Yak & Yeti Finsbury Park London: Resturent Review

You all know how much I complain about Indian food sold in restaurants here in London. I always grumble about fewer options in vegetarian dishes and the taste is just not Indian. When I was invited to a Nepalese Indian restaurant to be their guest and write a review, first thing that I checked was the menu. Veg momos I read, in the starters section and I was sold. You just don’t get momos in London and that too vegetarian momos-impossible!

Yak and Yeti, a neat and chic restaurant situated at Finsbury Park London is what I am talking about. On Saturday I and Mr. Husband reached there at 7.30 pm; Mr. Rahman the manager welcomed us with smile and we were asked to be seated. Beautiful dim light, well decorated tables with glasses, napkins, candle and flowers-ah nice! The ambience is simple and yet elegant and there are some lovely Nepalese paintings that will surely grab your attention.

After a detail look at the drinks menu we decided to order cocktails but then we were told they weren’t serving cocktails, frankly I was bit sad. A glass of Merlot Red Wine for me and Cobra Beer of him I told the waiter. Well who cares about cocktail when you get our very beloved Indian cobra beer-right? With that they served papadoms and three kinds of dips which were truly appetizing.

The menu is superb and you have many Nepalese and Indian dishes so we decided to have one Nepalese starter- Veg Momos (ofcourse!) and one Indian, their star selling Aloo Tikki Papadi Chaat. The presentation of momos just sets the mood, beautifully aligned momos with chutneys and salad- wow. Steamed, cooked and stuffed perfectly and tasted wonderful. Aloo Tikki Papadi Chaat a pile of three patties with dollop of tamarind chutney and yogurt dressing with sprinkle of spices and channa dal looked extremely inviting. It was cold and there was no papadi in papadi chaat-disappointing.

For mains too we choose each of Nepalese and Indian meals. After quick chit-chat with waiter we ordered Nepalese Zimbu dall, it had lot of garlic and if you like garlic it is a good buy. For Indian we had Karahai Paneer which was just okay -mild, sweet and nice. To pair along we opted for Saffron Rice which was fragrant steamed rice flavoured with saffron and garnished with fried onions and good old classic Garlic Naan.

We indulge in and enjoyed softly played Indian music in the background. We were already full but when desserts menu was handed over to me, honestly I couldn’t resist. I had Homemade Mango Kulfi which was good too, I just hoped it to be in kulfi shape and not scoops. Mr. Husband and had Irish Coffee which he totally loved.

Final thoughts- if you are vegetarian and is bored with simple boring choices in Indian food, do visit this place, they have many vegetarian options. No need to say, but this is one MUST visit to non-vegetarians; the menu is too vast :-). The service is bang on and the waiters smile at you-that’s a must-isn’t it? So here is the website-http://finsburypark.yakandyeti.co.uk/

Cost: ££
Cuisine: Indian, Nepalese, Tibetan
Location: London, Finsbury Park

Thanking Emerz and Yak & Yeti for inviting me at the restaurant. All the views are my own and I was not told or paid to write positive review. The food bill was compensated. 

Garlic And Mixed Herbs Focaccia: Italian Bread

Baking bread at home, hell yeah!

The madness of proofing the yeast, kneading the dough, letting it to rise and finally baking-oh that experience, that fresh aroma, that happiness of home baking-all blissful.

If you have tried baking bread at home you will know what I am talking about. The whole process is tedious (at times) and time consuming but when you break the homemade bread and bite into it, you know all your efforts are well paid off.

Looking for more homemade breads? Check these out:

Potatoes Stuffed Buns

Garlic Rolls

Red Wine Walnut Bread

Whole Wheat Buns

I made Garlic and Mixed Herb Focaccia last Friday and shared this pic on Instagram. Some have asked for the recipe and my friends are already demanding to bake one for them :-). Olive oil is a must when making focaccia and no there is no substitute for olive oil. A good aromatic olive oil will bring out the best focaccia bread.  Focaccia is an Italian bread and there are hundreds variations for the recipe but the basic bread or dough recipe remains the same but you can change the toppings as per your taste and mood ;-). You can have tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, caramelized onions, nuts and even fruits as toppings.

