EGGPLANT STIR FRY

INGREDIENTS :

METHOD :

• Wash and cut Eggplant/Brinjal into cubes.
• Soak the eggplants in water with a pinch of salt to prevent them from turning brown.
• Heat Oil in a Non-stick Pan.  Let the oil fume.
• Reduce the flame to a low level and allow it to cool down for few minutes.
• Add the Eggplant/Brinjal cubes to the oil, sprinkle some salt over it and give a toss.
• Leave this on a medium flame until Eggplant/Brinjal cubes are cooked, stirring occasionally.
• Once the Eggplant/Brinjal are cooked, add Turmeric Powder, Red Chilli Powder, Garam Masala/Kitchen King Masala and Cumin Powder and give a quick stir.
• Toss them up well until all the Eggplant/Brinjal cubes are coated well with the spices.
• Allow it to fry on a low flame until Eggplant/Brinjal turn slightly crispy and the spices turn fragrant.
• Serve hot with any rice type of dish.

NOTES :

• At high temperature, volatile compounds, such as free fatty acids, and short-chain degradation products of oxidation come up from the oil, so allow it to fume up.  
• If the vegetable stick to the bottom of the pan, then add some more oil.
• Sprinkling salt to the vegetable immediately when you toss them into oil, can help avoid the vegetable sticking to the pan.( To an extent)
• Adjust the amount of spiciness to your preference.
• Any variety of Eggplant/Brinjal/Aubergine can be used for the recipe.
• Can prepare the same recipe with Okra/Ladies Finger, Potatoes etc.,

JAPANESE GARLIC FRIED RICE

HOW TO MAKE JAPANESE GARLIC FRIED RICE - CHAHAN

INGREDIENTS :

For Japanese Garlic Fried Rice :

To Garnish :

METHOD :

• Cook the Japanese Short Grain Rice as per instruction and allow it cool.
• Heat 2 Tspn of Oil in a large pan, fry or scramble the Eggs.  
• Remove it from the pan and keep it aside.
• Heat Butter/Oil in a pan and deep fry chopped Garlic slices(4-5 Cloves) until it turns slightly golden brown in colour and fragrant.
• Remove it from oil and keep it aside.
• Heat the remaining oil and sauté finely chopped Garlic and Ginger until they are aromatic. 
• Add Light Soy Sauce, Oyster Sauce and give a quick stir.
• Add in the Shimeji Mushrooms to the above and toss it briefly on a low flame until it cooks.
• Add cooked Rice, along with Salt and a pinch of Sugar. 
• Drizzle Shaoxing Wine/Mirin over the rice.
• Mix it well until every grain is well coated with the sauces.
• Stir in Scrambled Eggs to the rice. 
• Sprinkle White Pepper Powder to the above and give a quick stir.
• Fry the Japanese Garlic Fried Rice on a high flame for few minutes. 
• Switch off the flame. 
• Garnish the Japanese Garlic Fried Rice with fried Garlic Slices and Scallions.
• Aromatic Japanese Garlic Fried Rice/Chahan can be served hot with any dips, sauces.
• Or Simple serve it with Tamagoyaki or Nasu Furai or any other side dishes of your choice.

NOTES :

• Any fragrant long-grained rice variety can also be substituted for the Japanese short grained rice for this recipe.
• Use a day old cooked rice for best results. Obviously, keep them refrigerated.
• Butter gives a better flavour to the dish.
• This Japanese Garlic Fried Rice is mildly flavoured dish with not much of added ingredients and condiments.
• Adjust the number of Garlic, to suit your taste preference.
• Can also add Shrimps, Chicken Pieces, Fish or any other Seafood. 
• Can fry the Eggs and use them as a side dish or scramble them up and mix along with the fried rice.

VAZHAIPOO KOLA URUNDAI

HOW TO CHOOSE A BANANA BLOSSOM :

• Select a firm one with tightly packed petals.
• The Blossom should be Purplish Red in colour.
• Make sure it is not wilted off or decayed.
• If storing in a refrigerator wrap it up with a cling/plastic wrap.

CLEANING :

SOAKING IN ACIDIC WATER :

Any Acidic Medium :

• Simply soak the cleaned florets in Salted Water.
• Instead of Salt can also add Lemon Juice/Vinegar.
• Soaking the cleaned florets in Acidic water will avoid discolouration and bitterness.

INGREDIENTS :

Spices :

To Deep Fry :

METHOD :

