Breaded Chicken Manchurian

A delicious Indo-Chinese recipe made from Chinese ingredients. This recipe is a great appetizer to start off. The only difference from this recipe to the traditional machurian recipe is the breaded chicken. 

 I had couple of breaded chicken left out and wanted to infuse Chinese sauces. So I settled with  manchurian  influenced from eastern and western ingredients making it an excellent finger food. 

Ingredients

2 Breaded Chicken fillets

1 Onion, thinly sliced

1 Green bell pepper, thinly sliced

2 cloves of Garlic, minced

2 green Chilies, finely chopped

1 tsp Dark Soy sauce

2 tsp Red Chili sauce

4 tsp Ketchup

5 tsp Water

Pinch of Aginomoto

Salt

Oil

Method

• Bake breaded chicken in oven for 15- 20 minutes at 250 F. After it cools, chop them into cubes

• Heat oil in a pan. Add garlic, green chilies, onions and bell pepper. Stir fry for 2 minutes

• Then add cooked breaded chicken

• In a bowl, mix together soy sauce, chili sauce, ketchup and water. Pour the sauce over chicken

• Add aginomoto and salt. Mix together on high heat for 2 minutes
• Serve hot

Carrot Paniyaram | Gulittu | Gundponglu

😗

Spicy Indian dumpling made from dosa batter is a family's favorite breakfast recipe. The dosa batter itself is made up of lentils and rice which is spiced up with different condiments and veggies to make this spiced up crispy treats. Paniyaram  is made with specially designed 7 holed pan called Kuzhi Paniyaram pan. 

This recipe is predominant in tamil and telugu cuisines. This recipe tastes best when it is paired with tomato chutney. I make this recipe quiet often and serve it as appetizer when my friends (from other states in India) come over. They simply loved this dish !!

Note 1: I have not added seasoning to this recipe. This step is optional
Note 2: If the dosa batter is old, you can add a pinch of sodium-bi-carbonate (soda)

Ingredients

2 cups of Dosa batter

2 Carrots, shredded

1 onion, finely chopped

4 green chilies,finely chopped

Few sprigs of cilantro, finely chopped

salt

For Seasoning- (optional)

1 tsp Mustard seeds

1 tsp Bengal gram

few sprig of curry leaves

2 tsp of oil

Method

• In a mixing bowl, mix together dosa batter, carrots, onions, chilies, cilantro and season it with salt 

• (optional step) -  In a pan, heat oil. Add mustard seeds, bengal gram and curry leaves for tempering. Pour it on the batter and mix together
• Heat the paniyaram pan. Add a drop of oil in each hole. Gently pour the batter in each hole and cover the pan

• When the edges turn brown, flip paniyaram on the other side. Cook until both the sides turn brown . You can also prick a hole in toothpick. If it comes out clean then it is cooked

• Serve hot with tomato chutney on side 

Chicken Manchurian

How about sizzling spicy appetizer in evening? Sounds like fun!!
Chicken Manchurian - a great Indo-Chinese full filling appetizer just enough to satisfy a chicken lovers appetite.  Its delicious and toothsome :-)

Ingredients

For Chicken fritters

250 gms Boneless chicken, cubed

1 cup of Corn flour

1 tsp Paprika

1/2 tsp Black pepper powder

1/2 cup of White vinegar
Salt

Oil for deep frying

For the Manchurian sauce-

5 cloves of Garlic, finely chopped

few sprigs of Curry leaves

5 Green Chilies, finely chopped

1 Red Onion, thinly sliced

1 Green bell pepper, cubed

1/4 cup of Ketchup

4 tsp of Dark soy sauce

2 tsp White vinegar

1/2 tsp of Aginomoto

Salt

4 tsp oil

Method

For Chicken fritters-

• In a mixing bowl, mix together chicken, corn flour, paprika, pepper, vinegar and season it with salt. Leave it for 15 minutes in refrigerator (if vinegar is not enough to bind all ingredients, you can add little water

                                            

• Heat oil for deep frying
• Gently drop marinated chicken in hot oil. Fry evenly until it turn deep red color. Use an absorbent paper to drain excess oil

For Manchurian-

• In a wok, heat oil. when it turns smoky; add green chilies, curry leaves, garlic, onions and bell pepper. Give it a little (do not cook vegetable. Crunchier, it tastes better)

• Add soy sauce, vinegar, ketchup and aginomoto. Mix well

• Add fried chicken and give it a toss on high heat until all the sauce is perfectly coated

• Serve hot

Baby Corn Manchurian

An Indo-chinese recipe where deep-fried baby corn is perfectly blended in a Chinese sauce. It is a delicious appetizer can be perfectly paired with fried rice or noodles.  

