Quick Bites
is it really necessary that one has to go to a good restaurant to taste good Chinese food? Well, Shampa Saha of BA (Journalism, Psychology and English) takes the challenge with some home- cooked Chinese delicacies with an Indian touch.
500-600 gms boneless chicken
2tbsp soya sauce
1 egg
2tbsp corn flour
5-6 green chillies (finely chopped)
2 spring onion tops (finely chopped) [not essential]
1 tsp garlic paste
1/2 tsp white pepper powder or to taste
1 tsp sugar
A pinch of ajinomoto (optional)
2 cups chicken stew
1 tbsp oil
Oil to fry
Salt to Taste
Cut the chicken into 1 inch cubes. Take 1tbsp. soya sauce, 1tbsp. corn flour, salt, egg in a mixing bowl and blend it properly. Marinate chicken pieces with that mixture for about 10 to 15 minutes. Heat oil in a deep pan and fry the chicken pieces till it gets golden brown. Now in a separate pan heat 1tbsp oil and garlic paste and green chillies and sauté for few seconds. Then add the chicken stew bring it to boil and add sugar, pepper powder, salt, ajinomoto and 1tbsp.You may add soya sauce for brownish colour, in this you can leave out ajinomoto. Add deep fried chicken cook for few minutes and after that dissolve the remaining corn flour in half cup water and add to the curry stirring persistently to avoid lumps. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes serve hot garnished with chopped green onion tops. This can be well served with steamed or boiled rice.
It’s time to feast and celebrate after the festive season. For any one who loves cakes, this column will definitely cook sinful brownies at home.
1tsp butter for greasing
Grease proof paper for lining (if not available can be done
with little oil and maida or plain flour)
250gms dark chocolate (that will come to 2cups when
chopped)
1 cup plain flour
1/2tsp baking powder
1/2tsp soda bi-carbonate
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup curd, beaten
1 tsp vanilla essence
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
Since the recipe is for students, instead of complicated and expensive ovens or microwaves, we will switch to the convenient and easy pressure cookers and to start, first we require greasing the baking tin( should be of aluminium) with the help of grease proof paper or with oil and dust it by sprinkling maida over the greased surface evenly. Use baking tin of 6 inch in diameter, so that it can easily get into the pressure cooker. Keep it aside.
Mix together maida, baking powder and soda bi-carbonate and carry on with melting the chopped chocolate by stirring it lightly to make a smooth mixture. Then in a separate bowl add the butter and powdered sugar and stir with a wooden spoon till the mixture becomes soft and creamy. Add the melted chocolate to the butter mixture and blend it thoroughly and finally add the maida mixture, curd, vanilla essence, and chopped walnuts and mix it lightly till batter is well blended. Pour the batter into the greased baking tin. Now heat the pressure cooker for 2 minutes and one thing to keep in mind is that if the baking tin comes into direct contact of the base of cooker, it can over bake the cake so it demands for a base. Now put the baking tin containing the batter inside the cooker with some aluminium base and unlike other baking process don’t put water inside the pressure cooker. Close the cooker lid and do not put the whistle on the lid. Lower the flame from high to low after 2 minutes. Let it cook for 40-45 minutes, and then switch off the heat. Do not open the lid immediately. After 10 minutes, open the lid to check whether the cake is done. Put a sharp thing like fork or knife to pierce inside the cake. If the mixture will not stick on it, means your brownie is ready. Remove it from the baking tin cut into pieces and serve.
Shampa Saha
BA (Journalism,Psychology and English)
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Shampa Saha
BA (Psychology, Journalism and English |
