Soni's Food

Indian Inspiration!

Eggplant in Garlic Sauce

09 | 01 | 2019
By Soni Sinha

My first post in the new year is an all time favorite Eggplant dish that I’m sure you’re going to love. Its an easy side dish to accompany your noodles or fried rice and although it’s very oily I’ve tried to use a little less oil here.:) I’m not very fond of eggplants but this dish really appealed to me when I had it for the first time in a tiny Chinese restaurant in China Town in London. Tender glossy eggplants sautéed with garlic and soy sauce and that hint of sweet and salty in the background was an absolute delight. I’ve been making it ever since and it’s so easy!

This recipe uses Asian Eggplants that are elongated and have a purple skin. You can use any long eggplant for this recipe. They can be cut into thin long strips or diced into smaller pieces like I’ve done here.

eggplant in garlic sauce

I absolutely love garlic and any dish that uses generous amounts of garlic is a sure shot hit in my books. The flavor of the pungent garlic is what’s prominent in this dish. The sauce is a mix of soy sauce, a little rice wine, Chinese black vinegar or balsamic vinegar, some sugar and a little salt. It’s a delightful mix of flavors that spark up this easy and popular stir fried eggplant dish that comes together in less than 30 mins. Enjoy!

eggplant in garlic sauce

Eggplant in Garlic Sauce

A popular Chinese vegetarian dish this Eggplant in Garlic sauce sparks with flavors from garlic,soy and black vinegar that results in a slightly sweet and salty sauce that tastes amazing!
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Cuisine Chinese

Ingredients
  

  • 2 Asian Eggplants diced
  • 2 large garlic cloves minced
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp chinese black vinegar or balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tsp rice wine
  • ½ tsp sugar
  • 3 tbsp canola oil
  • ¼ tsp salt

Instructions
 

  • Add the diced eggplants into a pot of water with some salt and let it sit for about 15 mins.Drain and pat them dry.
    In a bowl mix the soy sauce,vinegar,rice wine,sugar and salt
    In a wok heat 2 tbsp of oil. Saute the eggplants on high for a 2-3 mins on one side and flip them over.Cook for another 2-3 minutes on the other side or till they’re slightly golden and tender. Transfer them on to a plate.In the same wok add a tbsp of oil and cook the minced garlic on low heat until they begin to change color making sure to not burn them.Add the eggplants along with the sauce mix.Mix well and cook for another minute.Transfer into a serving bowl immediately.Garnish with spring onions.Serve hot.

Easy and Fast Dinners with Campbell’s Dinner Sauces #CampbellSauces

31 | 10 | 2013
By Soni Sinha

The thought of making dinner after a busy day can be quite daunting for anybody.Especially when you’re trying to feed a family and looking for something fast and easy to cook.I’m constantly looking for shortcuts that help me on a busy day without compromising flavors and variety since we love to have different foods and flavors in our house.Not only in the good times but also in times when food is the last thing on your mind like it has been for me this past month,I love the ease and convenience of Campbell’s Dinner Sauces that proved to be a life saver. [Read more…]

Easy Vegetable Chowmein

21 | 01 | 2013
By Soni Sinha

With kids’ activities, homework, projects, weeknights tend to get really busy and that’s when you have to think of quick and easy recipes that are nutritious and tasty!One such easy option is to have a Noodles night, where Vegetables take center stage!My Vegetable Chowmein is packed with flavor, colorful veggies and comes together easily in a matter of minutes.You could use any Noodles you prefer for this recipe.I’ve used the brand ‘Ching’s’ available at my Indian Grocers.Ramen Noodles works really well too!

noodles

Indo-Chinese foods are very popular all over India and used to be our favorite take out choice almost every week!A typical Indo-Chinese menu consists of Chowmein, Chilli Chicken/Chilli Paneer,Manchurian Dishes amongst others and there’s ample choice for both Vegetarians and Non Vegetarians.The recipes are developed for the spicy Indian palate!They’re absolutely delicious albeit a bit greasy, but that’s the advantage of making them yourself, since you control the quality of ingredients.If you get a chance you should try them, since they’re very different from the authentic Chinese foods, but tasty nevertheless 🙂

veggies

My kids love to eat their veggies in Noodle dishes better than any other and I wonder if its the crunch or color or a combination of the two!And that’s why I make this dish so often!I start by boiling the noodles for two minutes, not any longer, since the noodles loose their texture!Once boiled I immediately run them in cold water.If you notice them sticking you can add a tablespoon of vegetable oil and mix them.The sauce is a mix of sweet and spicy,and its just my personal preference.I also use some Sriracha for the heat element along with Vinegar for some tang,Soy Sauce and some Ketchup!Its bursting with flavor and is absolutely delicious!

