sprout beans instead of split moong beans) etc etc

And I just found that there are actually bean sprouters in the market, check them out, BTW you would not need it if you follow the method above -:)

Glass Sprouter

Sprouting Lids

Sprout Master Single  Sprouter

Event Participation:

 MLLA#25 hosted Siri and event started by Susan
Lets Sprout hosted by Priya of Priya's Easy N Tasty Recipes

Make Fluffy Rice in Open Pot

Here is an easy way to make fluffy basmati rice in an open pot.

1. Wash rice and soak in water for 10 minutes
2. Drain water and transfer the rice in the cooking pot and cover it with water till its just one joint above your finger
3. Put the heat on high and wait till it starts to boil
4. Now reduce the heat to minimum and cover the pot with lid
5. Cook on low heat for 10 minutes [DO NOT OPEN the lid]
6. Now check if the rice is done, if not then cook for another 2 minutes
7. Turn off the stove and let the pot sit for another 10 minutes 
8. Now open the pot and fluff the rice and its ready to serve

Sweet Potato Smoothie

Never thought of making this smoothie until I saw it on Sailaja's Kitchen. I try to incorporate sweet potatoes in our diet as it is one of the 7 superfoods. Till now I been serving baked/steamed version to my family, now its this Smoothie...
Read more about Sweet Potatoes and enrich your diet !

Ingredients

Steamed sweet potatoes
Milk
Honey [or sugar]
Cinnamon powder

Method

Add de-skinned & diced sweet potatoes, milk, honey and cinnamon powder to a blender. Adjust consistency by adding more or less milk/sweet potatoes and serve chilled !!