Chow mein (/ˈtʃaʊ ˈmeɪn/) 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.
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
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.
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.
Ingredients
1. 3 big capsicum/ green bell pepper diced bite size
2. 2 onions diced
3. 1 tbsp of ginger chopped finely
4. 3 tbsp of tomato ketchup
5. 1 tbsp of garlic minced
6. Salt and red chili powder to taste
7. Oil
Directions
1. In a non stick pan add 2 tbsp of olive oil.
2. Heat on medium heat and add ginger garlic, stir and let it be pink in color.
3. Add Onions and Capsicum and let them cook until little soft but still crunchy.
4. Add Tomato ketchup and taste it.
5. Then add salt if needed.
6. Add Black pepper, red chili powder.
7. Toss and cook for two minutes more.
8. Serve hot on sandwich bun or bread.
9. Treat all vegetarian friends.
You can always add chicken, tofu, egg, or paneer for more filling sandwich.
-Chitra
Ingredients
1. 2 Egg
2. 2 Brown Bread
3. ½ of green capsicum sliced
4. ½ of yellow bellpepper sliced
5. ½ eggplant/brinjal sliced
6. 2 onions sliced
7. 1 tbsp of ginger and 1 tsp of garlic minced
8. 2 tbsp of tomato paste
9. Salt and Pepper to taste
10. Oil
Directions
1. Cut a circle with knife in middle of bread carefully. Size of one egg.
2. In a non stick pan, in the mean time add 1 tbsp of oil and heat it.
3. Add Ginger garlic and cook till pink color.
4. Now add all the vegetables and grill/ roast/saute them.
5. When they turn little soft add salt, pepper and tomato paste. If you don’t have paste then you can add tomato sauce whichever brand you have.
6. Toss and keep it aside.
7. In a non stick flat surface pan put ½ tsp of oil.
8. Put the bread and in the middle of bread break the egg. Let it cook on medium low heat. Slowly turn the bread, when one side is cooked.
9. Cook both sides, if egg falls outside then don’t worry try to move the egg with wooden spatula back on bread.
10. Egg hole Sandwich is ready serve hot with grilled vegetables.
11. Trust me your children will love it and they will eat vegetables, especially eggplant.
-Chitra
Ingredients
1. 2 Chicken breasts skinless shredded / chopped in bite size pieces
2. 1 big onion chopped finely vertically
3. 2 cloves of garlic minced
4. 2 tbsp of grated ginger
5. 1 green chili finely chopped without seeds
6. 1 cup of mixed bell pepper sliced vertically( red, green, yellow, orange)
7. 2 cups of boiled basmati rice
8. 4-5 tbsp of butter
9. 1 tbsp of olive oil
10. 2 tbsp of tomato puree
11. Salt to taste
12. 2 tsp of (mild one) curry powder or use mixture of 2 tsp turmeric powder, red chili powder, garam masala powder, cumin powder, and coriander powder.
13. 1 cup of water
Directions
1. Heat the Oil in non stick pan and add 1 tbsp of olive oil and 3 tbsp of butter. This will prevent butter to burn.
2. Add the chopped onions, garlic and chili when the oil and butter is hot. Fry till the onions turn golden brown but do not burn.
3. Now add curry powder and stir.
4. Now add tomato puree and salt to taste and let it cook for 1 minute.
5. Add the chopped chicken to the pan, and cook for 4-5 minutes till chicken is almost cooked. Be careful it does not stick to the pan.
6. Now add water to the pan and turn down the heat.
7. Put the lid on and let the chicken cook for 3-4 minutes.
8. Now add bell peppers and stir in and close the lid again and let it cook until bell peppers turn little soft.
9. Now add grated ginger and turn off the gas. Close the lid and set it to other side.
10. In the mean while add 2 tbsp of butter in another non stick pan on low heat. When the butter turns liquid and little hot add the boiled basmati rice without water.
11. Turn off the gas and remove from heat and stir with fork so that rice does not break.
12. Transfer the rice into bowl and push it down. Now tilt the bowl carefully in the middle of tray and spread the cooked chicken jalfrezi around the rice and serve hot.
