Cocktails and Cuisine

By Meenakshi Agarwal

Indo-Chinese Trio

When I was in India, I simply loved the Chinese food! Anytime we went out for dinner, it was usually Chinese. The food was spicy and bursting with flavor. Even soups were never simple. The zestier they were, the more they were loved!

Little did I know that the Chinese food usually served in India is influenced by Indian tastes! I was surprised to find out that authentic Chinese food is not really all that spicy. Luckily for me, we have all those Hakka joints in Toronto that serve the so-called Chinese dishes that South Asians often savor.

Chinese food in India has its own appeal. This cuisine has developed to the likes of the Indian palate, with cooks adding ingredients that are familiar to and loved by the masses. Along the way, many new dishes were born. Out of the most popular, the trio that seldom ever fails to please—Gobi Manchurian, Chilli Chicken and Hakka Chow-Mein—are quite the staples from the Indianized Chinese menu.

So let’s throw caution to the wind—join me as I take you on this culinary journey to the spicy, exotic Indo-Chinese!

Vegetable Chow-Mein

Ingredients:
100 grams egg noodles (approximately 3.5 ounces)
1 medium-sized onion, thinly sliced
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 cup cabbage, thinly shredded
1 medium-sized green bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon ginger, finely chopped
1 teaspoon garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons light cooking oil
1 teaspoon pure sesame oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Salt, to taste

Instructions:
1. Boil noodles, drain and toss in sesame oil. Set aside to cool.

2. Heat oil in a wok and sauté ginger and garlic until fragrant. Add onions and mushrooms, and fry until mushrooms give out moisture and cook through.

3. Add salt, black pepper, white pepper, cabbage and green peppers, and stir-fry for a minute.

4. Throw in the pre-boiled noodles and soy sauce and toss to coat evenly with veggies.

Gobi Manchurian (Cauliflower in a Spicy Sauce)

Ingredients:
1 medium-sized cauliflower broken into florets
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 medium-sized onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon ginger, finely chopped
1 tablespoon green chilli, finely chopped
½ tablespoon corn flour mixed with 2 tbsp of water
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons tomato-chilli sauce
½ cup of water
Fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped for garnish
Green onion, finely chopped for garnish
Salt, to taste

For the batter:
½ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup corn flour
¼ teaspoon red chilli powder
Salt, to taste
Oil, for deep frying

Instructions:
1. Combine together all-purpose flour, corn flour, red chilli powder, salt and a little bit of water to form a batter thick enough to coat each cauliflower floret.

2. Heat the oil in a pan and deep fry florets coated with batter until golden brown. Set aside.

3. Heat two tablespoons of oil in a pan. Add the chopped onions, ginger, garlic and green chillies. Fry for a minute until fragrant and then add pepper, soy sauce, tomato-chilli sauce and salt.

4. Cook for a minute and then add the corn flour and water mixture. Add a little water and let simmer until the sauce becomes thick.

5. Add the fried cauliflower florets and cook for another two to three minutes.

6. Garnish with chopped spring onions and coriander leaves.

Spicy Pepper Mushrooms

Ingredients:
2 cups mushrooms, sliced
1 medium-sized onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon ginger, finely chopped
1 tablespoon garlic, finely chopped
2-3 green chillies, finely chopped
2 tablespoons green onion, chopped
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon light cooking oil
1 teaspoon pure sesame oil
2 tablespoons cooking oil
Salt, to taste

Instructions:
1. Heat oils in a non-stick pan and sauté chopped green chillies, ginger and garlic until fragrant. Add chopped onions and fry until lightly brown.

2. Add mushrooms, and stir-fry until they begin to cook and lose moisture.

3. Add salt, pepper, and soy sauce and cook for a minute.

4. Garnish with chopped green onions and serve along-side fried rice or noodles.

Meenakshi Agarwal is a freelance writer and designer based in Ontario, Canada. She runs a food blog, Hooked on Heat (http://www.hookedonheat.com), and is currently working on a cookbook focusing on traditional Indian favorites made simple.

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