Little about yeast:

To have a nice soft bread texture you need to have good quality yeast and proof it properly. I used Allison rapid yeast and I like it because it doesn’t smell weird. To work with yeast you need something sweet like sugar or honey and warm water. Hot water will kill the yeast and cold water will not activate the yeast. If like me, you don’t have a fancy thermometer to measure the right degree of water, here is the test you can do. Dip your finger in hot water and you should be able to tolerate the heat, anything more or less will not work-just warm is what you are looking for. Next add in yeast and sugar, stir and keep aside for 10 minutes. If you see bubbles and forth in the yeast mixture you are good to go, else try again.

Since I was pairing it with pasta in chilli pesto sauce, I chose to have Garlic, olive oil and lot of herb on top it. And I was so right, the garlic herb focaccia bread and spicy pasta is a pair made in heaven-period! This bread can be served with basically anything. You can serve it with pasta, lasagne or just dip in some olive oil. If you fancy a focaccia sandwich, slit the bread in between and stuff in pesto sauce and some vegetables-grill and enjoy.

Author: Shweta Agrawal

Cuisine: Italian

Serves: 2-3

Ingredients:

1 and 1/2 cup all purpose flour/maida

1 teaspoon rapid yeast

2 pinch sugar

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon mixed dry herbs

5 cloves garlic
1/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt (optional but recommended)

Method:

1. Heat water in microwave for 20 seconds. Dip the finger and check water, it should we warm. Mix sugar and yeast in water. Stir and keep aside for 10 minutes.
2. After 10 minutes when you see bubbles on yeast mixture, add all purpose flour, salt and 1/2 teaspoon mixed herbs. Mix and knead the dough.
3. Mix 1/4 cup of oil in the dough. Keep kneading the dough till it is soft and springy.
4. Grease one large bowl with 1 tablespoon oil. Put the dough in the bowl. Cover it with cling film and keep aside in warm surface for 45 minutes.
5. After 45 minutes the dough should have risen, beat the air out and knead the dough again. Flatten the dough on a grease pan in to any shape (I shaped in oval). The thickness should be like of a pizza. Cover the dough with wet towel and keep in a warm place for 20 minutes.
6. After 20 minutes, poke holes (dimples) on the dough. Cover and keep aside for 10 minutes. Till then preheat your oven at 190C.
7. Prepare the oil. Peel the garlic cloves and chop it roughly. Mix black pepper and remaining dry herbs. Keep aside.
8. Pour this oil mixture on dimples of the dough. Spread the oil mixture evenly without punching the air. Sprinkle the sea salt.
9. Bake for 14 -15 minutes. The bread should be golden brown on top.
10. Let the bread cool down before you cut. Enjoy.

Notes:

Keep your dough in a warm place. I always keep it in the oven. A friend of mine who lives in hills cover the bowl with blanket and keep it dark place-for her this trick works.
You have to use a good quality olive oil for a nice texture. I recommend Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil.  

Use active rapid yeast or also called as instant yeast. I used Allinson Easy Bake Yeast.

Mixed Italian herbs are easily available in any store. It is blend of oregano, thyme, rosemary and basil. I used McCormick Italian Seasoning.

You can use any particular herb as well. Rosemary is the most popular one.

Cover the bread with cling film and store it a room temperature. It will be good for 2-3 days.

Serving suggestions:

Serve with burnt garlic pasta, pasta in red wine sauce, simple basic pasta.

Pair as side with tomatoes chutney, chilli hummus or roasted fennel cherry tomatoes.

Serve with roasted garlic soup, roasted butternut squash soup or indian garlic lentil soup.

Baigan Ka Bharta: Eggplant Mash: Pressure Cooker Method

Did you notice the white and blue bowl? It’s a new purchase for just 25 pence each-great buy isn’t it? I can’t stop myself when I see blue, white and flowers. What did you do on the long weekend?

