Veg. Tom Yum Soup

 

           This is a simple and a healthy vegetable clear soup - Thai style. It is a soul satisfying soup with some kaffir lime leaves and lemon grass thrown in for some lemony flavor. You can go ahead and add many more veggies, pasta and boiled grains for some variety. 

          Few pieces of boiled and shredded chicken or prawns can also be added for a non-veg. version. It is a complete and a wholesome light meal in itself. 

• 1/2 cup long beans, cut into 1" thick pieces
• 1/2 cup carrots, cut into 1" thick pieces
• 1/2 cup broccoli florets
• 2-3 tbsp. tom yum paste
• 5-6 kaffir lime leaves
• 2 lemon grass stack, crushed
• 1/2 cup noodles
• salt to taste
• 1/2 cup Enoki mushrooms
• 1/2 cup white part of the spring onion, cut into 1" pieces
• 1 spring onion (green portion) sliced

          Add the tom yum paste, salt to taste, kaffir lime leaves and lemon grass to a litre of water and mix well. Bring it to a boil. 

          Add the long beans, carrots, broccoli and noodles. Simmer for 2 minutes. Then add the mushroom and the white part of the spring onion. Simmer further for a minute more. 

          Switch off the frame and garnish with chopped spring onion. Serve in individual bowls for a healthy light meal along with some grilled delicacies.

Thai Tom Yum Prawn Noodle Soup

 

                  Tom Yum is a traditional Thai clear soup which has all the flavours - spicy sweet and sour. It is simply delicious, spicy and mouth watering. The prawns and mushrooms brings out the true flavor. Prawns can also be substituted with boiled and shredded chicken. For a more wholesome dish, I also added some noodles. It is a complete meal in itself and a bowl of this appetizing soup gives complete satisfaction. 

           

                   This is a Thai street food which is found all over the country. It has become very popular here now and can be found in many restaurants and eating joints. This is an instant version where I made use of store bought tom yum paste. So when time is a restraint, this is a perfect one pot comfort meal to lift up your spirits. It is almost like a South Indian rasam. 

• 1/2 litre water
• 2-3 tbsp. tom yum paste
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 2 green chilies
• 1 tomato, cubed
• 1 onion, cubed
• 1 cup Shimeji mushroom
• 8-10 prawns / shrimps, cleaned & deveined
• 1/3 cup evaporated milk
• juice of 1/2 lime
• 2-3 tbsp. spring onion (both white & green part)
• 1 tsp. coriander leaves to garnish
• lemon slices to garnish
• 1-2 boiled eggs, sliced into half
• 2-3 dumplings (opt)

          Bring the water to a boil. Then add the tom yum paste, sugar and red chili powder. Simmer on a low flame for 4-5 minutes.

          Then add the prawns, mushroom, onion, tomato, milk, white part of the spring onion and green chilies. Simmer for 2-3 minutes.

          Ladle the soup into a serving dish and add lemon juice. Serve, garnished with chopped spring onion, coriander leaves, dumpling, lemon slices and boiled eggs.

Chinese Egg Fried Rice

 

            Chinese Egg Fried Rice is a yummy street food and is very popular in all Chinese restaurants. It is very quick and easy to prepare right at home. Assorted veggies that is easily available can be added. The eggs can be either scrambled or made into an omelet and then cut into strips. For a veg. version, simply skip it. 

           I have added some homemade red chili-garlic paste instead of tomato sauce, besides green chili sauce and soy sauce. You can adjust the sauces accordingly. This is a simple and a wholesome one pot meal - Chinese style, which can be relished with or without any side dish. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this great comfort food.

• 2-3 cups cooked rice
• 2 eggs, well beaten
• 2 tbsp. oil 
• 1-2 dry red chilies, broken
• 1 tsp. garlic
• 2 green chilies, chopped
• 1/4 cup spring onion (white part), sliced
• 1 cup bell pepper, capsicum, cabbage, carrot, beans and baby corn, chopped
• 1/4 cup frozen green peas 
• 1 tbsp. soya sauce 
• 1 tbsp. red chili sauce 
• 1 tsp. green chili sauce
• pinch of salt or to taste
• 1/4 tsp. pepper powder
• 2 tbsp. spring onion (green part), chopped

           Heat 1 tsp. oil in a wok / kadai and stir fry the egg till it is well scrambled. Keep aside.

          Temper the remaining oil with dry red chilies, garlic and green chilies. Sauté till the garlic turns slightly pinkish in colour. 

           Then add the spring onion (white part). Sauté for a minute.

          Now add all the chopped veggies, including green peas and sauté for a minute more. 

  

          Time to add the cooked rice, followed by all the sauces, pinch of salt and pepper powder. Stir fry for 2 minutes.

          When done, add the scrambled egg and sauté for a minute. Garnish with spring onion (green part) and enjoy just as it is or with chili garlic prawns / any side dish.

                          Heat 1 tsp. oil & stir fry the egg till it is well scrambled. Keep aside.

                   Temper the remaining oil with red chilies & garlic. Sauté till the garlic turns

                   slightly pinkish in colour. 

                                  Then add the spring onion (white part). Sauté for a minute.

                     Add all the chopped veggies, including green peas & sauté for a minute. 

  

                                Time to add the cooked rice, 

                    followed by all the sauces, pinch of salt and pepper. Stir fry for 2 minutes.

                                 When done, add the scrambled egg and sauté for a minute. 

                                 Garnish with spring onion (green part).

                                 Enjoy just as it is or with chili garlic prawns / any side dish.

Chinese Style Chicken Stir Fry

          This is a very easy, simple and a quick recipe that can be dished out in a jiffy. It is healthy and nutritious as it has the goodness of vegetables and chicken which is a lean meat. Minimum of spices goes into it, yet there is no compromise in the taste and flavour. It is light on the tummy and goes very well either with fried rice, plain steamed rice or noodles. 