13. Garnish with spring onions chopped.
Ingredients
1. 2 cups of Basmati Rice (Used India Gate) soak in water for 20 minutes.
2. 1 ½ cup of chopped Red, Yellow, Orange, green bell pepper
3. 1 tsp of cumin seeds
4. Salt and Red chili powder to taste
5. 1 tbsp of oil
6. 1 bay leaf / tej pata
7. Water
Directions
1. In a non stick pan add oil, and cumin seeds and tej pata.
2. When the cumin seeds splutter add bellpeppers.
3. Cook, stir fry them for 5 minutes and then add Salt and Red chili powder.
4. Strain the Rice and lightly fry them.
5. Now add water and cook until done.
6. Serve hot with cool Raita.
-Chitra
Ingredients
1. 2 cups of yellow, green and red bell peppers sliced
2. 2 cups of broccoli florets
3. Salt and Pepper to taste
4. 1 tbsp of soy sauce
5. 1 tsp of sesame oil
6. 1 tbsp of thai red sauce
7. ½ cup of mix vegetable ( peas, carrots, beans and corn)
8. 1 cup of almonds and peanuts roasted
9. 2 tbsp of pickled vegetables
10. 2 tbsp of olive oil
Directions
1. In a non stick pan add peppers and broccoli and mix vegetables.
2. Stir fry them until they turn little crispy golden.
3. Now sprinkle, sesame oil, soy sauce and thai red sauce.
4. Sprinkle salt and black pepper.
5. Cook for 5 minutes.
6. Serve hot stir fry. Garnish with almonds, peanuts and pickled vegetables.
-Chitra
Shish taouk (Arabic,Turkish), is a traditional Arabic and Turkish shish kebab, which can also be found in Syrian, Iraqi and Lebanese cuisines, but is made in kabab houses in many cities around the world.
Cubes of chicken are skewered and grilled. Common marinades are based upon yogurt or a tomato puree, though there are many variations. Shish taouk is typically eaten with garlic paste.
Ingredients:
For Chicken
1. 2 pounds skinless chicken breasts cubed
2. ½ cup of yogurt
3. ¼ cup vinegar
4. ½ cup fresh lemon juice
5. 1½ tbsp ketchup
6. ¼ cup olive oil
7. 1 tsp garlic powder
8. 1 tsp paprika powder
9. 1 tsp onion powder
10. ½ tsp cayenne pepper powder (to taste)
11. Salt to taste
12. ½ tsp. mixed Arabic spices or all spices.
13. ½ tbsp of dried thyme
14. 2 diced onions
15. 1 yellow bell pepper diced in cubes
16. 1 red bell pepper diced in cubes
17. 1 green bell pepper diced in cubes
Garlic Sauce
1. 4 cloves garlic
2. juice of ½ lemon
3. 1 tbsp of mayonnaise
4. 1 tbsp of olive oil
5. 1 small potato boiled and peeled
Directions
For Garlic Sauce
Put all ingredients in a food processor and mix until light and creamy and Refrigerate.
For Chicken
1. Mix yogurt, vinegar, lemon juice, thyme, ketchup, oil and all spices together in a bowl.
2. Add chicken and marinate for at least 12 hours in the refrigerator.
3. Put chicken and bell peppers, onions on skewers and cook over hot grill until done.
4. Serve with Arabic /pita bread or Rice and garlic sauce.
-Chitra
Pizza Sauce: - Heat 3 tsp. olive oil and add thinly diced onions and two cloves of garlic. When Onions turn little brown add can of diced tomatoes. Let it cook for 10 minutes until sauce is little reduced and then add salt and add 1 tsp. of oregano and red chili flakes. Let the mixture to cool down and now mix it well in your blender with 1tsp. of hot sauce and salt and pepper to tatse. Your sauce is ready. Store it in glass bottle or can. You can use the same as any kind of pasta marinara.
This could be romantic dinner special for Valentine's Day :)
