If you are an immigrant you know that “identity” is a loose and often elusive term. More that often you find yourself distanced from the ways of your birth country, and yet no matter how hard you try you may never completely belong in your adopted country. Do not despair, because food often helps bridge the gap!
My trips to Mumbai resemble a literal walk down a food memory lane. My nostalgia surges and I am on a rampant mission to eat at all the places I fondly remember eating at, in the late 80’s and 90’s. The Mumbai dining scene has evolved considerably in the last 5-10 years. Celebrity chefs from all over have flocked here to gain a share of the growing middle and upper income groups wallets and palates. Yet, it is not the fine dining and eclectic cuisine that I crave to eat here. It’s the bold and tangy street fare, the ambiance and culinary marvels of the old Irani cafes, and the delectable seafood at the down-to-earth coastal restaurants that have me ALWAYS coming back for more.
One cuisine that’s unique to India and is a MUST EAT on each trip is “Indian Chinese” known as “Chinese food” in India. Chinese food in India is essentially food that is an adaptation of Chinese seasonings and cooking techniques to Indian tastes. This cuisine is said to have been developed over a century ago by a small Chinese community that lived in Kolkata (formerly Calcutta). Indian Chinese is a bold cuisine that harmoniously unites Indian and Chinese spices to season vegetables, meats, noodles and rice. It’s a mainstream cuisine in India and can be found at every place from a hawkers cart for under $2 to a five-star restaurant for $50-100 a person.
One of my favorite Indian Chinese dish is Chili Garlic Potatoes. Earlier this week, I was at the Willingdon Club of Mumbai indulging in the garlicky and tangy flavor of Chili Garlic Potatoes when I decided to recreate the flavors at home with baby corn. The recipe below is derived from a few modifications to Sailu’s Kitchen Chili Baby Corn. It’s a piquant appetizer, that’s sure to warm you up on a cold night.
I used fresh baby corn. If you cannot find fresh baby corn, large grocery stores and Asian markets carry canned baby corn. Drain, wash and thoroughly dry the canned baby corn before you use it.
Bird’s eye chilies, Chili Garlic Paste and Schezwan sauce are available in Asian markets and some large grocery stores. Eliminate the bird’s eye chilies if you do not want to make this too spicy.
1) In a mixing bowl combine the cornstarch, ginger paste, garlic paste, chili powder, salt and pepper. Add 1 to 2 teaspoons of water and mix well. You want to have a thin batter that creates a thin coating on the baby corn.
2) In a large skillet heat 2-3 tablespoons of oil on medium-high heat. Coat each baby corn piece in the batter. Pan-fry the baby corn in batches until they are light brown. Set aside the fried baby corn on a plate lined with kitchen towel to absorb the excess oil.
3) In the same skillet heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil on medium heat. Now add the green onions, garlic, ginger and birds eye chilies and sauté for 3-4 minutes until the garlic is golden brown.
4) Add the green pepper and cook for 4-5 minutes until the green pepper is tender.
5) Add the tomato ketchup, soy sauce, vinegar, Siracha, and chili garlic paste and cook for 1-2 minutes.
6) Add ¼ cup of water and simmer for another 3-4 minutes. Add the corn starch and water mixture and cook for 2-3 minutes until the raw corn starch taste dissipates. Taste the sauce and add more soy or chili sauce per your taste.
7) Add the fried baby corn and toss to ensure that all the pieces are well coated with the sauce. Cook for another 1-2 minutes before transferring the baby corn to a serving platter. Garnish with a few sliced green onions and serve hot as a snack or an appetizer.
In the introduction to my last recipe post (Eggplant Raita) you learnt about my love for Diwali and my zeal for recreating the Diwali spirit in the US by cooking up a storm. This recipe is a new addition to my repertoire of Diwali worthy dishes this year.
As a child, my favorite food memory of Diwali was the assortment of Indian sweets and cookies that could be found in every household. I fondly remember, the Nan Khatais(Eggless Saffron Cookies) that my mother bought form a local bakery to serve our guest during Diwali time. Since they were always store-bought I assumed that it would be too complicated to make them at home. Then I found this easy Nan Khatai recipe on the Moonsoon Spice website, and with a few minor modifications I was able to recreate a childhood favorite in less than thirty minutes.
I urge you to make and serve these sweet, crispy and flaky cookies to your guests with a warm cup or tea or coffee and you will automatically earn the title of “host/hostess with the mostess”.
These cookies are traditionally made in ghee. If you want to make them the traditional way, substitute the 1 stick of butter with ½ cup of ghee.
Ghee can be found at any Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi store or ordered online.
If you are making these cookies with butter and only have access to salted butter, then do not add the pinch of salt. You may also need to increase the sugar content by 1-2 tablespoons per your taste if you are using salted butter.
These cookies can be stored in an air-tight container, in a cool, dry place for upto a week.
1) Preheat the oven to 350 degree F (180 degree C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil and set aside. If using foil, then lightly spray the baking sheet with cooking/baking spray.
2) In a large mixing bowl, add the butter, ghee, sugar and milk with the dissolved saffron and mix well, till the sugar and ghee are incorporated well.
3) Now add the flour, baking soda, cardamom, nutmeg, cinnamon and the pinch of salt to the above mixture. Mix everything well until it forms one large dough ball. If the dough is too dry or crumbly add a teaspoon of milk at a time to help the dough bind together.
4) Make small rounds from the dough – just a little smaller than a golf ball. Line each of these on the baking tray, leaving enough space between each of them. Press a cashew or pistachio onto of each ball.
5) Place the baking sheet in the middle rack of the oven and bake for 13-16 minutes until the cookies are a light golden color. The cookies that come out are soft, but they harden once they cool. Don’t overbake these cookies as they will then become too hard after they cool.
6) Serve these cookies with a cup of tea of coffee or a cold glass of milk.