• 1 chicken breast, cubed
• 1 capsicum, cubed
• 1 carrot, cubed
• 1 onion, cubed
• 1 tbsp. oil
• 2 pinches of pepper powder
• 2 pinches of garlic powder
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp. corn flour
• 1 tsp. spring onion, chopped
• 1 tsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Marinate the chicken with a pinch of salt for 10 minutes. Mix the corn flour in 1/4 cup water and keep aside. 

          Heat oil in a pan and stir fry the chicken for 2-3 minutes. Add the veggies, pepper powder and garlic powder. Stir fry for a minute. 

          Add 1 cup water and salt. Bring it to a boil. Cover and simmer for 1-2 minutes. Add the corn flour slurry and stir till the sauce turns slightly thick. 

          Switch off the flame and transfer to a serving dish. Garnish with spring onion and coriander leaves. Serve with hot steamed rice or fried rice.

Thai Panang Paneer Curry

          This is the vegetarian version of the popular Thai Panang curry that is originally prepared with chicken / mutton. Today I prepared it with paneer, using my homemade panang curry paste. This is quite an amazing curry that has some intense flavor and aroma coming from the lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves and coconut milk. The gravy has a creamy consistency and is spicy, sweet and sour. It is best relished with steamed rice.

Thai Panang Curry Paste - 

• 1 small onion, chopped
• 5-6 garlic cloves
• 1" galangal / ginger, sliced
• 8-10 dry red chilies, soaked in water for 10-15 minutes
• 1/4 cup coriander roots, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. lime zest
• 2-3 lemongrass (bottom part), sliced
• 4-5 kaffir lime leaves
• 2 tbsp. roasted peanuts, powdered
• 1 tsp. roasted coriander powder
• 1 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. pepper powder
• 2 tbsp. tomato ketchup 
• 1 tsp. tamarind paste
• 1 tsp. sugar 
• salt to taste

           Blend all the above mentioned ingredients to a smooth paste by adding some water. Store in an airtight container to be used later.





Thai Panang Curry 

• 200 gms paneer, cubed
• 2-3 tbsp. oil
• 3/4 cup panang paste
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 2-3 green chilies, slit 
• salt to taste

         
          Heat oil in a pan / kadai and add the panang paste. Cover and cook on a medium flame for 2 minutes. Add salt, chilies, paneer cubes and coconut milk. 

          Simmer, covered on a medium flame for 2-3 minutes. Switch off the flame and transfer to a serving dish. Enjoy with plain steamed rice.

Tom Yum Soup

          This is a Thai style clear soup which has all the flavours - spicy, sweet and sour. It is actually a street food, which is simply yummy and mouth watering. The prawns and mushroom brings out the authentic oriental flavor. Prawns can be substituted with boiled & shredded chicken. 

          You can also add some noodles to make a complete meal. A bowl of this appetizing soup gives one a soul satisfying experience. A great comfort food to lift up your spirits. It is almost like a South Indian rasam. So go ahead and give it a try by following a step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it. 
        

• 1/2 litre chicken stock
• 5-6 kaffir lime leaves
• 2 stalks of lemongrass (only the white part to be used)
• 1" galangal (Thai ginger), sliced
• 2 green chilies
• 1 tsp. tomato paste
• 1 tbsp. tomato sauce
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• salt to taste
• 1/2 cup mushroom, sliced
• 1/2 cup prawns / shrimps, cleaned & deveined
• juice of 1/2 lime
• 1 tsp. coriander leaves to garnish

          Bring the stock to a boil. Then add the kaffir lime leaves, galangal and lemongrass. Simmer on a low flame for 7-8 minutes.
     
          Add rest of the ingredients (except lime juice and coriander leaves). Simmer further for 3-5 minutes. 

          Switch off the flame and drizzle some lime juice. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve as a light meal. 

                        Bring stock to a boil. Add kaffir lime leaves, galangal & lemongrass. 
                        Simmer on a low flame for 7-8 minutes.
     

                    Add rest of the ingredients (except lime juice & coriander leaves). Simmer
                    further for 3-5 minutes. 

                   Drizzle lime juice. Garnish with coriander leaves & serve as a light meal. 

Satay Peanut Sauce / Dip - Malaysian Style

          This aromatic and mouth watering sauce is a perfect accompaniment to chicken satay. This Malaysian style Peanut sauce is extremely tongue tingling with all the flavours like spicy, sweet and sour. 

          Peanuts, being the main ingredient, is combined with galangal, garlic, red chillies, tamarind paste and sugar to make this delicious dip. This sauce can also be served with kebabs, tikkis or vegetable crudités. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 1-2 lemongrass, chopped (only the white portions)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3-4 garlic cloves
• 1" galangal, sliced (ginger can be used as a substitute)
• 6-7 dry red chilies
• 1 cup roasted peanuts, powdered
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp. tamarind paste
• 1-2 tsp. sugar
• 2 tbsp. oil

          Blend together lemongrass, garlic, galangal and red chilies along with some water into a paste. 

          Heat oil in a pan and saute the onion till light brown. Now add the ground paste and fry on a medium flame till the oil separates.
  
          Add the peanuts, salt, sugar, tamarind paste and a cup water. Mix everything well and simmer till it thickens slightly and the oil separates. Serve along with chicken satay.

                                Heat oil & saute onion till light brown. 

                              Add ground paste & fry on a medium flame till oil separates.
  

                               Add peanuts, salt, sugar, tamarind paste & a cup water. 

                                Mix well & simmer till it thickens slightly.....

                         

..... and oil separates. 

                               Serve along with chicken satay.