Sesame Triangles

It is fun to serve simple food in style, and this recipe is a perfect example of that. 

Few weeks back, we had our friends over and I presented a platter of this easy appetizer. It was a hit... everyone loved it and with some bean sprouts served on the side, gave some healthy crunch to it.My homemade schezwan sauce spiced it up to suit our palate.

This is not a new recipe; if you are grown up in India, specially in Mumbai, this is a very common Indo-Chinese appetizer by the name of 'Gold Coin'. Bread as a base in normally cut in a circular shape using a cookie cutter, veggies dough is spread on it, dipped in sesame seeds, and then deep fried. My recipe is almost the same, except that I cut the bread into triangles to avoid any wastage. You can make these in shapes of your choice!

Ingredients (Serves 4-5)

4 slices of bread of your choice

2 cups of minced veggies of your choice (onions, bell pepper, cabbage, carrots, green beans)

2 cloves garlic 

1/2 inch ginger

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper powder

1 tbsp. corn starch

2-3 tbsp all-purpose flour

1/4- 1/2 cup sesame seeds 

Oil fry frying

• Mince all veggies of your choice with garlic cloves and ginger. Remove in a bowl. Add salt and pepper. Mix and let the veggies rest for 15 minutes.
• Gently remove the sides of the bread and cut into fourths. Leave it aside.
• Add corn starch and all purpose flour to veggies and mix well. It should form a soft and sticky dough.
• Spread around 1+1/2 tbsp. mixture on each piece of bread. Spread it evenly so that it sticks well to the bread piece. 
• Dip veggie side into sesame seeds and gently press for sesame seeds to stick on it.
• Deep fry each triangle in medium hot oil OR spray some oil and bake in 400F oven for 15-20 minutes.
• Remove on a paper towel to absorb excess oil.
• Serve with spicy schezwan sauce.

Here is step-by-step pictorial recipe:

Mince all veggies of your choice with garlic cloves and ginger. Remove in a bowl. Add salt and pepper. Mix and let the veggies rest for 15 minutes.

Gently remove the sides of the bread and cut into fourths. Leave it aside.

Add corn starch and all purpose flour to veggies and mix well. It should form a soft and sticky dough.

Spread around 1+1/2 tbsp. mixture on each piece of bread. Spread it evenly so that it sticks well to the bread piece.

Dip veggie side into sesame seeds and gently press for sesame seeds to stick on it.

Deep fry each traingle in medium hot oil OR spray some oil and bake in 400F oven for 15-20 minutes.

Remove on a paper towel to absorb excess oil.

Serve with homemade spicy chili!

Click on the photo for the recipe.

Crispy Sesame Triangles!!

Crispy Noodles

When I invite my friends over for dinner, I love to host them with Indo-chinese food. There is so much delicious and creative variety to make, and is not very easily available at the restaurant. One of our favorites is tossing fresh crisp noodles with veggies and sweet and sour sauce. These crispy noodles are perfect as an appetizer as well as main coarse with fried rice.

Although fried noodles are readily available in the market, I like to make them fresh at home. They are thin and crispier compared to the one in the restaurant. You should give this recipe a try for your next event. It is easy to prepare the veggies in sauce before guests arrive and toss the crisp noodles just before serving. Potstickers, or steamed dumpling, or wonton soup pairs really well with crispy noodles for the soup and appetizer coarse. 

Ingredients (Serves 4)

1 packet Ching's hakka noodles (or any noddles of your choice)

Oil for frying noodles

2 tbsp oil

1 cup sliced onions

1/2 cup sliced onion greens

1 tbsp. minced ginger

1 tsp. minced garlic

1/2 cup sliced bell pepper

1/2 cup julienne carrots

1/2 cup sliced green beans

1 cup shredded cabbage

1/2 cup bean sprouts

1/2 tsp. salt (if needed)

1 tbsp soy sauce 

1 tbsp chili garlic salt

1/4 cup tomato ketchup

• Using instructions on noodle packet, boil noodles. Drain water and pour cold water over cooked noodles to stop the cooking process.Let water drain out well.
• Heat oil and fry noodles in hot oil (be careful)in 3-4 batches. Do not put all the noodles in together as oil might overflow. Fry noodles till golden brown. Remove on a paper towel. Cool and store in an airtight container. Use whenever needed.

• Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a wok.
• Add ginger, garlic and onions and saute for 2 minutes.
• Add bell pepper, carrots and beans. Saute for 3-4 minutes till slightly cooked. 
• Add all sauces to sauteing veggies and mix well.
• Turn of the heat. Add shredded cabbage and mix well.
• Toss in crisp noodles. Mix well.
• Serve immediately garnished with onion greens and bean sprouts.

Here is step-by-step pictorial recipe:

Using instructions on noodle packet, boil noodles. Drain water and pour cold water over cooked noodles to stop the cooking process.Let water drain out well.

Heat oil and fry noodles in hot oil in 3-4 batches. Do not put all the noodles in together as oil might overflow. Fry noodles till golden brown. Remove on a paper towel. Cool and store in an airtight container. Use whenever needed.

Heat oil in a wok.

Add ginger, garlic and onions and saute for 2 minutes.

Add bell pepper, carrots and beans. Saute for 3-4 minutes till slightly cooked. 

Add all sauces to sauteing veggies and mix well.

Turn of the heat. Add shredded cabbage and mix well.

Toss in crisp noodles. Mix well.

Serve immediately garnished with onion greens and bean sprouts.

 Enjoy Deliciously Crisp Noodles!!!

Sesame Fingers with Schezwan Sauce

When you invite friends over you want everything to fall correctly and taste right!! Some recipe are not only easy to prep but super tasty, and they can wow your guests. This is one of those recipes that can never go wrong. 

Although this is one of the appetizers that I make for indo-chinese parties, it can surely fit into your potluck or finger food or cocktail party or for fun ladies party too. These finger like appetizers are made of veggies and a rolled in sesame seeds for flavor and texture. In this recipe I have used white as well as black sesame seeds, but you could use any. I feel black sesame seeds provide extra nutty flavor and texture to this appetizer. Use veggies of your choice...you can select veggies and the quantity too. There is no fixed ratio of veggies in here.

Ingredients (to make 15-20 fingers)

3 cups minced veggies of your choice (cabbage, beans, carrots, onion, spring greens)

2-3 cloves garlic

1 inch ginger

1+1/2 tsp. salt

2. tsp. soy sauce

1 tsp. vinegar

1/2 cup maida (all-purpose flour)

1/2 cup rice flour

1/4 -1/2 cup sesame seeds (black or white or both)

Oil for frying

• Roughly chop veggies and put them in a food processor. Add ginger and garlic too and mince all the veggies.
• Remove in a bowl.
• Add salt, soy sauce, and vinegar. Mix well and leave veggies aside for 10 minutes to sweat and release moisture. 
• Add all purpose flour and rice flour to make soft dough. You can use less or more flour depending on the moisture content in the veggies.
• Shape as fingers and roll in sesame seeds.
• Deep fry each finger on medium heat till it is golden brown and nicely done.
• Remove on a paper towel.
• Serve with schezwan sauce.

Here is step-by-step pictorial recipe:

Veggies

Roughly chop veggies and put them in a food processor. Add ginger and garlic too and mince all the veggies.

Remove in a bowl.

Add salt, soy sauce, and vinegar. Mix well and leave veggies aside for 10 minutes to sweat and release moisture.

Add all purpose flour and rice flour to make soft dough. You can use less or more flour depending on the moisture content in the veggies.

Shape as fingers and roll in sesame seeds.

Deep fry each finger on medium heat till it is golden brown and nicely done.

Serve with schezwan sauce.

Enjoy!!!

Manchow Soup

Few days back while we were busy with yard work and planting new vegetable plants is raised beds, we thought of going to a restaurant for dinner. The menu looked pretty decent, and we thought we could order some delicious Indochinese food (you all know it's our favorite).

