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Monday, April 30, 2012

Schezwan/Szechuan Cauliflower (Indo-chinese style)

The Chinese population in India adapted their cooking techniques making it more palatable to locals (my-to do list: Visit Chinatown in Kolkata next time I'm in India).

I love Indo-chinese - it was one of the first cuisines I tasted as a child that seemed different from the traditional Bengali fare I usually had at home *sigh*- other than the Mughlai, North-Indian, South-Indian, and occasional pasta (elbow/macaroni) breaks. Now, I have access to most major cuisines of the world, or at least some versions of it. But Indo-chinese still remains one of my most favorites. A minimalist vegetable fried rice accompanied with chili chicken will lift my mood any given day. And have I declared my undying love for steamed dumplings in this space yet? The world seems a brighter place with good food. :)

You know the drill, first cut the florets into pieces of equal size, steam in microwave for 5 mins(depending on size, may skip). Add to batter(I like besan(gram flour): corn flour in 3:1  with a drizzle of soy sauce and water added incrementally for right consistency) and fry in batches in hot oil in a deep frying pan.
Drain the oil in paper towels (very imp)
In a separate wok, saute bite-sized bell peppers and red onions , add minced ginger -garlic, szechuan sauce, soy sauce. No need to add salt if you are not using low-sodium soy sauce.
Add the cauliflowers , toss and serve with minced green onions and slit green chilis


You can use paneer or tofu instead of cauliflower, though I don't like to fry paneer,(unless I am making bhurji).Prefer to place them in warm water instead to soften the paneer. You can substitute the cauliflower with veggie mix/cabbage, chicken or filleted fish too.

See also, Link 1 [delhibelle]

Bonus Recipe: Kopi bhaja (cauliflower fritters)
Cut Cauliflower into florets, add salt, turmeric, garlic powder+herbs mix, besan (chickpea flour) and deep fry in oil. Drain excess oil in paper towels. Serve hot.

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