 

Easy Vegetable Chowmein

Delicious and flavorful, Vegetable Chowmein for an easy weeknight meal!
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes

Ingredients
  

  • Ching's Noodle or any other-1 pack (150 gms)
  • Onion-1 sliced
  • Crushed Ginger-1 tsp
  • Crushed Garlic-1 tsp
  • Baby Bella Mushrooms sliced-2 cups
  • Green Peppers capsicum-1 large or 2 small- sliced
  • Carrots-2 large peeled and sliced lengthwise
  • Vegetable Oil-2 tbsp
  • Salt-to taste
  • Pepper-1 tsp
  • For the sauce
  • Soy Sauce -2 tbsp
  • Tomato Ketchup-2 tsp
  • Sriracha or hot sauce -1/2 tsp
  • Vinegar-2 tsp

Instructions
 

  • Boil the Noodles according to the instructions.Place under running water sread on a platter.Leave to dry while you prepare the veggies.
  • In a wok,heat oil and add the onions and saute for about a minute.Add the ginger and garlic and sauté for another minute.
  • Add the rest of the veggies and saute for another two minutes.
  • Add the sauce and noodles.Stir to mix evenly.Check the seasonings.Serve hot!

noodles1.jpg

Easy Wonton Soup #SundaySupper

04 | 11 | 2012
By Soni Sinha

This past week, Hurricane Sandy ripped through New York and New Jersey and we were left with no power or heating for four days.There were trees uprooted all across our neighborhood and we were extremely lucky that none fell on our house or on our neighbors’!The help and offers from friends and well wishers to come and stay was really touching and we’re very thankful to all our friends for their hospitality in such times.The amount of destruction is massive and my heart goes out to the families who’ve suffered to the extent that’s unimaginable and I only hope that their lives return back to normal sooner than later.

In order to keep us warm I often made soups for lunch and this easy Wonton soup was just perfect since it didn’t require any effort.I used a pack of Chicken Wontons sold at Trader Joe’s.Just added a few veggies with some stock and we had one tasty soup. You can easily make a vegetarian version of this soup by using vegetable wontons and vegetable stock!

Easy Wonton Soup #SundaySupper

Easy Wonton Soup to keep you warm!
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Total Time 28 minutes

Ingredients
  

  • Chicken Wontons-14-16 pieces
  • Carrots-2 large peeled and cubed
  • Celery- 2 stalks washed and chopped
  • Broccoli- 1/2 cut into florets
  • Low Sodium Chicken Broth-3-4 cups
  • Soy Sauce-1 tbsp
  • Ginger-1/2 inch freshly crushed
  • Salt-to taste
  • Pepper-1 tsp

Instructions
 

  • In a pot heat the stock and add the carrot,celery,soy sauce,ginger and pepper.Bring to a boil and let it cook on medium for about 10-15 minutes.Add the wontons and broccoli and cook for about 2-3 minutes.Check the seasonings.Serve hot!

Our friend Susan from The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen is hosting this week’s SundaySupper with foods that keep you warm!Scroll down for some ‘warm you up’ dishes from our group!

Main Entrees: 

Chili/Stews:

Soups:

Desserts/Beverages:

Join on us on Twitter throughout the day during #SundaySupper.  In the evening we will meet at 7pm EST for our weekly #SundaySupper live chat.

All you have to do is follow the #SundaySupper hashtag or you can follow us through TweetChat.

We’d also love to feature your Sunday Supper Soul Warming Recipes on our #SundaySupper Pinterest board and share them with all of our followers, too.

 

Tofu and Vegetables Stir Fry

11 | 08 | 2012
By Soni Sinha

Of late I’ve been trying to make really easy recipes to make my life a bit easier!My previous recipe was a quick no cook/bake dessert and this time I’ve followed that up with an easy Tofu dish that makes for a great weeknight meal with noodles or rice.Tofu is very delicate and tends to break-up many-a-times, but if you brown it in a little bit of oil, it holds it shape much better in my opinion.I also buy extra firm tofu for my stir fries and squeeze out all the water before working with it.
tofu and vegetable stir fry

The sauce that I’ve made here is extremely easy with the main ingredient being this Chili Garlic sauce that I picked up at a Korean Store. I’ve made the same recipe with chicken strips for a different variation and it came out delicious.You could use it for any stir fry for that spicy garlicky heat!

lee kum kee

It has just the perfect amount of heat and spice and its very similar to the Indo Chinese preparations served in Indian restaurants without any effort literally.It could easily pass off as one of my best Tofu dishes!


Tofu and Vegetables Stir Fry

Print Recipe

Ingredients
  

  • Extra Firm Tofu- 15 oz
  • Green Peppers-2 small chopped
  • Scallions Spring onions-2 stalks chopped
  • Chilli Garlic Sauce-2 tbsp
  • Soy Sauce-1 tbsp + 2 tbsp for marination
  • Salt-to taste
  • Oil-2 tbsp

Instructions
 

  • Cut the Tofu in chunks and marinade in 2 tbsp of Soy Sauce for about 10 minutes.
  • Mix 2 tbsp of chili garlic sauce and 1 tbsp of soy sauce in a separate bowl.Keep aside.
  • Heat a tbsp oil in a non stick pan and fry the tofu pieces until golden on both sides.Take it out and keep aside.
  • In the same pan add 1 tbsp of oil and add the Scallions and Green Peppers.
  • Add the chili sauce mixture and stir fry for about 2-3 minutes.
  • Add the Tofu pieces and continue to cook on medium until nicely combined.
  • Check seasoning and add salt if desired.Serve hot with Noodles or Rice!