Saiwoo Vegetables
by Tarla Dalal
A vegetable preparation from the Chinese repertoire, Saiwoo Vegetables is a semi-dry, sweet and spicy way of cooking assorted veggies like carrot, baby corn and capsicum. The crisp, deep-fried vegetables are cooked with typical Oriental ingredients like chillies, ginger, garlic and spring onions, but what makes this recipe unique is the addition of a flavourful honey sauce, prepared with honey, soy sauce and a blend of flavours. This sweet and spicy sauce leaves its indelible mark on your palate, making it yearn for more.
Saiwoo Vegetables recipe - How to make Saiwoo Vegetables
Preparation Time: Cooking Time: Total Time:
Makes 3 servings
For The Crispy Vegetables
3/4 cup diagonally cut and parboiled carrot
3/4 cup diagonally cut and parboiled baby corn
1/2 cup diagonally cut capsicum
1/4 cup cornflour
1/2 cup plain flour (maida)
a pinch of salt
oil for deep-frying
For The Honey Sauce
2 tbsp honey
2 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp chinese 5 spice powder
2 tsp sugar
salt to taste
Other Ingredients
2 tbsp oil
1 1/2 tsp finely chopped green chillies
1 tbsp chopped ginger (adrak)
2 tsp chopped garlic (lehsun)
2 whole dry kashmiri red chillies , broken into pieces
1/2 cup chopped spring onions whites
2 tbsp schezuan sauce
salt to taste
For The Garnish
2 tbsp finely chopped spring onion greens
For the crispy vegetables
- For the crispy vegetables
- Combine the cornflour, plain flour, salt and ¾ cup of water in a deep bowl, mix well to form a thick batter and keep aside.
- Heat the oil in a deep non-sticik kadhai, dip each vegetable into the plain flour-water mixture and drop them into the hot oil. Deep-fry a few vegetables at a time till they turn light brown in colour from all the sides.
- Drain on an absorbent paper and keep aside.
For the honey sauce
- For the honey sauce
- Combine all the ingredients in a small pan, mix well and cook on a slow flame for 1 to 2 minutes, while stirring occasionally. Keep aside.
How to proceed
- How to proceed
- Heat the oil in a wok or a broad non-stick pan, add the green chillies, , ginger, garlic and dried kashmiri red chillies and sauté on a medium flame for a few seconds.
- Add spring onion whites and sauté on a medium flame for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the schezuan sauce, honey sauce, ½ cup of water and salt, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 2 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
- Add the fried vegetables, mix well and cook on medium flame for 2 minutes, while tossing gently.
- Serve immediately garnished with spring onion greens.