I prepared this for dinner last night. It is not a pure Oriental recipe, but a modified one. Lots of fresh vegetables in a thick tangy, garlicky and spicy sauce served with Garlic Noodles or Fried Rice. I bet you’ll love it, so try it out today!

Ingredients: (Serves 4-5)

1 cup scallions or spring onions with the greens,

1 cup broccoli/cauliflower florets; parboiled ,

1 cup mushrooms; sliced,

1 cup shredded cabbage,

1 cup Bell Peppers (green, red and/or yellow); deseeded and diced,

1 cup baby corn; parboiled and diced,

1 cup carrots; sliced or diced,

15 cloves of garlic; minced,

1/2 inch fresh galangal, peeled and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices,

2-3 dry red chillies; broken into pieces,

1 tbsp dark soy sauce,

2 tbsp chilli sauce/paste,

1 tbsp mushroom oyster sauce,

150-200 grams readymade tomato puree,

2 tbsp corn flour mixed with some water to form a paste,

1 tbsp white wine vinegar,

1/2 tsp sugar,

Salt, pepper and dry chilli flakes to taste,

Sesame oil or Olive oil for roasting.

Water as required.

Method:

Heat oil in a wok on medium flame. Add minced garlic, sliced galangal and red chillies and sauté until garlic is fragrant and lightly browned. Then add carrots, peppers, baby corn and broccoli/cauliflower. Stir fry them for few minutes on medium-high flame, stirring occasionally. Then add mushrooms, cabbage and stir fry. In the end add scallions, season with some salt, pepper and chilli flakes and cook for a minute.

Add tomato puree, stir, cover and cook for 2-3 minutes. In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, chilli sauce, mushroom oyster sauce, vinegar, sugar and mix until sugar dissolved. Then stir in the sauce mixture into the vegetables. Cook for a minute. Then add around 2 1/2 – 3 cups water and bring to boil. Once the gravy boils, add the corn flour paste to it and stir immediately. At this stage you will find the gravy has begun to thicken. Put off the flame and transfer the vegetables with the sauce into a serving bowl. Serve hot with Garlic Noodles or Fried Rice.

Ingredients:

1/2 lb or 10-12 large shrimps,

1 tsp soy sauce,

1 tsp rice wine,

Seasonings -

1 tsp minced garlic,

1 tsp minced ginger,

1 green onion; thinly sliced,

3 Red Hot Chilli Peppers,

1 tsp hot chilli paste,

For the sauce -

1/4 cup tomato ketchup,

1 tsp sugar,

1 tsp rice wine,

Salt to taste.

Vegetables -

1 small stalk of celery; diagonally cut into thin slices,

1 small bamboo shoot; sliced,

4-5 spears of asparagus; tips removed and chopped into inch size pieces,

1/4 cup vegetable oil,

1 tsp Sesame oil.

Method:

Boil some water in a pot and drop all the vegetables into it. Cook until vegetables are bright in color. Then strain and set aside.

In a wok, heat 3 tbsp of oil. Drop the shrimps and cook until they turn pink and cooked. Drain and set aside. To the same wok, add more oil if required, then add peppers and stir fry for a minute. Then add all the seasonings and stir for half a minute. Combine all the ingredients of sauce in a bowl, stir until sugar dissolves. Add this sauce to the wok. Stir in the shrimps and vegetables, cook for 2 minutes, pour sesame oil and serve.

Hoisin Sauce (Haixian Sauce/Suckling Pig Sauce) is a lovely sauce from the Chinese cuisine. A perfect blend of sweet, sour and spicy flavor, it is used as a dip or a barbeque sauce.

Ingredients:

4 tbsp Soy sauce,

2 tbsp black bean paste,

1 tbsp Chilli garlic sauce or as per taste,

1 tbsp honey,

1 tbsp white vinegar,

2 tsp sesame seeds,

A dash of pepper.

Method:

Combine together all the ingredients and mix thoroughly. The sauce may not look well mixed initially but let it rest for some time and your sauce it ready. Serve it as a dip along with dim sums or use it as a barbeque sauce for chicken or pork.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup vegetable oil,
1 tbsp sesame oil,
1 tbsp rice vinegar,
1 tbsp soy sauce,
1/2 tsp ground ginger,
1/2 tsp sugar.

Method:
Combine oils. Add other ingredients in a bowl, stir well. Then drop the oil into the bowl stirring continuously.

This recipe can be used as a dip, sauce or also as a salad dressing.

Ingredients:
1 cup coriander, finely chopped,
1 cup spring onion greens, finely chopped,
2 tbsp finely chopped mint leaves,
4 tbsp red chilli oil,
2″ inch ginger, finely chopped,
2 tbsp soy sauce,
Salt and pepper to taste.

Method:
In a bowl mix together red chilli oil, soy sauce, salt and pepper and let it aside for some time. In another bowl mix coriander, spring onions, mint and ginger. Add the oil mixture to it and mix well. Serve with steamed snacks like dimsims, won tons, etc.