My husband loves soup, especially Manchow soup with crispy noodles. Not all restaurants serve this soup with crisp noodles, and we have to ask them to bring some. My husband feels Manchow soup is incomplete without these fried noodles :) So we ordered one by two (a bowl of soup to share). Oh Oh... we were not really happy. The soup tasted like an instant soup pouch using dehydrated powder and to add to it, it was under-cooked. For people like us, we enjoy fresh ingredients and fresh food, Packaged and dehydrated gravies, sauces, and soups do not make us happy. And that soup made me rethink: is it actually worth going to a restaurant? If we can prepare delicious food using fresh and good quality ingredients in the same amount of time, why should we go to a restaurant! Specially for indo-chinese food, it is not worth it.

So here is my soup... I love homemade fried noodles too to serve with Manchow soup. Again, not a big fan of store bought fried noodles (they seem stale and rancid). Manchow soup is very similar to Manchurian gravy, and is very easy to make. Simmering veggies with water is the key to make the soup flavorful. You could also use veggie broth or chicken broth of your choice. Freshly minced ginger and garlic will infuse fresh flavors to the soup. You got to try it!!

Ingredients:
For Crispy Noodles
1 packet Ching's Hakka noodles or any noodles of your choice
Oil for frying noodles

For Soup
2 tbsp. oil
1/4 cup finely chopped onions
1 tbsp. minced garlic
1 tbsp. minced ginger
1/4 cup finely chopped cabbage
1 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. chili garlic sauce (optional) or few chopped chilies (optional)
1 tsp. vinegar
2-3 tbsp. dark soy sauce
1+1/2 tbsp. corn starch dissolved in 1/4 cup water

• Boil water, add noodles and cook till they are soft. Strain noodles and run them under cold water to stop the cooking process and making them mushy. Let them rest in the strainer for 5 minutes.
• Heat oil. Divided noodles into 4 parts. Gently add one part into medium hot oil and fry till they turn golden brown and crisp. Remove on a paper towel. Store in airtight container if using it later or for a party.
• Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a soup pot. Add chopped onions, minced garlic and ginger. Fry for 2-3 minutes. Add chopped cabbage and fry for a minute. Add chili garlic sauce and mix well.
• Add 3+1/2 cups water into the sauteing veggies.
• Add salt, soy sauce, vinegar. Mix well. Bring it to boil and simmer on low to medium heat for 15-20 minutes.
• Dissolve corn starch in 1/4 cup water.
• After 15 -20 miinutes, the soup should have reduced and the concoction should have formed delicious broth.
• Add corn starch mixture to simmering soup while stirring well. The soup will become light in color. Simmer for another 5-7 minutes till the soup turns bright and dark, and cornstarch gets cooked well.
• Serve in a bowl with freshly chopped onion greens (optional).
• Serve fried noodles at the side and top immediately before serving.
• Crisp noodles enhance the flavor of the soup. 
• Enjoy!

Boil water, add noodles and cook till they are soft. Strain noodles and run them under cold water to stop the cooking process and making them mushy. Let them rest in the strainer for 5 minutes.

Heat oil. Divided noodles into 4 parts. Gently add one part into medium hot oil and fry till they turn golden brown and crisp. Remove on a paper towel. Store in airtight container if using it later or for a party.

Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a soup pot. Add chopped onions, minced garlic and ginger. Fry for 2-3 minutes. Add chopped cabbage and fry for a minute. Add chili garlic sauce and mix well.

Add 3+1/2 cups water into the sauteing veggies.

Add salt, soy sauce, vinegar. Mix well. Bring it to boil and simmer on low to medium heat for 15-20 minutes.

Dissolve corn starch in 1/4 cup water. 

After 15 -20 miinutes, the soup should have reduced and the concoction should have formed delicious broth. Add corn starch mixture to simmering soup while stirring well. The soup will become light in color. Simmer for another 5-7 minutes till the soup turns bright and dark, and cornstarch gets cooked well.

All the serving bowls in the pictures are made by me.

I took a clay/pottery class to learn making bowls on potter's wheel or making sushi plates with sheets of clay. It was a fun class indeed!

Soup and appetizers for dinner.

Serve in a bowl with freshly chopped onion greens (optional).

Serve fried noodles at the side and top immediately before serving.

Crisp noodles enhance the flavor of the soup. 

 Enjoy!!