Chilly Paneer with Vegan Chinese Pickle

I Utterly Love Chinese overmuch too much, how much ??? Read on…Once upon a time when.. Me and The Foodie were passing by typical Maharashtrian Marathi Khanaval (Dhabba – Highway side restaurants serving predominantly Thalis), following conversation followed between ME and The Foodie,

HE (who loves veg thalis): Cool….These Maharashtrian Dhabbes must be serving authentic Marathi food, lets jump in.

ME (who avoids veg thalis): What’s so interesting in Marathi Thalis.. You’ve married a Maharashtrian we daily eat Marathi food @ home !

HE: Really ??? I have been getting a feel that I’ve married a Chinese Girl.. we must be having more of Chinese than Maharashtrian food …

ME: (!!!!) ^#(^

Accepted I love to try various Indo Chinese recipes and this is one of my oldest hobbies (First dish prepared by me must be Maggi – considering it Chinese :P).

Non-Vegan…

Being a vivid fan of Indo Chinese food and Chicken, Chilli Chicken was one of the first dishes I prepared @ home. There were times when the dish used to be disaster but I used to try it nearly alternate weekends and thanks to the practice, I soon got mastery in this dish :P

Everyone @ home are dead crazy for this dish, but The Foodie is very unlucky in this as he couldn’t try this out (Cons of being a vegetarian-can’t have the dish which his wife prepares the BEST) :-O

So I tried to regenerate the taste where I replaced Chicken with Cottage Cheese (our very own Paneer). Turned a perfect entry for Cardamom’s JFI- Paneer, Originally started by Indira of Mahanandi.

You Need:

• Paneer: Enough to make about 25 pieces of nearly 1 inch ; so about 150gms
• Capsicum: 1 in qty ; cut into pieces of size similar to paneer
• Onion/Spring Onion : ½ qty/ 1-2  in number, Sliced
• Cabbage: 1 cup sliced
• Green chilies: 2-3 slices vertically
• Ginger, Garlic and Green Chili paste: 1-2 tbsp
• Chinese Sauces – Red Chilli , Soya and Vinegar – qty as per your taste
• Oil
• Salt to taste

You Do:

1. Marination– As Non-veg dishes normally need appropriate marination, so I did the same thing with Paneer. Paneer may not soak in the marinations but the aroma sure gets in. So Mix Paneer , Ginger-garlic & green chili paste and all sauces. Keep it for half an hour or so.
2. Later in a Chinese style pan , temper it with green chilies, Sauté the Onion/Spring Onion – once pinkish add other veggies and sauté –shallow fry them.
3. Add the marinated Paneer and salt, Add Chinese sauces in accordance with the taste.
4. Let the Paneer cook with other veggies. Toss it in between , the Chinese ishtyle ;;)

Serve as a Starter :)

Vegan…

About Chinese, along with trying it @ home I must have tried and tasted most of Chinese restaurants @ Mumbai then and now @ Pune. You can conclude beforehand if the ordered food will be tasty by the Chinese pickle present.

I tried my hand on it and named this experiment of mine as C Rays to Four Pickle .. confused :-S .. read on :P

You Need:

• Vegetable suitable for pickle – I used Cucumber – Carrots & Cabbage , cut in accordance with the taste.
• Vinegar: One measure
• Sugar: Half measure
• Sesame Oil/ Olive Oil/ Vegetable Oil
• Green chili: as the spiciness required
• Salt to taste

You Do:

1. Dissolve the sugar in the vinegar, Toss the veggies, and toss them to coat them with the mixture.
2. Heat the oil and let the chilies splutter. Pour this spiced oil over the veggies.
3. Toss the mixture well and let the veggies marinate for 1 hour or so.
4. This can be refrigerated and used for about 5 days.

Use it as a pickle or even a starter. 

Now Me sending this Chinese Cucumber Carrot Cabbage Pickle (C Rays to Four Pickle) to :

• “It’s a Vegan World: Chinese” by our vegan blogger Vaishali
• “Pickles and Chutneys” hosted by Sireesha

P.S.: There are few awards presented to Personal Tadka by my lovely blogger friends, it’s coming soon, so watch out for this space :D

Happy ThanksGiving ! Remembering 26/11 !!