Today’s post is Baigan Ka Bharta, a very popular Punjabi north Indian dish. Baingan in English is known as aubergine, eggplant or brinjal and bharta means mash. There are many ways to make begun ka bharta but the most common is to smoke or roast begun on open charcoal fire, peel the burnt skin and mash it with fork. If you have less time in hand do take a look at my Microwave Baigan Ka Bharta.

Looking for baigan (Eggplant) recipes? Check these out:

Baked Eggplants In Nutty Curry

Achari Baingan

Baingan Ki Chutney

Even though I love and prefer the burnt method but Mr. Husband doesn’t like that smoked taste and if that was not enough recently his sister told him the incident when she saw a huge worm inside the eggplant. Imagine you roast the brinjal and there is a worm inside, which you will mash and use in your bharta-eww, yuck!  So these days I prepare bharta using pressure cooker or as some call it the boiled method.

Let me tell you, this is a super easy and a quick method. You don’t have to clean the mess on the hob that aubergine leaves when you roast it and the taste is just awesome. Trust me you have to try this method-period! So you need to peel the aubergine, chop it into rings, put in pressure cooker and cook it on high heat till you hear one whistle. Don’t worry if you don’t have pressure cooker, just boil the chopped brinjal in the pan full of water, cook till it gets soft, discard the water and yeah that’s it.

Like authentic baigan ka bharta I too like to use ghee (Indian clarified butter) and lots of garlic, but feel free to use oil and less garlic. I use some whole spices as well and garam massala is a must ingredient in this recipe. Bharta or bhurta is served as side with makke ki roti but this can be served as a dip or spread as well.

We like to spread thick layer of baingan ka bharta on any Indian paratha, roll it like a cigar and bite into. If like London you are having sunny yet cool days then this spicy and garlicy baigan ka bharta is always a good idea. So, on weekend I made the complete meal methi moong daal, simple steamed rice, jowar ki roti and this bharta.

Author: Shweta Agrawal

Recipe type: Side, Dip, Spread

Cuisine: Punjabi, North-Indian

Serves-2-3

Ingredients:

2 large eggplants/baigun

1 medium size onion chopped finely

2 medium size tomato chopped finely

8 cloves garlic chopped roughly

1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds/dhaniya

1 dry red red chilli

1 bay leaf/tej patta

2 tablespoons ghee/oil

1/4 teaspoon cumin/jeera

2 pinch asafoetida/hing

1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder/haldi

1 teaspoon red chilli powder/lal mirch

1/2 teaspoon coriander powder/dhaniya

1/2 teaspoon garam massala (recipe here)
2 green chillies slitted

Salt to taste

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon coriander leaves chopped finely

Method:

Wash and peal eggplants. Chop into rings and pressure cook with 1/2 cup of water and 1/2 teaspoon salt on high heat for one whistle. Release the pressure and strain the water.

In mortar and pestle coarsely grind bay leaf, red chilli and whole coriander seeds.

In a kadai/pan heat 1 and 1/2 tablespoons of ghee. When hot, add asafoetida, cumin seeds. Let cumin seeds crackle.

Add the coarsely grinded spices. Turn the flame to low. Cook for 2 miniutes.

Add chopped garlic and onion. Add pinch of salt. Cook till raw smell of garlic fades away and onions turn soft.

Throw in chopped tomatoes, red chilli powder, garam massala, coriander powder and salt. Mix and cook it covered for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes you will see that tomatoes have become soft and mushy.

Add boiled eggplants. With a help of fork mash eggplants till you get spread like consistency.

Add in lemon juice, green chillies and leftover 1/2 teaspoon of ghee. Cover and cook again for 8 minutes.

Serve with chopped coriander leaves.

Notes:

While buying the baingan for bhartha, go for the ones which are light. A heavy brinjal indicates that there are ripe seeds in it and this may spoil the taste of the bhartha.

Always cook bharta on low heat.

You can use small eggplants or even Chinese (Asian) eggplants for this recipe.