• Dry roast all the ingredients under spices on a low flame for few minutes and grind it into a fine powder and keep it aside.
• Grind the Roasted Bengal Gram Dhal(Pottukadalai) into a fine powder and keep it aside.
• Heat oil in a pan and saute, Shallots, Curry leaves, finely minced Garlic and Ginger until onions turn translucent.
• Add Turmeric Powder and freshly ground Spices to the above and give a quick stir.
• Add grated Coconut and fry for few more minutes.
• Add finely chopped Florets and salt to the above and fry until there is no water content in the mix and it is totally dry.
• Saute it for few minutes until the florets are cooked.
• Add powdered Roasted Bengal Gram Dhal(Pottukadalai) to the above and mix well.
• Remove from fire and allow it to cool.
• Grind the mix, slowly by pulsing it first and then increasing the speed of the mixer. 
• Add an egg to the above and mix well.
• Make small balls out of the mix and keep it aside.
• Heat oil in a frying pan, when it is hot enough to fry, carefully drop the Vazhaipoo Kola Urundai/Banana Blossom balls one by one into it.
• Just add enough Vazhaipoo Kola Urundai/Banana Blossom balls into the oil, do not overcrowd the pan.
• Do not disturb or try to turn the Vazhaipoo Kola Urundai/Banana Blossom Balls for few minutes.
• Keep the flame at medium and fry the Vazhaipoo Kola Urundai/Banana Blossom Balls.
• When they are half done turn them around slowly and fry them until they are golden brown.
• Remove from oil and drain them on a paper towel.
• Serve Vazhaipoo Kola Urundai/Banana Blossom Balls hot.

NOTES : 

• Clean the florets and keep them soaked in acidic water until you use them.
• Dry roasting and powdering the spices will give a nice flavour.
• Do not substitute Pottukadalai/ roasted Bengal gram dhal with Besan or any other powder, this will tend to make the Vazhaipoo Kola Urundai/Banana Blossom balls hard.
• Do not add water to cook the Banana Florets.
• The mix should be dry with no water content.
• Pottukadalai powder is mainly added to remove the wetness of the mix.
• Do not add water while grinding too.
• Water content will break the Vazhaipoo Kola Urundai/Banana Blossom balls in oil while frying them and tend to observe a lot of oil.
• Care should be taken, not to break the Vazhaipoo Kola Urundai/Banana Blossom balls while turning them in the oil while frying.
• Adding eggs will make them crispy. But for a totally vegetarian version, you can avoid adding eggs.
• But then oil tends to bubble up while frying the next batches.
• To avoid this add a piece of tamarind into the hot oil.
• I add a handful of breadcrumbs while grinding the Pottukadalai powder, this makes it crispier and adds a bit of sweetness to the Vazhaipoo Kola Urundai/Banana Blossom balls. It is totally optional.

GARLIC RASAM

GARLIC

GARLIC RASAM

INGREDIENTS :

For Rasam :

For Tempering :

For Garnishing :

METHOD : 

• Soak Tamarind in water for few minutes and extract tamarind juice out of it.
• Add Chopped Tomatoes to 1 Cup of Water along with Tamarind extract and Rasam Powder.
• Boil this for about 5-8 minutes and leave it aside to cool down. 
• Mash the Tomatoes and remove the skin.
• Add Turmeric Powder, Salt and Jaggery to the Tomato- Dhal water and allow it to boil for few minutes on a low flame.
• Heat Sesame Oil/Ghee in a pan, lower the flame, splutter Mustard seeds, Curry Leaves, and Dry Red Chillies.
• Slightly crush the Garlic cloves and saute it until raw flavour goes for few minutes.
• Add Asafoetida to the above and give a quick stir.
• Pour Tomato - Tamarind mix to the seasonings and mix well.
• Allow it to boil on a low flame for few minutes.
• Switch off the flame, garnish with Coriander Leaves and immediately cover the Rasam bowl.
• Serve it hot with Rice.

NOTES :

• Can add more Garlic if preferred.  
• I just slightly crush the Garlic Cloves and saute them in ghee/oil for Garlic Rasam.
• Seasoning Garlic Rasam with Ghee gives a nice flavour to the dish, but it is truly optional.
• Can substitute ghee with any vegetable oil.
• Adding Jaggery also is purely optional, but it compliments well with Tamarind.
• Do not over boil the Rasam, which will spoil the flavour, taste and the nutritious value.
• Covering the Rasam bowl immediately after the seasonings are added is to retain and infuse the flavours into the Rasam.

FRIED WONTONS

INGREDIENTS:

FRIED WONTONS

METHOD:

• In a large bowl, add the ground Meat, finely minced Shrimps, Ginger, Garlic, Spring Onions/chives, Soy Sauce, Oyster Sauce, White Pepper Powder, Toasted Sesame Oil along with a dash of Salt & Sugar. 
• Sprinkle Corn Starch to the above and mix well to combine.
• Place a Wonton Wrapper flat in your palm and place the filling to the centre of the wrapper.
• Brush the sides of the Wonton Sheets with water and seal the sides tightly and fold it up into the desired shape.
• Spread the folded Wontons on a large plate and cover it with a plastic wrap to avoid drying out.
• Meanwhile, heat oil in a deep pan on a high flame.
• Reduce the flame to medium and deep-fry the folded Wontons, turning them once until they turn into golden brown.
• Once done, remove the Fried Wontons from the Oil and spread them on a Paper Towel.
• Serve them with your choice of Dipping Sauce.

• Can use any ground meat for the fillings.
• Can substitute meat with Mushrooms, Cabbage or any Chinese Greens for a Vegetarian version on Wontons.
• If Frying add 1 Tspn of the filling and if boiling add 1 Tablespoon of the filling to the centre of the Wonton Sheet.
• Once the Wontons are folded, you can use them immediately or freeze them for later usage.
• Folded Wontons can be deep-fried, steamed or pan-cooked.  Can also use them as dumplings in the soup.
• Will update the post with folding techniques soon.