..well, almost. Let’s just call it all fusion cuisine, and you can sit back and wonder why. Or not. I mean, it’s really up to you.
Every once in a while, I crave the flavors of street side India combined with the flair of the Far-East, but not the kind that would make my stomach turn. Garlic and spice and everything nice – that’s what my food is made of.
So tonight was Indo-Chinese meets nouveau California cuisine. Gobi Manchurian and Lettuce Wraps stuffed with mushrooms, roasted corn and scallions.
Photo courtesy: iFoodTV.com.
The really good part about the meal? Virtually no complex carbs and two recipes versatile enough to be bent a few different ways. For the manchurian, all you need to do is get the sauce down pat. And the sky’s the limit with the stuffing for the lettuce wraps. It’s a win-win that tastes pretty darn good. And it doesn’t look that bad either.
Wanna see the lettuce wraps? That picture isn’t mine either, but the recipe definitely is. And they look *just* like the ones below if you use Boston lettuce (which I did). And I’m warning you – they’re *ridiculously* simple and easy to make.
Photo Courtesy: MyRecipes.com
Recipes
Gobi Manchurian
Logistics
Prep Time: 10-12 minutes
Cook Time: 10-12 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients:-
1. 1 cauliflower, cut into small florets, about 3 cups
2. 1/2 cup all-purpose flower
3. 3/4 cup water
4. salt and pepper
For the sauce:-
1. 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2. 2 bunches scallions
3. 1/3 cup szechuan sauce
4. 1 tsp vinegar
5. 1 tsp corn starch
Directions
1. Mix together the flour, water, salt and pepper to make a batter. Toss in the cauliflower florets and coat them well with the batter. Deep fry in hot oil for 3-4 minutes until golden brown and drain on paper towels.
2. In a small bowl, mix together the szechuan sauce, vinegar and corn starch. In the meantime, add 2 tbsps. of olive oil to a hot pan, throw in the garlic, the cauliflower and the sauce mix. Cook for about 2 minutes, until the sauce is thick and bubbling.
3. Garnish with chopped scallions and serve hot with rice or noodles.
Lettuce Wraps
Logistics
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 7-8 servings of 2 wraps each
Ingredients
1. 1 Boston lettuce, leaves separated, washed and dried
2. 1 10 0z. pack of mushrooms, chopped fine. I prefer baby portabellas, also known as crimini mushrooms. They hold up well to heat.
3. 2 ears of corn, roasted and sliced off the husk
4. 2 bunches scallions
5. 1 block tofu, cut into a fine dice. This part is optional. In fact, the entire recipe can be rearranged to suit personal preferences.
6. 1/4 cup soy sauce
Directions
Heat 2 tbsps of olive oil in a pan on medium heat. Toss in the corn, scallions, mushrooms, tofu and soy sauce, and cook until heated through, about 4-5 minutes. Serve hot with lettuce leaves.
The Indo-Chinese Night..
..well, almost. Let’s just call it all fusion cuisine, and you can sit back and wonder why. Or not. I mean, it’s really up to you.
Every once in a while, I crave the flavors of street side India combined with the flair of the Far-East, but not the kind that would make my stomach turn. Garlic and spice and everything nice – that’s what my food is made of.
So tonight was Indo-Chinese meets nouveau California cuisine. Gobi Manchurian and Lettuce Wraps stuffed with mushrooms, roasted corn and scallions.
Photo courtesy: iFoodTV.com.
The really good part about the meal? Virtually no complex carbs and two recipes versatile enough to be bent a few different ways. For the manchurian, all you need to do is get the sauce down pat. And the sky’s the limit with the stuffing for the lettuce wraps. It’s a win-win that tastes pretty darn good. And it doesn’t look that bad either.
Wanna see the lettuce wraps? That picture isn’t mine either, but the recipe definitely is. And they look *just* like the ones below if you use Boston lettuce (which I did). And I’m warning you – they’re *ridiculously* simple and easy to make.
Photo Courtesy: MyRecipes.com
Recipes
Gobi Manchurian
Logistics
Prep Time: 10-12 minutes
Cook Time: 10-12 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients:-
1. 1 cauliflower, cut into small florets, about 3 cups
2. 1/2 cup all-purpose flower
3. 3/4 cup water
4. salt and pepper
For the sauce:-
1. 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2. 2 bunches scallions
3. 1/3 cup szechuan sauce
4. 1 tsp vinegar
5. 1 tsp corn starch
Directions
1. Mix together the flour, water, salt and pepper to make a batter. Toss in the cauliflower florets and coat them well with the batter. Deep fry in hot oil for 3-4 minutes until golden brown and drain on paper towels.
2. In a small bowl, mix together the szechuan sauce, vinegar and corn starch. In the meantime, add 2 tbsps. of olive oil to a hot pan, throw in the garlic, the cauliflower and the sauce mix. Cook for about 2 minutes, until the sauce is thick and bubbling.
3. Garnish with chopped scallions and serve hot with rice or noodles.
Lettuce Wraps
Logistics
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 7-8 servings of 2 wraps each
Ingredients
1. 1 Boston lettuce, leaves separated, washed and dried
2. 1 10 0z. pack of mushrooms, chopped fine. I prefer baby portabellas, also known as crimini mushrooms. They hold up well to heat.
3. 2 ears of corn, roasted and sliced off the husk
4. 2 bunches scallions
5. 1 block tofu, cut into a fine dice. This part is optional. In fact, the entire recipe can be rearranged to suit personal preferences.
6. 1/4 cup soy sauce
Directions
Heat 2 tbsps of olive oil in a pan on medium heat. Toss in the corn, scallions, mushrooms, tofu and soy sauce, and cook until heated through, about 4-5 minutes. Serve hot with lettuce leaves.