This is a spicy dish; I used three kinds of chilli in this recipe. Please adjust the spice level as per you taste.

Serving suggestion:

Serve as side with parthas, puris, roti –basically any indian bread.

This is a great dip as well. Serve with chips, nachos or crackers.

Spread a thick layer on to your sandwich bread or pita pockets. Enjoy with patties and or salad.

Beans Ki Subji: Indian Style Beans Stir Fry: Healthy Side

This is a simple curry. 

Beans stir fry.

Any kinds of beans- broad, flat or green mixed with basic spices and you are good to go.

Long weekend is coming closer, which reminds me what are you guys doing? Summer parties, BBQ or spring cleaning? Whatever it is, if a time comes when you are in no mood to cook or just want to have simple meal or wish to have a healthy side with your main dishes then you MUST try this stir fry. When I made this subji, I literally had 15 minutes. Quickly I whipped the complete dinner- yellow dal in pressure cooker, steamed rice in microwave and this beans curry on the hob.

Looking for more Indian stir fry recipes? Check these out.

Palak Bhaji

Gobi Matar

Capsicum Massala

Patta Gobi Matar

Gajar Matar

This Beans ki subji is my everyday kind of subji/ curry, I either pair it with mixed vegetable massala parthas or just have as a side with dal (lentil) and rice. No grating garlic, no ginger paste, no tomato puree –a complete fuss free subzi. Feel free to add potatoes to make aloo beans curry, I wanted to have it all healthy ;)

No more chit-chatting, got to go. See the recipe :)

Ingredients:

1 cup chopped beans (I used flat beans)

2 green chilli chopped finely

2 teaspoons oil

1/4 teaspoon cumin/jeera

Salt to taste

1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder/haldi

1/4 teaspoon coriander powder/dhaniya

1 teaspoon lemon juice (see notes)
1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves

Method:

Heat oil in a pan. When hot, add cumin seeds, let it crackle.

Reduce the heat to medium. Add chopped beans and green chilli.

Add salt and turmeric powder. Mix. Cover and cook for 10 minutes.

When beans turn soft, add all the spices. Mix. Cover. Turn the heat off.

Let it sit covered for 1 minute. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve

Notes:

You can use amchur powder (dry mango powder) instead of lemon juice.

Again, use any beans. No change in method.

Serving suggestion:

Serve with any Indian bread.

Serve as a side with rice and lentils (daal and chawal).

Great tiffin snack for kids. Just roll the subji in the parthas.

Anda Bhurji: Egg Bhurji: Bhurji Pav: Bhurji Paratha: Mumbai Street Food

This movie called Selfie, has changed a bit of me. Sometimes you just need to be yourself; the people around can make you feel inferior or superior but you must be YOU. Do what you want, do what you think is right-you cannot please everyone every time. People will judge you, advice you but you don’t have to care. You decide to be or not to be, to wear makeup or not; to be a stay at home mom or a working mom; to wear skirts or cover your body; to be with boys or girls; to have a tattoo or pierce your body.  Simple, right? Who are they to tell you when to have kids, why not to be a house wife, why to go to office? It’s your life and only you know and understand you :-) Just check the video out and I am sure you will love it too :).

After moving to London; I wanted to stay at home, give time to my newly married life, explore the lovely city and just relax. Cooking became my addiction and passion and that is when this blog was born. When people asked me what I did whole day sitting at home? I explained them, I keep myself busy – I read, I cook, I blog, I do food photography, I take care of my house etc etc. Oh so you don’t work, you don’t get a job in London, they would ask me. One day I wrote a post on confessions of food blogger, and now when people ask me, I just give them the link.

I am vegetarian by choice and in fact no one in my family eats meat or fish. My dad eats eggs and so do I. My in laws eat simple food without onion and garlic. That’s their choice, when I was getting married, I was asked to shun eggs. I bluntly refused. Mr. Husband understood and I was allowed to cook eggs at home. He travels a lot for his office purposes, being a vegetarian he sometimes can’t get anything to eat and there are times when he has to survive on canned juices for the whole day. I knew something had to be done.

