Friday, March 28, 2014

ChowMein Noodles / Lo Mein Noodles

 

Chow mein (/ˈ ˈmn/) are stir-fried noodles, the name being an English language corruption of the Taishanese chāu-mèing. The dish is popular throughout the Chinese diaspora where it will appear on the menu of Chinese restaurants. It is particularly popular in the United States and Britain It is commonly known as Loomein here in USA.

  Chitra Pal Chowmein (1)

Here is my quick and easy version of homemade Chinese noodles for you.

Ingredients

1. 2 cup of dry egg noodles or dry spaghetti pasta par boiled.(al dente)

2. Green Beans (1 cup sliced in two parts)

3. Red Bell peppers (½ cup sliced) or choose any color

4. Mushrooms (1/2 cup sliced)

5. Red Onions (1/2 cup sliced)

6. 2 tbsp of garlic and ginger chopped finely

7. 2 tbsp of olive oil

8. 2 tbsp of red chili flakes

9. Dark Soy Sauce( opt for low sodium)

10. Vinegar

11. Scallions/ Green onion for garnishing

12. Water

Chitra Pal Chowmein (3)Chitra Pal Chowmein (5)

Directions

1. Blanch the beans in hot boiling water for 3-5 minutes and then take them out and put in ice cold water. This way beans will be still crunchy but not raw and still maintain green color.

2. Heat the wok on medium heat add oil.

3. Add ginger and garlic with red chili flakes, let them be light pink and add all veggies one by one.

4. Sauté the vegetables for 5-6 minutes, do not stir them just shake your wok to turn them around.

5. At this point of time, if you want to add an egg you can add it now, but if you want vegetarian version just add boiled noodles.

6. Stir the noodles with tongs. Let them get some color.

7. Now when the noodle are ready add 1 tbsp of vinegar and 2 tbsp of soy sauce and mix it well.

8. Let them cook till soy sauce evaporates and then add little bit salt if required.

9. Serve hot and garnish with scallions.

Chitra Pal Chowmein (6)Chitra Pal Chowmein (7)Chitra Pal Chowmein (8)Chitra Pal Chowmein (9)Chitra Pal Chowmein (10)Chitra Pal Chowmein (11)Chitra Pal Chowmein (12)

Chowmein/Loomein are everyone’s favorite now you can make them home instead of eating outside and eating high calories food and destroying your health.

Monday, March 17, 2014

New Blog announcement –Fashion and Beauty Blog


colorme
After a successful food blog, thanks to my subscribers and followers, I recently started my new blog, where I share my other passion for life which is Fashion and Beauty related stuff.
It is called “Color Me- Be Extraordinary and its address is http://colormechitra.blogspot.com/
On this blog I have been sharing my passion for food  and I will continue to do that along with my new blog http://colormechitra.blogspot.com/.
I hope you will like my new blog as you liked this food blog and keep on supporting me like this on both the blogs. Please share this with friends and family so that they can also enjoy what I share on my Blogs.

thanks you
-xoxo Chitra

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Tip of the Day

 

Chitra Pal Mesh 5

This tip is very useful for Indian people living in US or any other foreign country, and they have Coil burners on their Stoves and like poof up roti / chapatti.

As an Indian, it has been really great living in US, but whenever I use to cook Indian bread (roti/chapatti) I was very frustrated when I had coil burners.in my kitchen stove and I cannot get poof up chapatti and we in our family love poof roti’s..

So I did some research and some time back and got to know that there is a very useful thing for us available in Indian stores. It is called as Wire Mesh and it is usually between $5- $7. These mesh tools are usually in that aisle where all tools and appliances are sold for your kitchen or you can always order online too. I don’t know why I never noticed this before but its never too late.

I was very skeptical buying it first, but then I just thought to give it a try as it is very inexpensive tool for kitchen. I don’t know if you guys have ever seen this or not, but this is usually to broil eggplants in Indian homes where ovens are not available.

So I have been using this since some months, and I am really happy about this. It saves my time and energy making chapatti’s. I think you should definitely try this, it will save your energy and enjoy poof up roti’s

So the steps are just to make your bread/chapatti on normal tawa or griddle and then transfer them to the wire mesh for poof up like shown in picture, just remember to put the wire mesh on rear burner and keep it on high. Use the tings to flip the chapatti and cook on both sides like shown.

 Chitra Pal Mesh 1Chitra Pal Mesh 2Chitra Pal 3Chitra Pal Mesh 4

-Thanks Chitra

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Pau Bhaji

 

A dish which everyone loves to eat outside. But now you can make it  this at home very easily and it will be much more nutritious and hygenic.

 

  Chitra Pal Pau Bhaji  

Ingredients

1. Two fresh medium diced tomatoes

2. One small boiled potato (mashed)

3. 1 cup of chopped green beans, carrots, bell pepper and peas.

4. One big Onion (chopped)

5. Three cloves of garlic ( minced)

6. 4 tsp. of Pau Bhaji Masala (MDH recommended)

7. 1 tsp. of Red chili powder

8. Salt to taste

9. 2 green chilies (chopped)

10. 3 tsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil/Vegetable Oil

11. 2 tsp. butter

12. 2 cups of water.

13. 10 buns cut in half with butter on one side. (2 whole buns for family of four)

Chitra Pal Pau Bhaji (2)Chitra Pal Pau Bhaji (6)Chitra Pal Pau Bhaji (16)Chitra Pal Pau Bhaji (8)Chitra Pal Pau Bhaji (10)Chitra Pal Pau Bhaji (9)

Directions

1. Puree Tomatoes and keep it aside.

2. Heat Oil in non stick pan and throw mix veggies inside the pan.

3. When veggies are turning light golden brown add tomato puree and stir till oil leaves sides of the pan.

4. Simmer to medium low and add mashed Potatoes.

5. Stir and close the lid let it simmer for five minutes till we prepare the masala to go in this pan. (You must close the lid, as soon as the potatoes are added tomatoes puree will be bubbling up and will make your stove top dirty).

6. Take another small non stick skillet / pan and heat 2tsp. of butter or Oil

7. Add minced garlic and green chilies and onions.

8. Add Salt, Red Chili Powder and add Paubhaji masala and add one tsp of Tomato puree from another pan.

9. Now add this garlic masala to main pan.

10. Add two cups of water.

11. Let it simmer on low heat for 15-20 mins till color is red-orange.

12. Till the Bhaji is ready heat the bread buns and chop one onion for garnish.

13. Now serve it hot to your family their favorite dish from your kitchen. I am sure they will ask for more.

-Enjoy Chitra