Cuisines from around the world

3. Stir-Fried Chinese Mushrooms With Spinach Or Broccoli:

Ingredients: 12 dried Chinese mushroom (Blanch mushrooms for 20 min, squeeze out the water and discard stems. Retain the mushroom water) 350g broccoli (cut into 2" florets with long stem. Blanch in hot water for 2 minutes. Drain and plunge in cold water to retain colour. Drain and set aside

Sauce Mixture:
Blend 1 tsp cornflour mixed with 3 tbsp water, 2 tbsp mushroom water, 1/4 tsp sugar, 1 tbsp Soya sauce, 3 tbsp oil and 1 tsp sesame oil.
Method:
Heat oil in a wok on high flame. Add ginger and spring onion whites, stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the mushroom and stir-fry for another 2 minutes. Mix in the spinach or broccoli and the mushroom water. Season with salt and sugar. Cover wok and cook on low heat until broccoli is tender but crisp. Spinach would have cooked through. Pour in sauce and stir until it thickens. Add spring onion greens. Pour into a serving dish and serve immediately.

4. Baby Corns-Mushrooms In Ginger Sauce:

Ingredients:
100g baby corns (sliced into long pieces)
100g mushrooms (cut the stalks into round slices and cap horizontally to get 2 round pieces)
5 tbsp oil
1/4 tsp Ajinomoto
Ginger paste(1tbsp)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tbsp Soya sauce
4 tbsp tomato ketchup
1 1/2 tbsp cornflour dissolved in 3/4 cup water
2-3 chopped spring onion
Some shredded ginger to garnish.

Method: Heat the oil in a wok. Add baby corns, 1/4 tsp salt and Ajinomoto. Stir-fry till brown specs appear the baby corns are light brown. Take out from wok and keep aside. Let the oil remain in the wok. Then saute the mushrooms till water evaporates and they turn brownish. Remove from oil and keep aside. Add ginger paste and cook on low flame for till light brown. Add the spring onions greens, 1/2 tsp each of salt and pepper. Saute, then add Soya sauce and tomato ketchup. Cook for a minute. Add the stir fried baby corns and mushrooms. Pour the cornflour paste, stirring constantly. Cook till the sauce turns thick. Garnish with shredded ginger.

5. Stuffed Okra In Sweet And Sour Sauce:

Ingredients:
200g okra
100g cottage cheese
1 tsp salt
1 tsp red chilli paste
1/2 tsp Ajinomoto
2tbsp ginger-garlic paste
2 tbsp tomato sauce
1 onion cubed
1/4 cup refined oil
2 tbsp vinegar
2 tsp cornflour

Method: Slit the okra lengthwise from the centre. Mash the cottage cheese and add a little salt and 1/2 tsp red chilli paste. Mix well and stuff the okra with this mixture. Heat 1/2 the oil in a pan. Cook okra in this oil for 15 minutes. Remove and heat the remaining oil in another pan. Add ginger-garlic paste and remaining red chilli paste. Stir well and add tomato sauce and the cubed onions. Dissolve cornflour in 1/4 cup of water. Add the ginger-garlic paste to it. Add salt and Ajinomoto. Cook the gravy on a medium flame till thick. Add stuffed okra and cook for a while. Mix vinegar and serve immediately.

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