One day, I decided to make Anda Bhurji. I presented anda burji as paneer burji because it is very much like paneer bhurji in texture and colour. That is how he began eating eggs and now when he is in some foreign land he atleast can eat an omelette ;-)

Anda bhurji is scrambled eggs but Indian style. In it goes Indian spices, veggies. In Mumbai you get anda burji with pav (pull part roll buns) on streets and some restaurants also sells bhurji parathas- both the combinations are tasty. The roadside vendors in Bombay make it on pav bhaji tava and that is what gives it a unique taste. Garlic, onion and tomato are the must-to-go veggies in Anda Burji and you can also use peas, capsicum as well.

Looking for more Bombay recipes? Check these out:

Pav Bhaji

Bombay Sandwich

Tava Pulav

Massala Pav

Kanda Poha

Bumbaiya Omelette

Anda bhurji is a wholesome filling meal. You can make it for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner. It takes care of your nutrients and gets ready in no time-what else can you ask for.

Ingredients:

2 large eggs

5 tablespoons milk

1 medium size onion chopped

1 medium size tomato chopped

1/4 cup capsicum chopped

2 cloves garlic minced/grated

1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves

1 green chilli chopped
1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon red chilli powder

1/4 teaspoon black pepper powder

Salt to taste

1 teaspoon pav bhaji massala (notes)

1 tablespoon oil

1 tablespoon butter

Method:

Heat oil in pan. When hot, add garlic and sauté for 10 seconds.

Add onions and capsicum. Cook till onions turn pink.

Add chopped tomato, lemon juice and green chilli. Mix in salt, red chilli powder, pav bhaji massala, black pepper powder. Mix and cook covered for 1 minute or till tomatoes become soft.

In the mean time, crack eggs and beat them in a bowl. Mix milk and beat again till forthy.

Mix eggs in the pan. Keep stirring and scrambling the eggs.

Add butter and coriander leaves. Mix and serve.

Notes:

You can pav bhaji massala in any Indian grocery store. I used Everest Pav Bhaji Masala.

I have used three peppers- green chilli, red chilli powder and black pepper. This is a spicy dish, please adjust the heat level as per your taste.

Serving suggestion:

Serve with pav or bread.

Goes well with plain parthas. You can serve with palak partha, methi thepla or daal partha as well.

The burji can be stuffed into parathas as well. (Recipe coming soon).

Fill in between two slices of bread and make a sandwich out of it.

Mango Milkshake

Totally mad over mangoes this season! I am left with no stories related to mangoes that I can share with you. All I can say is I am done with mangoes this year, not going to buy anymore- all satisfied now ;-). Last mango stared at me every time I opened the fridge. I ignored and paid no attention to the poor lonely mango. Last weekend while I was cleaning the drawer (you know spring cleaning ;-), I found a packet of straws, some fancy twisty straws that I bought last year and totally forgot about it. That’s me, I like to buy things and then forget about it.

So I wanted to use the straws no matter what this summer, thus I decided to use the lonely mango and make some drink out of it- something too simple and straight forward. In the thinking process, my phone vibrated. Maa calling, the phone flashed. After chit-chatting about this and that, I asked her about the lonely mango. She answered promptly- make mango shake. Moms are the best :-)


Looking for Mango recipes? Check these out:
-Aamras
-Mango Lassi
-Mango Mousse
-Mango Chocolate Cake
-Mango Phirni
-Mango French Crepe Cake

I mean, what can be simpler then milkshakes? Just put everything together, pulse the blender for few seconds, pour in the glass and enjoy-that’s it. Mango milkshake is a very popular thing in India, even the roadside vendors sell it. There are two ways in which milkshake can be prepared, one- thick milkshake, where you add more fruits and less milk, second- thin milkshakes , more milk and less sugar. For me, an ideal milkshake has more milk and less fruits, you may or may not add sugar depending on the sweetness of fruit.