Today, Indo-Chinese cuisine has become an intrinsic part of modern society in India and has become immensely popular among young crowd. 

Ingredients

For the fritters-

12 Baby corn, cut into 1 inch pieces

1 cup of corn flour

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp Ginger-Garlic paste

Salt

Oil for deep frying

For the Manchurian sauce-

5 cloves of Garlic, finely chopped

few sprigs of Curry leaves

5 Green Chilies, finely chopped

1 Red Onion, thinly sliced

1 Green bell pepper, cubed

1/4 cup of Ketchup

4 tsp of Dark soy sauce

2 tsp White vinegar

1/2 tsp of Aginomoto

Salt

4 tsp oil

Method

For the fritters

• In a mixing bowl, mix baby corn, corn flour, paprika, ginger- garlic paste and season it with salt. Add little water just enough to bind all the ingredients

• Heat oil for deep frying
• Gently drop baby corn in fryer. Fry until it turns deep red color. Use an absorbent paper to drain excess oil

For Manchurian

• In a wok, heat oil. When it is smoky; add garlic, curry leaves, green chilies, onions  and bell pepper. Give it a little stir ( dont cook veggies. More crunchier it tastes better!!)

• Add ketchup, soy sauce, white vinegar and aginomoto. Mix well and 

• Add baby corn. On high heat toss all the ingredients. Season with little salt if required

• Serve hot
  
   

Veggie cutlet

Simple ingredients with a great blend of mixed vegetables and spices. It's a wonderful snack cum appetizer especially when there are guests at home . 

Ingredients

3-4 kinds of vegetables 1 cup each and finely chopped

3 boiled potatoes

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 onion , finely chopped

1/2 tsp coriander powder

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp red chili powder

1/2 tsp chat masala

1/4 tsp cumin powder

Salt

4 tsp oil

Oil for shallow fry

For dredging-

1/2 cup fine semolina (fine sooji)

1/4 cup rice flour

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1/4 tsp pepper powder

1 cup bread crumbs

Salt

Water as needed 

Method

• In a sauce pan heat oil, add onions and sauté until it turns transparent. Add turmeric powder, chili powder , cumin powder, chat masala and coriander powder. Add vegetables and season it with salt. Sauté for 5 minutes. Add boiled- mashed potatoes and mix well

• After the veggies has cooled, divide them into equal portions and roll them into balls about 2 inches 

• Now prepare dredging station by mixing all ingredients listed under batter except bread crumbs. Add water as needed 

• Now take little of batter and apply it on parties on both the sides. Roll it in bread crumbs 

• And gently leave it in a preheated pan for shallow frying

• Fry it evenly until it turns brown. Use absorbent paper to drain excess oil 
• Serve hot with hot sauce , ketchup or mint chutney 

Dahi Kebab | Curd Kebab

I came across a new recipe called Dahi Kebab. Initially, I got confused with dahi vada and when I scrolled down to read the recipe I was fascinated that main ingredient for this recipe is hung curd.  I have never imagined  transforming curd to kebab. This recipe has its influence from Mughal Cuisine. 

Since I was new to this dish, I searched for this recipe online and each have their own version. As I wanted to keep this recipe simple, so used the ingredients that used almost everyday. 

If the hung curd is ready, the recipe is pretty much simple and can be made in less than 30 minutes.

Ingredients

For hung yogurt-

1 ltr of Yogurt made from whole milk

Cheese cloth

For the Kebab- (makes about 8 kebabs)

2 Cups of Hung yogurt 

1/4 cup of Besan (chickpea flour)

1/2 Red Onion, finely chopped

5 Green Chilies, finely chopped

Handful of Cilantro, finely chopped

2 Sprigs of Mint, finely chopped

1/4 tsp of Ginger garlic paste (optional)

Salt

Oil for Pan fry

Method

• Place the cheese cloth in a colander with ends hanging over. Place the yogurt at the center of cheese cloth. Gather all the ends and tie it up. Now hang the cheese cloth under the kitchen tap and leave it hanging for atleast 4- 6 hours. Untie the twine around the pouch and scoop the yogurt
• In a sauce pan, roast besan in low heat until starts changing color and return the contents to a mixing bowl
• Now add remaining ingredients listed under Kebab except for oil. Knead well with a ladle (could be little messy) 
• Now pat your hands with water. Scoop out a portion of Kebab mixtures and roll them into patties
• Place the patties on a preheated pan with a little oil on it. Roast it in medium heat until it turns brown on both the sides
• Serve hot with hot sauce and sprinkle chat masala on it

Shrimp Pepper Fry | Royalla Vedupu

Shrimp Pepper Fry ~~ A ravishing recipe that calls for a toast !! 

