Hot and Sour Vegetables with 3-Pepper Rice | Chinese Combo Meal

After Mexican fusion and Indian adventures with Capsicum, it was time for Chinese fare with Capsicum – the chosen veggie for this week @ Blogging Marathon. Hot & Sour Veggies with 3 pepper rice was to be the pick when I asked my lil one what she would like from a cookbook that I opened to her. Like I mentioned in the Rajma-Pepper Quesedillas and PaneerBharwa Capsicum posts, she quite takes to this veggie easily and thus could serve it for dinner last weekend.

All it takes a little planning, and a whole lot of sauces and chopping… Rest assured, it would simply vanish with some more brownie points to your cooking J Do try it out and let me know how you and your family liked it.. .Off to the recipe now – the last in the series on Cooking with Capsicum / Bell Peppers …

Prep time : 30 mins | Cook time : 30 mins | Serves: 3

Cuisine : Asian Veg (Chinese fare)

Combo Meal : So, serve these two together for a hearty meal.

Notes:

1)    This contains no added MSG or thickening agents. In fact I substituted cornflour with homemade rice flour, and it worked well.

2)    Use any combo of veggies for the Hot and Sour Gravy. As the theme was Capsicum, I used them aplenty.

3)    The 3-pepper Rice is a combo of Serrano peppers, bell peppers and white pepper powder. Adjust spice accordingly.

Ingredients:

(A)  3 Pepper Rice :

       

• Long grained rice – 1 cup
• Bell Peppers – Red, Yellow, Green, Purple – whatever works for you – ½ each
• Onions – 1 medium
• White pepper powder – ½ tsp
• Salt – to taste
• Oil – 2 TBSP
• Garlic chopped – 1 tsp (a garlic press works really well for this meal)
• Ginger grated  - ½ tsp
• Serrano peppers – 2 medium

(B)  Hot and Sour Vegetables:

• Bell Peppers – ½ cup
• Onions – Chopped into large pieces – 1 medium
• Baby Corn – ¼ cup (chopped into thick juilennes)
• Broccoli – cut into florets (1/4 cup)
• Asparagus – 1 no (optional)
• Low sodium Soya Sauce – ½ TBSP
• Oil – 2 TBSP
• Thick Tomato Puree – ½ tsp
• White Pepper Powder – ¼ tsp
• Brown Sugar – ½ tsp
• Rice Flour – 2 tsp
• Warm water – 2 TBSP
• Vegetable Stock – 2 cups
• Salt – to taste (mind you, the sauces contain salt, so add in moderation)
• Red chilli sauce – ½ tsp
• Ginger – ½ tsp
• Garlic – 2 large pods (minced)

Method:

Preps required:

Wash and soak the rice for 15 mins. Drain. Cook till fluffy and separate the grains and keep aside.

Chop the baby corn, broccoli, asparagus and blanch in slightly salted water for 3-4 mins. Transfer to a bowl of ice and let them remain there, Drain after 4-5 mins.

To prepare the Hot & Sour Veggies:

Heat oil, sauté the onions, ginger and garlic. Add the peppers and sauté for 3 mins till they turn crunchy. Now add the blanched and drained veggies and sauté once more for 2 mins. Add the sauces, salt, tomato puree and toss once.

Tip in the vegetable stock and let the veggies cook till done, but not mushy – about 7-8 mins.  Dissolve the rice flour in warm water and add to the gravy. Now add the brown sugar and white pepper powder . Adjust spice and serve with 3-pepper rice (recipe below)

To make the 3-pepper rice:

In a large wok, heat oil. Saute ginger and garlic , onions and chopped peppers, add the slit Serrano peppers, salt, and sauté till onions turn translucent (about 5-7 mins on medium flame). Now add the white pepper powder, cooked rice.

Toss once taking care not to break the grains. Adjust salt and spice.

Serve immediately with the Hot and Sour Vegetables for a yummy Chinese Combo Meal.