Milkshakes that are too thick reminds me of smoothies, it’s not a milkshake if it doesn’t have more milk-right? So this is how you make my style Mango Milkshake. 

Ingredients:

1 mango

1 glass milk (I used the same glass you see in the picture)

1/2 teaspoon sugar

4 ice cubes
4-5 saffron threads (optional)

Method:

Remove the pulp from the mango. Discard the seed.

Put mango pulp, milk, sugar and ice cubes in the blender and blend it for 10 seconds.

Pour in 2 glasses and garnish with saffron threads.

Notes:

You can adjust sugar as per your taste and sweetness of mangoes.

You can add more milk more thick milkshakes.

Feel free to add icecream, vanilla essence, cardamom (ilyachi), saffron (kesar).

Serving suggestion:

This is filling and a great way to include both milk and fruits in your diet. Have it as breakfast, evening snack or post workout meal. Great for kids as well.

Increase its nutrients value by adding flax meal, chopped nuts or dried fruits in it.

Serve with dollop of chocolate icecream and chocolate sauce ;)

Visit To Brixton Market

Now when the weather is fine (just fine) in London, we want to go out and explore new things. Brixton Market has been on our to-visit list for a long time, so we decided to visit Brixton village on the last weekend. When I checked the images and read about the village, I saw colours and lots of food stalls, I also read that it is one of the budget eating out places in London- I was excited.

We arrived a little after noon just before lunch. First impression was not good; there were hardly any food stalls, no music and very little crowd. No one made us taste the samples; no one welcomed us, no smiling faces. Then we head inside the village-the covered market. Colours and vintage-these two words came in mind. Lot of tiny cafes and restaurants with lovely sitting arrangement offering variety of food such as sandwiches, panini, cakes, curry, Caribbean drinks and what not. If food is not what you are looking for, then there is huge market selling all kinds of European, Indian, Asian, African, South American and the Caribbean stuff- From cheese to fish, from meat to bags, from fresh vegetables and fruits to Chinese medicines, from retro pieces to modern art :-)

What I liked:

• Old era shops. There are many petite shops selling unique, rugged and different vintage retro things. Do go inside the shops and check them out. You might find something nice.

• Cake shops: Ditch savory for a while and try cakes and pastries.

• Mix of culture: The market is full of life, keep walking and you will find unique mix of cultures beaming up with energy.

• Vegetarian food: There were many options for vegetarians as well. From freshly made sandwiches to panini to pasta. Thank god!

What I did not like:

• Smell- Right in between the restaurants and cafes there are butchers shops and the smell of raw meat and fish was too over-powering for us.

• Expensive- I heard that it is a budget eating out place, but the rates were just like any other chain restaurant or cafe in London. Pesto and cheese panini cost us £ 4.40 which is same in EAT or Prêt A Manger :-( 

Overall:

For me it was just Okay! If you are in London and love to try different markets then you must go, it is not bad for first time visit. If you are a non-vegetarian then you MUST defiantly visit this place-tons of options you see :)

Enjoy the pictures, I used my Motorola Moto G 2nd generation to click the pictures :)

Distress Vintage- love them :)

Mix of culture

Fancy Ramen Noodles??

Pesto cheese panini at San Marino

Oreo Milkshake ;)

Time to eat

Lets go to Africa :)

You can find more details about the market on http://brixtonmarket.net/

Veg Manchurian (dry and with gravy): Indo Chinese: Street Food

Ever since I posted this pic on Instagram, all of you have been asking for the recipe. Well I can understand your craze, after all every Indian is fanatical for Indo-Chinese food. Chinese food in India is in Indian style but with Chinese spices. We use black pepper, ajinomoto, soy sauce, vinegar but make it super spicy to suffice our taste. Every hook and corner you will see vendors selling indo-Chinese food- noodles, chow mien, spring rolls, fried rice, manchurian and what not. In fact we love Chinese inspired meals so much that we even have Chinese khakra, Chinese dosa, Chinese tikki, Chinese samosa, Chinese pizza –the list is endless.

