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Cultural Remix - IndoChinese Cuisine

© Viraj Talpade

When the Chinese introduced their cuisine into India through Mongolia, Nepal, Tibet and other Northern neighbors, little did they expect that the ever-adapting Indian would re-invent some of their most time-tested recipes to suit the sub-continental palate.

Indo-Chinese food is available on every corner of most cities in India, on wooden, red stalls with dragons and bamboos painted on them and funny spellings. It's filling, cheap, heavy, bad food value, but real quick, tasty and fun to eat. The stalls permeate the air with the smell of cooking garlic, onions and chilly which grabs mucho customers.

Of course, you'll find genteel versions of much the same thing on the internet and at some of the better restaurants and eaty-joints. The good news is you can easily make all the Chinese food you want at home; and very quickly too!

SanjeevKapoor.com has a good list of recipes that are all time Indian favorites.

Prawns in Garlic Sauce

Ingredients

Prawns 500-700 gms.
Ginger, ground 1/4 tsp.
Egg white 1 nos.
Cornflour 1 1/2 tsp.
Oil 5 tbsp.
Salt 1 1/2 tsp.

For Sauce

Chili Sauce 2 tbsp.
Tomato Puree 3 tbsp.
Soya Sauce 1 1/2 tbsp.
Cornflour, blended with water 2 tbsp.
Garlic 4 cloves
Chicken stock 2 tbsp.
Dry sherry 2 tbsp.
Vinegar 2 tsp.

Method

1. Clean and cut the prawns into half. Rub the prawns with salt and ginger and keep aside for 15-20 minutes.

2. Make a batter out of egg white and cornflour and coat the prawns with it.

3. Prepare the sauce by heating together the chili sauce, puree, soya sauce, sherry, vinegar and chicken stock.

4. When the mixture boils add the cornflour mixture and stir till sauce thickens.

5. Heat the oil and fry the prawns. Heat the sauce and stir in the prawns.

6. Let the sauce come to a boil before serving.

Ginger Chicken

Ingredients

Cooked & shredded Chicken 500 gms
Dried Mushrooms 4 nos.
Finely chopped onion 1 no.
Chicken Stock ¼ ltr.
Soya Sauce ¾ cup
Fresh ginger,finely chopped 1 tbsp.
Garlic clove, crushed 1 no.
Vinegar 4 tbsp.
Sugar 1 tsp.
Cornflour 1 tbsp.
Sherry 1 tbsp.
Tomato puree 1 tsp.
Pepper and Salt To taste

Method

1. Put the Soya sauce, onion, ginger, garlic, vinegar, sugar, tomato puree, salt and pepper in a saucepan.

2. Bring to a boil and simmer for 2 minutes.

3. Soak the dried mushrooms in warm water for half an hour. Then drain, rinse and cut into thin slices.

4. Heat the oil in a saucepan and add the chicken shreds. Cook for 3-4 minutes.

5. Add the stock and the Soya sauce mixture, together with the cornflour mixed with sherry, to the chicken.

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