American Chopsuey

Ingredients:
Egg noodles 1 packet
Chicken boneless 1 cup 
Prawns 1 cup (optional)
Carrot 1, julienne
Onion ½ cup, cut into cubes
Capsicum 1, julienne
Cabbage ½ cup
Ketchup 4-5 tbsp
Salt ½ tsp
Chicken stock ½ cup
Garlic chopped 1 tbsp
Vinegar 2 tbsp
White pepper ½ tsp
Cornflour 1 tbsp (dissolved in ¼ cup of water)
Chili garlic sauce 2 tbsp
Sugar 2 tbsp
Egg, fried for garnish. (optional)
Green onion leaves, for garnishing


Method:

1. Boil noodles for 5 minutes, strain and let them dry.
2. Heat oil in a wok, deep fry noodles in batches (to form a nest) till crisp and keep aside.
3. In a large pan, heat ¼ oil and saute chopped garlic.
4. Add the chicken and prawns and saute until cooked through.
5. Now add all the seasonings and saute for 2 minutes.
6. Add all the vegetables, add chicken stock, when it starts to boil add dissolved cornflour.
7. Stir continuously till the gravy is thick.
8. Spread gravy over fried noodles nest in a platter.
9. Top with fried egg (optional) and garnish with green onion leaves.
10. Serve! :D

Cold Coffee

For all the coffee lovers out there, here is a simple cold coffee recipe to beat the summer heat. 

Ingredients:

Milk 2 cups
Instant coffee 1 tbsp, heaped
Sugar 3-4 tbsp
Water ¼ cup
Tetra Pak cream 
Ice cubes


Method:

1. Dissolve the coffee and sugar in lukewarm water, allow it to cool.
2. Blend together the milk, sugar, dissolved coffee and ice cubes till it's frothy. 
3. Pour in a serving glass, add a dollop of cream on top, sprinkle some coffee and serve! :D 

How to Whip Cream.

Whipped cream is never available in Pakistan, or at least I haven't seen it in any super stores yet. Today I'll share some very important points of how to make your own whipped cream at home with y'all.

Firm whipped cream 

What You Need:

Nestle Creations cream, 1 packet
Icing sugar 2 tbsp
Mixing bowl
Electric beater or whisk


Method:

1. In a large bowl, use a whisk or a beater to whip cream. 
2. Whip the cream into soft peaks until it clings when the whisk or beater is lifted. This can be used in making mixtures, such as mousse. You can also add icing sugar at this point and beat again.
3. For firm peaks, continue to beat until the cream holds firmly to whisk or beater. This can be used for decorations of desserts. 

Tips:

• Make sure not to over-beat, cream will then become grainy and butter-like. 
• Sweeten cream with icing sugar when it starts forming soft peaks.
• Always chill a large empty bowl, and whisk or the beater for at least 15-20 mins before whipping the cream.
• Make sure your cream is always super chilled.
• You can also put the bowl of cream over a bowl of ice-cubes and beat.
• Any cream can be whipped as long as it has 40% fat content in it.

Eggless Chocolate Mousse

Is there any better dessert than chocolate mousse? The mousse is light, airy, extremely delicious, and has a soft silky touch to it with just the perfect amount of sweetness. 

The French use egg whites, separated and whipped in chocolate mousse. But we figured many people may not be so keen on using raw eggs in their desserts. So this one is made with gelatin instead. This is the easiest chilled dessert I have ever made. It is simple, quick and oh-so-easy to make. 

Ingredients:

Milk 2 ½ cups
Cocoa powder 2 tbsp
Cornflour 1 tbsp, heaped
Whipped cream ½ cup
Sugar 4-5 tbsp
Gelatin 1 tbsp, heaped
Vanilla essence 1 tsp
Chocolate 50 grams


Method:

1. Dissolve cocoa powder and cornflour in ½ cup of milk.
2. Add the remaining 2 cups of milk in a pot, and let it simmer on low heat.
3. Pour in the dissolved cocoa powder and cornflour mixture gradually. Keep stirring, so it doesn't form any lumps.
4. Add the sugar and chocolate, and let it cook until chocolate melts and the mixture is slightly thick in consistency. Remove from stove.
5. Let this mixture cool at room temperature, stir every now and then, now add vanilla essence, and fold in the whipped cream with the help of a spatula.
6. Now take a sauce, dissolve gelatin in ¼ cup of water for 2 mins on very low heat.
7. Add the dissolved gelatin in the milk mixture. 
8. Beat it with the help of beater for 1-2 minutes. Or you can also whisk it.
9. Pour the mixture in serving bowl or individual cups. And put it into the refrigerator to set for at least 5-6 hours, preferable overnight. 
10. Garnish with white chocolate, or whipped cream. Serve chilled! 

* If you cannot find Halal gelatin in your country, then use ¾ tbsp of agar agar powder.