Mixed Fried Rice with Kung Pao Chicken

Kung Pao chicken is one dish that won our hearts in the first try itself, in a nearby restaurant. 

Me, being myself, wanted to recreate it at home. I just went by the taste, and added the ingredients I felt, were in that dish. And the result was this tasty, home-made kung pao chicken. Loved it..we all!! 

Ingredients - Kung Pao Chicken

To Marinate

Boneless chicken, cut into small pieces - about 300g

Salt - as per taste

Pepper powder - 1 tsp

Soy sauce - 1 tsp

Half egg (optional)

Corn flour - 1 tsp

For Sauting

Big onion - 1 medium, cubed

Garlic - 2 cloves, crushed

Capsicum - 1 small, cubed

Roasted Cashew/Peanuts - handful

Kashmiri chilly powder - 1 tsp or dried red chilly - 2

Spring onions - 2 tbsp, for garnishing

Soy sauce - 1 tbsp

Rice vinegar - 1 tbsp

Chicken broth/ water - 1/2 cup or 1 cup if you need more gravy

Sugar - a pinch

Dried red chilly (Kashmiri) - 2

Method

1. Marinate the chicken pieces with ingredients mentioned and keep them for 10 minutes.

2. Heat oil in a pan and fry them (in med-high heat) till the chicken pieces are cooked. (When you cut the chicken with a wooden spoon/spatula, it should not be reddish inside. Do not cook them for too long as then it will dry and will not be juicy any more). Keep them aside.

3. Make a concoction of broth, soy sauce, rice vinegar, salt & sugar. Keep aside.

4. Heat a pan, add oil. Add dried red chilly. Saute till it turns the oil red. If you are using unroasted cashew/peanuts, add at this stage and saute till they turn crisp.

5. Add cubed onions and saute for not more than 30s (you need them crisp). Add the garlic and bell peppers and saute for another 30s. Add peanuts / cashews (if using roasted ones). Add kashmiri red chilly powder if you need more colour.

6. Add the sauce mixture. Let it boil. Add the cooked chicken. Let the gravy thicken. Adjust salt. 

7. Switch off the stove and sprinkle from spring onions.

Ingredients - Mixed Fried Rice

You can follow the recipe as in Vegetable Fried Rice. In addition to veggies, you can optionally add stir fried chicken, egg, shrimps.

Cooked cooled rice - 4 cups (refer recipe here)

Egg - 2

Chicken, cut into small pieces - 1/2 cup

Shrimp - 1/4 cup

Salt - as needed

Pepper powder - about 1 tsp

Oil - 2 tbsp

Method

1. Beat egg well along with salt and pepper. Adding a tsp of water to this will help in beating the egg really fluffy.

2. Marinate chicken with salt and pepper and keep for 10 min.

3. Marinate shrimp with salt and pepper and keep for 10 min.

4. Heat a pan, add oil. Add chicken pieces (med-high heat) and fry till cooked (not reddish inside). It wont take more than 4 minutes, keep stirring. Drain oil and keep aside.

5. In same pan, fry shrimps till cooked. Again, this will not take more than 3-4 minutes. Ensure stirring to avoid burning. Remove and keep aside.

6. In remaining oil, add the beaten egg. Wait for 10s and then scramble them lightly. Once cooked, remove.

7. Add all of these into the rice and mix gently.

Home-made Noodles

Yes, you heard it right. Make our own maggi noodles at home - with fresh ingredients, no additives added, no MSG, no colours, no preservatives...How cool is that? And that its very simple and easy. Here you go.



Ingredients (enough for 2 persons)

Egg - 1
All purpose flour - 1/2 - 3/4 cup (depends on the size of the egg)

Method

Make a tight dough using the above two ingredients. Adjust the flour as per moisture content in egg, Do not add water or oil. Roll it out into thin sheet. Fold as shown in picture. Make sure you dust enough flour on both sides of the rolled out dough before folding; else it would not open up into strands easily.



Cut into thin strips using a sharp knife.




Your noodles is ready. This needs to be used immediately.



Vegetable Noodles

Oil - 1 tbsp
Ginger - 1/2 inch piece
Garlic - 1 or 2 cloves
Green chilly - 1
Carrot, beans - thinly sliced - 1 cup
Green bell pepper / capsicum - half of 1
Big onion - 1 small

Tomato sauce - 1 tbsp
Soya sauce - 1 tsp
Vegetable broth or water - 1/2 cup
Chilly sauce - 1/2 tsp (optional)

Spring onion - to garnish

Noodles - from above

Method

1. Boil the noodles in enough water, adding a tsp of salt and a drop of oil. Once cooked well, drain the water and sprinkle some cold water (to stop the cooking process) and keep it aside.

