Singapore Noodles

Singapore Noodles

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Serves: 4

This noodle recipe is the result of influence of Indian and Chinese cuisine in Singapore.
Ingredients
  • ½ cup neutral oil, divided
  • 2 tablespoons curry powder
  • ¼ teaspoon or to taste cayenne pepper
  • 8 oz. rice noodles (vermicelli)
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 package of firm tofu
  • 2 shallots, sliced
  • 1 red pepper, sliced
  • 1 large carrot, cut into 2 inch strips
  • 2-inch piece of ginger, finely minced
  • 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ cup green peas
  • Juice of ½ a lime
  • 4 scallions, thinly sliced
  • ½ cup chopped cilantro
Directions
  1. Drain tofu and remove excess liquid from tofu by putting it between two baking sheets covered with paper towels and weighing it down with cans or a heavy pan. Cut into ½-inch dice.
  2. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a wok or a skillet until shimmering and sauté curry powder and cayenne pepper for a minute or until fragrant.
  3. Soak rice noodles in 8 cups of boiling water for 5 minutes or until soft. Once soft, drain water and toss with curried oil, soy sauce and sugar in a mixing bowl. Set aside.
  4. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a wok or a skillet until shimmering, Stir fry tofu until light golden brown, 7 to 8 minutes. Drain excess oil from tofu and transfer tofu to noodle bowl.
  5. Add remaining oil to wok or skillet until shimmering. Stir fry shallot, red pepper and carrot for 2 to 3 minutes. Add ginger and garlic and stir fry with vegetables for a minute. Season with salt and black pepper.
  6. Add ¾ cup water or vegetable broth to wok or skillet. Add noodles with tofu and let everything cook together until water or broth is absorbed. Add peas, lime juice and stir.
  7. Before serving, garnish with scallions and cilantro. Serve warm.

 

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Cauliflower Manchurian

Gobi Manchurian

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Serves: 4

This recipe is a fusion of Chinese and Indian cuisine to suit Indian taste. It is believed to be created by Chinese community living in city of Kolkata (State of Bengal), eastern part of India.
Ingredients
  • 1 medium sized cauliflower (gobi), cut into 2 inch florets
  • Neutral Oil for frying
For Batter:
  • ½ cup AP flour
  • ½ cup corn starch
  • 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste, see Note.
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon hot sauce
  • ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
  • Water as needed
For Sauce:
  • ½ cup tomato ketchup
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • ½ teaspoon rice wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
  • 1 jalapeno or Serrano chili, minced
  • 3 scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated
  • 2 tablespoons neutral oil
Directions
  1. To prepare sauce, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a small sauce pan until shimmering. Add chili, ginger-garlic paste and white parts of scallions and sauté them until soft, 2 minutes. Add ketch up, honey and soy sauce and stir to combine. Let sauce come to boil and let it simmer for 7 to 10 or until sauce thickens. Cover sauce and set it aside.
  2. While sauce is simmering, combine batter ingredients except water in a large mixing bowl. Gradually add water to make thin batter (like tempura batter). Add cauliflower florets and gently stir florets to coat evenly with batter.
  3. Heat oil in a frying pan until hot enough to fry. Shake off excess batter from florets and fry them in batches of 6 to 7 until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain excess oil on paper towel lined plate.
  4. Once all florets are fried and drained transfer to a large mixing bowl. Pour sauce over florets and stir to coat with sauce. Transfer to serving bowl and garnish with green parts of scallions. Serve immediately as a side dish and/or Scallion Paratha
Notes
Ginger-garlic paste is available in Indian grocery stores.

 

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Sweet Potato and Chickpea Taco

Sweet Potato and Chickpea Taco

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Serves: 6

This recipe is a fusion of Indian and Mexican flavors.
Ingredients
  • 3 medium to large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½ inch dice
  • 3 tablespoons canola oil
  • 1 ½ teaspoons chipotle chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 2 15 oz. can of chickpeas, rinsed
  • 1 large poblano pepper, cut into ¼ inch dice
  • 3 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 2 teaspoons mustard seeds
  • ⅛ teaspoon asafetida
  • 10 to 12 fresh curry leaves
  • 2 to 3 dry red chilies
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon ground coriander
  • ¼ cup grated fresh coconut
  • ⅓ cup chopped cilantro
  • ½ cup yogurt
  • 1 teaspoon lime zest
  • Juice of half a lime
  • Salt to taste
  • 18 to 20 small tortillas
  • 1 cup crumbled Cotija or feta cheese
Directions
  1. Pre heat oven to 400 degrees. Line a large baking pan with aluminum foil and spray with nonstick spray. Transfer diced sweet potatoes to baking pan. Drizzle potatoes with canola oil. Season with salt, 1 teaspoon of ground cumin and 1 teaspoon of chipotle chili powder. Toss potatoes to coat with spices and make even layer of potatoes. Roast potatoes until edges are golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.
  2. While potatoes are roasting, heat coconut oil in a large wok or frying pan until shimmering. Add mustard seeds and let then sizzle. Add asafetida, curry leaves, dry red chilies and let curry leaves fry for 30 seconds. Add turmeric and chili powder. Add poblano pepper and sauté it for a minute. Add chickpeas, ½ teaspoon cumin powder, and coriander powder. Season with salt and stir everything to combine with spices. Let chickpeas cook for 5 to 7 minutes. Once sweet potatoes are roasted, combine them with chickpeas. Add coconut, cilantro and stir. Let potatoes and chickpeas cook for 2 to 3 minutes more.
  3. Combine yogurt, lime zest, lime juice, ½ teaspoon cumin powder, and ½ teaspoon chipotle chili powder into a small mixing bowl. Whisk yogurt with spices to make it smooth. Season with salt.
  4. Heat tortilla on stove top or in a microwave. To serve taco, put about ¼ cup chickpeas and sweet potatoes on tortilla. Drizzle with about 1 tablespoon chili-lime yogurt. Sprinkle with cheese. Other toppings can be added to taste.

 

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