This recipe can be made in less than 20 min. Shrimps are coated with a good variety of spices that tantalizes your taste buds. 

Ingredients

250 gms Shrimps, cleaned and de-veined

5 cloves of Garlic, finely chopped

2 sprigs of Curry leaves

2 Green chilies, Cut lengthwise

3 Shallots, finely chopped

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

1 tsp Pepper powder

Handful of Cilantro, finely chopped

Salt

5 tsp Oil

Method

• In a skillet pan, heat oil. When it turns smoky, add garlic, green chilies and curry leaves. Saute for few seconds
• Then add shallots and saute until it turns transparent
• Add turmeric powder and mix well
• Now, add shrimp and pepper powder. Saute in medium heat for 5 minutes. Season with salt and coat the spices all over shrimp. Cook until all the juices is completely reduced 
• Garnish with cilantro. Serve immediately as an appetizer or as a side dish

Nethili Varuval | Lake Smelt Fritters

Nethili Varuval (or Lake smelt fritters) is a scrumptious sea food delight from the sea. It is coated with spiced rub which is then deep fried. You can eat this fish with bones which is extremely crispy.

In Southern part of India, Nethili (anchovy) fish is picked from  coastal areas  of Indian Ocean. Similar to Nethili, there is an another variety of fish called smelt which is picked in Great Lakes. 

Its a great party appetizer especially when you have guests at home.

Ingredients

200 gms Lake smelt (or) Anchovies 

4 Garlic Cloves, roughly chopped

1/2 tsp pepper powder

1/2 tsp Red Chili powder

Juice of 1/2 Lemon

1/4 cup Corn Flour

Salt

Oil for deep frying

Method

• Marinate anchovies (nethili fish) with garlic cloves, pepper powder, red chili powder, lemon and season with salt. Refrigerate for 30 minutes

• Add corn flour to the marinated anchovies

• Heat oil for deep frying. Gently drop anchovies one by one. Fry in medium heat until it turns deep red color. Use an absorbent paper to drain excess oil

• Serve immediately garnished with chopped coriander leaves and onion slices

Cut Mirchi | Mirapakaya bajji

Cut Mirchi is a popular snack in Andhra. It is made with slit green peppers dipped in a spicy chickpea batter and deep fried twice in hot oil.

Ingredients

5 Green peppers, slit length wise and seeds removed

1 cup of Chickpea flour

1/4 tsp Asafoetida (hing)

1/2 tsp Red chili powder

1/2 cup water

Salt

Oil for deep frying

For garnishing-

1 Red onion, finely chopped

1/2 cup of Cilantro, finely chopped

Juice of 1 lemon

Chat masala

Method

• In a large mixing bowl, mix chickpea flour, asafoetida, red chili powder, water and salt
• Heat oil for deep frying
• Dip green peppers in chickpea batter and gently leave it in oil
• Fry until it turns golden brown. Use a absorbent paper to drain excess oil
• Now cut the fried green pepper fritters into 1 inch pieces
• Put the cut pieces of green pepper fritters back in hot oil. Fry until it turns brown and crispy. Use absorbent paper to drain excess oil
• Garnish with red onions, cilantro, lemon and chat masala

Murg Hara-Bhara Kebab

I have been planning to make a chicken appetizer for office lunch quiet sometime. When I opened refrigerator, I saw 2 bunches of coriander leaves and some green chilies, hence stuck with HARA-BHARA Kebab. This recipe is a party appetizer and cooks really fast; and off course it is also an outdoor recipe.

                           

Ingredients

200 gms Chicken Breasts, cubed 1 inch

1 bunch Coriander leaves

3 green chilies

1/2 tsp Pepper powder

1/2 tsp Fennel seeds

1/4 tsp Cumin powder

3 Garlic cloves

1/2 cup white Vinegar

salt

3-4 tsp oil for smearing

skewers

1 red onion, cubed,  1 inch

Method

1. Make a smooth paste of cilantro, green chilies, pepper powder, fennel seeds, cumin powder, garlic, vinegar and salt
2. Marinade chicken with this paste for 1 hours
3. Soak skewers in water for 45 minutes
4. Thread marinated chicken pieces and red onions alternatively
5. Place skewers on a preheated griddle or on a grill. Cook evenly on medium heat about 15 to 20 minutes. Smear oil if need. Sprinkle chat masala before serving

                                         

        6. Serve hot