1. Crush ginger, garlic and chilly together.
2. Slice the onions thinly
3. Cut capsicum to thin strips
4. Chop spring onions finely
5. Mix the sauces and broth/water together
6. Heat a wok, add oil. Add the sliced onions. Once they turn transparent, add the crushed items. Saute till the raw smell goes. Add the vegetables and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add capsicum, saute for a minute.
7. Add the sauce mixture and let it boil. Check salt and adjust as needed.
8. Add the cooked noodles, mix well. Saute till all the moisture disappears. Garnish with chopped spring onions and serve hot!

Gobi Manchurian

One of the common and best accompaniments for fried rice. But no tall claims...its not an easy process. So venture into it only if you have enough time.



Ingredients

Cauliflower (cut into florets) - 2 cups

For the marinade / coating
Corn flour - 3 tbsp
Maida / All purpose - 2 tbsp
Rice powder - 1 tbsp
Crushed pepper - 1 tbsp
Salt - as needed
Water - little to make a semi - thick paste

Oil - for frying

For the gravy
Big onion - 1 big, chopped fine
Green chilly - 1, chopped fine
Garlic - 2 cloves, crushed
Kashmiri dried chilly - 2, soaked in some water
Tomato sauce - 4 tbsp
Soya sauce - 1 tsp
Nando's Lemon n Herb sauce - 1 tbsp (optional)
Water - 1/4 cup
Salt -  as needed











Method

1. Cut the cauliflower into florets. Boil them in enough water with some salt and turmeric powder. Once the cauliflower is almost cooked (it should still hold shape and should not be mushy), switch off the stove and drain the water immediately.
2. Make a thick paste of the marinade items. Dip the cooked cauliflower in this marinade and fry them in oil. Once they become brown, drain oil and keep aside.
3. Heat a pan, add a tbsp of oil. Add the crushed garlic and saute for 10s.
4. Add the chopped onion and green chilly. Saute till they become light brown. Sprinkle some salt.
5. Now keep the flame on high, add the soya sauce, followed by tomato sauce. Give a quick stir and add the water. Add the lemon n herb sauce (if using). Grind the dried chilly along with water and add to the mixture.
6. If you need more gravy, then mix a tbsp of cornflour in 1/2 cup water and add at this stage.
7. Add the fried cauliflower and gently mix to coat the gravy all over. Let the whole thing cook for couple of minutes until the gravy thickens and reaches the needed consistency.

Vegetable Fried Rice

Fried rice is an easy rice dish, provided you are fast in cutting the veggies. If not, then you'll have a hard time. I make sure we have fried rice atleast once a week, its a good way to make my kids eat veggies. They do ask for second and third helpings. Normally I make mixed fried rice, with the addition of scrambled egg, chicken, shrimp, sausages etc...depending on whatever is in hand. But now due to Lent, we had to settle for the pure veg version.

Ingredients

Rice (any good variety) - 2 cups
Garlic - 2 cloves, crushed
Chopped vegetables  - 2 cups (you can use veggies like beans, carrot, greenpeas, cabbage)
Spring onion - 2 strands, separately chop the white bulb and the green part.
Salt - as needed
Pepper powder - 1 tsp + 1 tsp
Sunflower oil - 1 tbsp
Rice vinegar - 2 tsp
Soy sauce - 1 tsp
Oyster sauce - 1 tsp
Sesame oil - 1 tsp











Method

Tip : The important step is to have cooked, "cooled" rice in hand. Best will be to use cooked and cooled rice from day before. Make sure it's been kept in fridge overnight. If you dont have cooled rice, then cook the rice and then cool it by spreading in a thin towel / large plate and keep it under the fan. Once its cooled, keep it in the fridge for atleast 10 min. You can do the chopping meanwhile.

1. Cook and cool the rice
2. In a wide-mouthed pot, add a tbsp of vegetable oil. Add the crushed garlic. Let it saute for 10s.
3. Add the chopped white bulb (of spring onion) and saute for 10s.
4. Add all the veggies, half of green part of spring onion and saute till they are cooked and soft. Sprinkle salt and pepper.
5. Add the cooled rice and mix thoroughly.Do a taste test and add more salt if needed.
6. Sprinkle rice vinegar, soy sauce and mix gently.
7. Switch off the stove and add the oyster sauce and sesame oil. Mix gently and thoroughly so that the seasoning coats well on the rice. Garnish with the remaining chopped spring onions.