No matter what, everyone loves indo-Chinese food in India. Just say, let’s eat Chinese today and see the person’s face all lighten up-that’s what Chinese meal does to Indians.  We have restaurants catering only Chinese food in India; restaurants like yellow chilli, mainland china and five spice are super posh and expensive and then there are medium range restaurants like china town, china hut, china wok as well. We also have road side vendors selling Chinese dishes on small karts, so whatever your budget is, whatever ambiance you prefer, if you are in India you have to try our style indo-Chinese dishes.

Personally, I prefer the road style Chinese food. Imagine the row of stalls in the night with dim yellow lights. Rich families drive their luxurious long cars to these stalls and enjoy the food inside the cars; students are just happy and satisfied to have such tasty dish in their budget; some just stand at stalls and scoop into hot and spicy food and take pleasure in simple life. Serenaded by the constant stream of honking and foot traffic on one side and delicious smelling hawker on the other side-the scene is so lively, I tell you.

Indo Chinese meals that I have posted before are burnt garlic noodles, egg noodles, schezwan veggie noodles, whole wheat momos and schezwan ildi. Today it is the most popular indo-Chinese dish- Veg Manchurian. Machurian is made with grated veggies which is then deep fried. It can be eaten dry just like that or can be made with gravy or sauce (wet).

This is neither a healthy dish nor does this takes less time. Lot of time and ingredients is needed to make Manchurian- but don’t let that stop you from trying this dish. This is the best Manchurian ever, its spicy, garlicky and super rich in indo-Chinese flavours.

Ingredients:

(For balls)

1 and 1/2 cup grated cabbage/patta gobi

1 cup grated carrot/gajar

1/4 cup grated bell peppers/shimla mirch

¼ cup finely chopped spring onion/hari pyaz

1 green chilli chopped/hari mirch

2 tablespoon all purpose flour/maida

1/2 teaspoon black pepper powder/kali mirch

1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves/dhaniya

1 teaspoon soy sauce

2 tablespoon corn flour/ corn starch

Salt to taste

Oil for frying

(For sauce)

2 tablespoon oil

1 tablespoon ginger chopped/adrak

1 tablespoon garlic chopped/lehsun

1 tablespoon finely chopped carrot/gajar

1 tablespoon finely chopped cabbage

3 tablespoons corn flour/ corn starch

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 tablespoon tomato ketchup

1 teaspoon green chilli sauce

1 teaspoon vinegar

1 teaspoon sugar

2 cups water

2 teaspoons chopped spring onions for garnishing

Salt to taste

Method:

(for balls)

Heat oil in the wok for frying.

Mix cabbage, carrots, bell peppers, green chilli, spring onion, coriander leaves, soy sauce and salt. Keep aside for 5 minutes.

After 5 minutes, squeeze all the water from the veggies. Mix corn flour, all purpose flour and black pepper.

Make balls and deep fry in the oil. Fry till it is golden in colour. Drain on tissue paper and keep aside.

(For sauce/gravy)

Heat oil in a wok. When oil is hot, add ginger and garlic and sauté for 5 seconds.

Add finely chopped cabbage and carrots. Sauté for 5 seconds.

Add the remaining ingredients (except spring onions). Mix and let it boil for 8-10 minutes.

Add Manchurian balls in the sauce and serve.

Notes:

You can use ajinomoto or mono sodium glutamate but I have heard its not good for the body so I avoid it.

Fry balls on the medium heat so that they are cooked evenly on inside as well.

Always cook Chinese in the wok on a high heat. I used this Joyce Chen Carbon Steel Wok .

If you like thick sauce then add less water and more water for thin gravy.

Add more or less black pepper as per your taste.

I used Chings Green Chilli Sauce, Chings Dark Soy Sauce, Chings Chilli Vinegar. You can use white vinegar as well.  

Serving suggestions:

They can be served as it is without gravy as starters or appetizers.

You can serve it as a side with plain rice or boiled noodles.

Serve with bellpepper noodles, egg noodles or fried rice.