Veg Hakka Noodles

Hakka noodles or chowmein has been one of my favorites ever since I had it for the first time in the premises of Tirupathy during a family trip long time back. Hunger always adds taste to the food and company augments it much more.  However, hakka noodles or chowmein as such is a wholesome dish if we add a lot of vegetables to it.    

Ingredients:

1. Hakka noodles - 1 pack

2. Cabbage - half of a small one

3. Bush beans - 10-12

4. Carrot -2

5. Capsicum - 1

6.Onion - 1 large

7. Garlic - 5 cloves

8. Soy sauce - 1 tbsp

9. Vinegar - 1 tbsp

10. Pepper powder - 1 tsp

11. Salt to taste

12. Gingelly oil - 3 tbsp

13. Dried red chili - 2

Method:

Step 1: Boil water and cook the hakka noodles as per the instructions on the pack and drain them. Toss with a few drops of oil so that they don't stick to each other.

Step 2: Clean the vegetables and cut them into long thin pieces like in the picture below. (I know there are 2 portions of bush beans in my pic, because my husband is a hard core fan of it ;)). You can also add some bean sprouts if you've.

Step 3: Heat the oil in a large kadai (If you have a wide wok or a deep skillet pan, that's the best, go for it), add garlic and broken chilies to it.

Step 4: When aroma surrounds saute the onion and then thrown in other vegetables in a minute.Stir fry the vegetables for a couple of minutes with some salt sprinkle over it.

Step 5: Now add the cooked noodles and toss them well.

Step 6: Add the soy sauce, vinegar, pepper and toss them on high heat. Though we can't get the effect of that large wok tossing the noodles almost a feet high, like we see in the street fast food stalls; we still would a decent chowmein on table this way.

Coleslaw

I tried this coleslaw with a purple cabbage without the traditional coleslaw seasoning. It is very simple and refreshing.

Ingredients:

1. Small purple cabbage - 1
2. Onion - 1
3. Salt as required
4. Pepper crushed - 1/2 tsp
5. Vinegar - 1 tsp
6. Gingelly oil - 1 tbsp
7. Roasted sesame seeds - 1 tbsp
8. Coriander leaves

Method:

Step 1: Shred the cabbage, cut the onion into thin long slices and chop the coriander leaves.
Step 2: Now in a bowl toss them all by drizzling vinegar, gingelly oil and sprinkling salt and pepper.
Step 3: Garnish with roasted sesame seeds and serve immediately.

Turmeric Pickle

In Tamilnadu, we celebrate a harvest festival called Pongal in the mid of January month. During this festival, fresh turmeric is tied to the new mud pot in which pongal is made. This fresh turmeric is the protagonist of our recipe today. We learnt this recipe from my paternal grandma. Turmeric gives us a lot of immunity and is a powerful antibiotic in addition to its various other positives.

Ingredients:

1. Turmeric - 250 gms
2. Gingelly oil - 1/2 cup
3. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tbsp
4. Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp
5. Chili powder - 3 tbsp
6. Salt - 2 tbsp
7. Fenugreek  powder - 1 tsp
8. Dry ginger powder - 1 tsp
9. Lemon - 2

Method:

Step 1: Wash, pat dry, peel and grate the turmeric in a fine grater. There is catch, it is a little tedious task, your palms remain yellow yellow-dirty fellow for one day, even the grater retains a deep orange color from a gummy substance in turmeric. But it is all worth the taste and goodness of the pickle.

Step 2: Heat the oil in a kadai and splutter the mustard seeds; sprinkle the asafoetida and saute the grated turmeric in it. Cook it covered for about 5-10 minutes by stirring in between.

Step 3: Now open the lid, add salt, chili powder and stir cook for another 5 minuted without covering.

Step 4: Taste and adjust spices and mix the fenugreek powder and dry ginger powder.

Step 5: Switch off the stove and squeeze in the juice of a couple of lemons and stir well.

Step 6: Once it comes to room temperature, store it in a clean and dry bottle.

TIPS:
* Turmeric does not cook once the salt is added. So make sure it is cooked well before adding salt or spices.
* Use the finest grater to ease the cooking process.