Fried Vermicell

One dish you can find all over Malaysia. A plate of fried vermicelli good as it own or for more fancy look and taste a sunny side egg on top will complete the dish. I always have dried vermicelli stocked in my pantry and fried vermicelli will be on our dinner table whenever the family opt for simple and light dinner. Non greasy.easy to prepare and burst with flavor is what you need to satisfy some hungry mouths. Just remember to soak the vermicelli so soften it and for easy frying and you already good to go. You may squeeze calamansi over the fried vermicelli for extra kick of flavor.

Ingredients

1/2 packet vermicelli
2 fried beancurds,sliced into chunks
2 tbsp chilli paste
2 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp light soy sauce
Handful of chopped mustard leaves
Handful of  chopped Chinese cabbage
1 tbsp minced garlic
2 tbsp minced onion
1 fish cake,sliced
3-4 fishballs,cut into 4
1 medium tomato,chopped
2 tbsp vegetable oil
Salt to season

Methods

Soak the vermicelli in water for 1 hour and rinse. Keep aside.

Heat oil in a large frying pan and add the onion. Saute for 1 minute and add minced garlic. Saute for 10-15 seconds.

Add  fishballs and fry for 1 minute. Into that add fried beancurd and fish cake. Mix well.

Add the chili paste and saute till raw flavor leaves. Add chopped tomatoes and cook till tomatoes soften. Add dark soy sauce and light soy sauce. Season with salt and stir well.

Add the soaked vermicelli and stir well to combined. Stir fry till all the ingredients well combined.

Cook for 10-12 minutes or till the vermicelli thoroughly cooked and tender to bite

Remove to a serving plate and enjoy

Notes

• As light soy sauce naturally salty, be cautious while adding salt to the dish. Adjust salt to your taste

Methi Kachori

I came across of Methi kachoori during my North India vacation last year March. There are vendor sitting on the road side frying hot piping kachoris for breakfast and the number of crowd waiting to taste their kachoris are countless. Curious about the taste. i managed to order a plate and was taken aback with the taste. Awesome feeling on every bite as the hot kachoris served with some chutney guess coriander and tamarind chutney. The hot filling of mashed potatoes and peas well season with aromatic Indian spices oozing out and filled my mouth.

Came back home i give it a try at my own kitchen with a little alteration by adding dry fenugreek or methi leaves. The flavor and earrty smell of methi leaves goes really well with this kachori recipe. I;m glad i made the alteration for that extra kick of flavor. I had them with a cup of piping hot Indian chai...yummy indeed.

Ingredients

For The Dough

1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 tbsp ghee
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp dry methi/dry fenugreek leaves
Water as needed
Vegetable oil for frying

For Filling

1 cup potatoes, boiled and roughly mashed
3/4 cup green peas,boiled and mashed
1 tsp red chilly powder
3/4 tsp garam masala
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp amchoor/dried mango powder
1 sprig curry leaves
1/2 inch ginger,chopped
1 medium onion,chopped
2 cloves garlic,chopped
1 green chilly,chopped
2 tbsp oil


Methods

In a bowl, add all purpose flour,wheat flour.dry methi and salt. Whisk to combined. Add oil and a little water and knead to form a soft dough.

Cover the dough with clean kitchen towel and keep aside.

For the filling, add oil in a frying pan and add mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds splutter add curry leaves and chopped green chilly.

Add the chopped onion and saute till the onion softens. Add chopped garlic and ginger. Into that add the cumin powder,chilly powder,coriander powder,garam masala and amchoor powder. Saute for 1 -2 minutes.

Add the mashed potatoes and green peas. Stir well to combined. Transfer to a plate and let it cool.

Divide the dough into equal sized balls and roll out the dough using a rolling pin to 4 inch circle.

Spoon over a tablespoon of the filling in the center of the dough and clip the edges together to seal the fillings. Repeat the process with the remaining dough and fillings.

Heat oil in a pan and deep fry the prepared dough over a medium-low heat till golden brown.

Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel

Serve hot with a cup of chai

Malaysian Style Fried Egg Noodles

This a one of the famous dish one will order at restaurants or food stalls all over Malaysia. We Malaysians are proud of of fried egg noodles known as mee goreng in Bahasa. A plate of mee goreng dish out with fried bean curds,scrambled eggs,shredded cabbage,carrots,greeny mustard leaves are sure to satisfy hungry tummies and goes well with a big glass of teh tarik (milk tea). I'll share my teh tarik recepi soon but as of now lets talk about mee goreng.

Am not a fan of mee goreng as i don't fancy egg noodles but mee goreng will be in our menu for the rest of family members. I bought a pack of egg noodle in our local wet market and soak them in clean water for a good 1 hour to get rid of excess camphor added in the process of making the noodles. This is important so that your plate of fried noodles doesn't smell or taste of overloaded camphor. To enhance the taste, squeeze dash of lemon or calamansi over the hot plate of noodles and enjoy.

