Tag: Mainland China

Indo-Chinese Cooking. · Side Dishes for Rotis/Dosas/ Naan.

Mainland China Inspired “Seasonal Vegetables and Mushrooms in Chinese Parsley Sauce”

Shoba11 Comments

One of the best restaurants that I never miss every time I visit India, is Mainland China. I simply love their twists on the indo chinese version of gravies and sides. Every time I have been to this restaurant, I have come out supremely satisfied. The consistency of their preparations amazes me, so does the “to die” for Vegetable Momos dumplings served steaming hot in little cane baskets, with a side of their secret Black Pepper Sauce, swimming in pools of sesame oil redolent with the aroma of pepper, garlic, soy sauce and everything else nice…One of the most constant order that I would place would be the “Seasonal Vegetables and Broccolli in Chinese Parsley Sauce”. At that time, I never knew chinese parsley was our cilantro…which would explain why I loved it so much. This is my version of the recreation of the  original, and I must say, a very good one.

INGREDIENTS:

2 Carrots Sliced in to diagonally oval strips.

1 cup thinly shredded cabbage.

1 Zucchinni sliced in to thin semi circles.

1 Pound of Fresh baby Corn sliced long.

3 leaves of Romanie Lettuce Chopped.

1 Cup Chopped Cremini/Button Mushrooms.

1 Spring Onion – Seperate the White roots and the green portion. Chop the green portions finely.

Salt to taste.

1 Tsp Pepper Powder.

To Puree for the Sauce Base:

1 Stick of Ginger at least 2″ long.

5 Green Chillies.

1 Bunch of fresh Chinese Parsley (Corriander/ Cilantro).

White portion of the spring onion.

1 Tsp Soy Sauce.

Dash of water.

PREPARATION:

  • Puree all the ingredients for the Sauce base, specified to a smooth paste. Set  aside.
  • Chop all the vegetables and keep ready.
  • In a wide mouthed kadai, add 2  tsp of sesame oil and allow to heat up.
  • Add all the chopped veggies, salt and pepper and saute for a few minutes. The idea is to retain the crunchiness of  the vegetables and not cook them till they turn mushy.
  • In 2-3 minutes, add the ground paste and mix it in well.
  • Add 2 cups of water to allow it to cook well.

  • Stir carefully so as not to break the veggies. Add more salt if needed.
  • When the gravy loses its raw flavours, its time to turn down the stove. This took roughly 8-10 minutes.
  • Garnish with finely chopped spring onion and serve with Restaurant Style  Indo Chinese fried Rice.


Indo-Chinese Cooking. · Rice Varieties.

Restaurant Style Indo Chinese Veggie Fried Rice.

Shoba66 Comments

All my life my favourite order in any restaurant would almost always be “Veggie Fried Rice and Gobi Manchurian. Unfailingly, my mom and cousins would throw up their hands in despair….”Why don`t you even want to try anything else”?? In my opinion, If a restaurant would make fantastic Veggie Fried Rice, they would get notched up a few more stars in their ratings with me!!! Not that my ratings had anything to do with the overall rating of the restaurant. But almost always, this would most definitely work.  One of my favourite haunts in the last few years has been “Ginger Capsicum Fried Rice” from Mainland China. I would order Vegetables in Chinese Parsley Sauce on the side and order their amazing Black Pepper Sauce on the side. I simply love their black pepper sauce which was a side with their soft and tasty Veggie Dumplings….I had been craving for this Veggie Fried Rice for a long long time and I decided it was really time to take matters in to my own hands….I must say I was extremely pleased with the results and all of us were up for seconds and “thirds”…

INGREDIENTS:

2 Cups Basmati Rice.

1 Cup Red/Yellow/Green/Orange Pepper sliced thin and long.

1 Cup thinly shredded Cabbage.

2 carrots sliced thinly.

2 stems of Spring onion shredded finely.

1 inch Ginger chopped very fine.

4 Garlic Pods chopped fine.

Salt to taste.

1 tsp Pepper Powder.

A pinch of Ajinomoto.

1 Tsp Soy Sauce.

Sesame Oil / Canola Oil.

PREPARATION:

  • Cook the basmati rice with just 1 1/2 cups of water. Totally for 2 cups of rice, use 3 cups of water, add a spoon of oil to the rice and cook using rice cooker.
  • Set aside to cool when done.
  • Meanwhile take a wide mouthed wok and add 3 spoons of oil.  I used the oil leftover from frying the manchurian balls for making Veggie Manchurian. I am sure that would have worked its own magic in adding tons of flavour and taste.
  • When  the oil is hot enough, add the diced ginger and garlic. This is what adds the flavour and authentic indo chinese taste to the fried rice. The more finer you chop the ginger and garlic, its better as it flavours and perfumes the oil, which is the base for sauteing all the other veggies.
  • After a few seconds, add the thinly sliced peppers, cabbage and the carrots. Stir fry in the oil for a few minutes.

  • Add salt for the veggies, pepper powder and a pinch of ajinomoto. Stir well.
  • Dont allow the veggies to get mushy and lose their crunch so dont cook the veggies too much.
  • In a few minutes, add the cooked rice and carefully stir all the ingredients.
  • Add 1 tsp of soy sauce, salt and mix well.
  • Garnish with chopped spring onion and enjoy the aroma wafting around you.
  • Enjoy hot Veggie Fried Rice with Vegetable Manchurian Gravy.