Cantonese Sweet & Sour Mushroom IFC #1

In my previous post I had mentioned that I made these super delicious Sweet & Sour Mushroom and it vanished before me clicking pictures . I had taken only one picture . I will surely make this dish again and repost with new pictures ...

When I went to the Chinese market last time , fresh Oyster Mushrooms were available at a discounted price . I remembered my mom making Devil Mushrooms out of it .Devil Mushroom is similar to Sweet & Sour in making .As Sweet & Sour was one of the option given in this months Challenge in IFC ,  so i decided to make this super delicious Cantonese sweet and sour Mushroom with these fresh oyster mushrooms . 

  +Saraswathi Tharagaram ( saras yummy bites )  and +Shobana Sekar (Kitchen secrets and snippets ) 

I didn't adopt the exact recipe . I made some changes according to my taste and made it with a little gravy .

                    

Prep Time :15 - 20 Minutes
Cooking Time : 10 Minutes
Recipe referred From : http://www.smokywok.com/2011/01/sweet-and-sour-pork-recipe.html

INGREDIENTS:

  

For Frying :

Oyster Mushrooms - 1/2 kg  ( Clean the Mushrooms , just cut it into half )

APF - 1/ 4 Cup

Corn flour - 2 TBLSP

Salt  -1/4 TSP

Pepper - 1 TSP

Water - ( to make a semi thick batter )

Oil to fry

For the sauce:

Tomato Ketchup - 5 TBLSP
Chili Sauce - 4 TBLSP
Dark Brown Sugar - 1 TSP
Soy Sauce - 1 TBLSP
Water - 1/4 Cup
Chili Flakes - to the spices level

Vegetables: ( Dice the Vegetables into Cubes)

Red Onion - 1 Large
Capsicum - 1
Red Chili - 2
Tomato - 1
Garlic - 3 ( slice it )


 INSTRUCTIONS:

How to make the Batter :

- Combine Corn flour , APF , Salt , Pepper Powder .
- Add water till it becomes a thick batter.

How to fry :

- Clean the mushrooms and cut it into half ( Do not chop it)
- In a heavy bottom pan , heat the oil .
- Once the oil is hot , Dip the mushroom in the prepared batter and fry it in the hot oil.
- When the mushrooms are fried into golden brown , take out from the oil .
- keep them in paper towel so that the excess oil can be absorbed.

Combining the Vegetables + Sauce + Fried Mushrooms  :

- Heat some oil in a pan , saute sliced garlic and dried red chilies till they cooked.
- Add red onions allow it to become golden brown.
- Add diced Tomatoes , once it get softer add the Capsicums , half cook it .
-Now add the ingredients under the sauces. Cook it till the Sauce becomes thick.( if you want some gravy in it do not let the sauce to become thick.)
- Lastly add the chili flakes.
- Now add the fried mushrooms . Give it a quick mix . ( If you want the mushrooms to be crispy do not let the mushrooms to soak in the gravy for along time ).
- Serve it hot .

Linking the event to food of the world - chinese

Avocado & Mushroom Salad

 

I love these kinds of Salads. These are so light , full of fresh greens , mushrooms , tomatoes and Avocado's. One different thing in here is , i have not used anykinds of Salad Dressing .  I have just sauted Mushrooms and Avocado's in litte Olive Oil , sprinkled some  Salt and Pepper for flavor . Mixed it along with Romanian Lettuce and Tomtoes . Thats it . The awesome Salad is ready in minutes.

 

 

Ingredients:

Avocado - 1
Romanian Lettuce -Chopped 1/2Cup
Tomatoes - 1 Chopped
Mushrooms - Handful
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper






Instructions:

1. Wash and clean all the ingredients .
2. Cut lettuce and tomatoes put it in a bowl.
3. In a small pan , add Olive oil , once it is hot add Mushrooms and Chopped Avocado's . Saute it for some time , Sprinkle some pepper powder and salt . Once it is done mix it with tomatoes and Lettuce.

I bet you , you are going to love this salad.

Note  - You can add Boiled eggs , fried Tofu , Fried Paneer / Cottage Cheese for more Flavor and crunchness .

Corn - Mushroom Tarts with White Sauce

Corn- Mushroom Tarts , these are similar to  Sweet Corn Baked Egg Tarts with Spinach , which i made a month ago. The only difference in this , I have made the stuffing with white sauce and it has no eggs in it. It is easy and simple to make . I don't make the dough every single time , I  make the dough in bulk and store it in the freezer , so when ever i want to make any tarts or pies it is easy for me.  These Tart shells are better in taste than the store bought one's.

 

Ingredients:

Pastry Sheet / Dough - Recipe

White sauce

 Button Mushrooms - 1/2 Cup sliced

 Sweet Corn - 1/2 Stick

 Pepper Powder - 1/4 TSPN

 Chillies Flakes- 1/4 TSPN  (optional ) or you can use hot sauce

 Salt - As needed

 Cheese – Hand full

Instructions:

      1. Preheat the oven . Prepare the Tart Base in the muffin pan.

      2. Put in corns , chopped mushrooms and sprinkle little Chillie Flakes / Hot sauce in it .

      3. Then pour white sauce in each tart.

White Sauce :

             Ingredients

                      Butter - 2 TBLSP

                      Salt - as needed

                      APF -  1/ 4 Cup

                      Milk -  1/2 Cup

                      Water - 1/2 Cup

 

  Instructions:

                 1. First in a bowl add APF , Water , salt and pepper powder and mix 
                     till it does not have Lumps in it.

                 2. In a pan melt the butter and add the milk and cook.

                 3. When the milk comes to the boiling point, add the APF and water 
                     mixture into it and keep stirring till it becomes thick.
 

   4. Lastly sprinkle handful of cheese on top of it.

   5. Bake the Tarts in the preheated oven and bake it for 20 - 25 minutes.
 

Notes -  Thickness of whitesauce depends on how thick you want .

             Adding Chillie flakes is optional. I wanted the tarts to be spicy.

             

Linking it to Aathidhyam , My Culinary Trial Room , Mummy Ka Magic , Spotlight , Crusine Delight , Gain Popularity , What's with my cuppa , UK ,Raoi and me. , Cooks Joy ,  Nivedhanam , Virunthu Unna Vaanga , FR Event , Cook-Eat-Burpp ,  , Priya's Versantile Kitchen ,Flavors of Cuisines , Bon Vivant