Ingredients

1 packet of egg noodles
2 fried beancurds,sliced into chunks
2 tbsp chilli paste
2 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp light soy sauce
2 eggs,beaten
Handful of chopped mustard leaves
Handful of chopped cabbage
1/2 carrot,julienned
1 tbsp minced garlic
2 tbsp minced onion
10-15 prawns,cleaned and deveined
2 tbsp vegetable oil
Salt to season

For Garnishing

1 lemon or calamansi

Methods

Soak the egg noodles in water for 30 minutes and rinse. Keep aside.

Heat oil in a large frying pan and add the onion. Saute for 1 minute and add minced garlic. Saute for 10-15 seconds.

Add the chili paste and saute till raw flavor leaves. Add the carrot.shredded cabbage and mustard leaves and fry for a minute. Into that add the prawns and fried beancurds. Stir.

Add the noodles and stir well to combine. Remove the egg noodles to the side of the pan and pour the beaten eggs in the middle of the pan. Scramble the eggs and mix the noodles with the eggs. Fry till all the ingredients well combined.

Add dark soy sauce and light soy sauce. Season with salt and stir well. Cook for 10-12 minutes or till the noodles throughly cooked and tender to bite.

Remove to a serving plate and garnish with lemon wedges or calamansi.

Notes

• As light soy sauce naturally salty, be cautious while adding salt to the dish. Adjust salt to your taste

Drumstick Sambar

One of the famous dhal gravy in Indian households. Drumstick sambar or murunggai sambar is a vegetarian dish usually serve with white rice,idli or dosa. Loaded with fresh vegetables this gorgeous dhal gravy is easy to make stays good for even on next day if store in the fridge. Sambar known as Indian vegetable stew packed with goodness of aromatic spices and recent research confirm its capability to fight against cancer. Thanks to the turmeric powder and other spices that goes into the gravy.

Toor dhal or pigeon cajuns used in this recipe is a legume which can be found in shops selling Asian products. As legumes known for causing winds adding asafoetida to the gravy, helps to cut the wind and aids in digestion. Drumstick or moringga slowly gaining its popularity around the globe for their various heath benefits. Drumstick helps to boost immune system,fight againts free radicals and contains niacin and natural folic acid. Dish out drumstick sambar and enjoy the wholesome goodness.

Ingredients

5 drumsticks,cut into pieces
3/4 cup toor dhal,boiled and mashed
2 1/2 tbsp sambar powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 carrot, peeled and sliced
2 large onions sliced
3 red chillies
1 tbsp coriander powder
1 tbsp tamarind paste
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
2 sprigs curry leaves
1-2 cups water
Pinch of asafoetida/hing powder
Salt to taste
1 tbsp vegetable oil


Methods

In a pan, heat oil and add mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds splutter, add curry leaves,cumin seeds and dry red chillies. Saute for 2 minutes.

Add sliced onions and saute till the onions turns translucent. Add drumstick pieces and sliced carrots. Saute for another 1-2 minutes.

Add sambar powder. coriander powder and turmeric powder and saute for 1-2 minutes or till raw smells of the powders goes off.

Add water and tamarind paste. Stir and boil the mixture for 5 minutes.

Add the cooked toor dhal and season with salt and asafoetida/hing. Cook for 10-15 minutes or till the gravy thickens.

Remove from heat and serve with white rice

Beetroot Chutney

Healthy chutney that can be prepared in jiffy and make excellent side dish for idli or dosa. Beetroot chutney comes in a very vibrant red colur which is an interesting way to trick your kids with beetroot. They'll never guess the secret ingredient in this delicious chutney recepi which a humble beetroot.

As we all know beetroot packed with iron and folate and known to help low blood pressure and prevent dementia. Recent studies shows beetroot help preventing cancer and superfood for clenasing liver. This brilliant tasting chutney is one of the many ways to include beetroot in your daily diet. I had them with dosa and can keep for a good 2-3 days in fridge.

Ingredients

1 large beetroot, washed, peeled and chopped
3 dry red chillies
1 tomato,chopped
2-3 cloves garlic
1 small onion,chopped
1 tbsp chana dhal
1 tsp tamarind paste
1 tbsp vegetable oil
Salt to taste

For Tempering

1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp urad dhal
1 tsp oil


Methods

In a saucepan over a medium heat, saute dry chillies,garlic and chana dhal for 1-2 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool.

Into the same saucepan, add chopped beetroot and tomato. Cook for 8-10 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool.

Add all the sauteed ingredients into a blender and season with salt tamarind paste. Grind into a smoot paste. Transfer to a bowl.

In a saucepan, heat oil and add mustard seed and urad dhal. Saute for 3-4 seconds. Once the mustard seeds splutter, pour the mixture over the chutney.

Serve with idli or dosa