HOW TO MAKE Chilly Chicken RECIPE

Ingredients
Boneless chicken - 200 gm
Oil - to shallow fry the chicken

For the marinade
Garlic paste - I made a fresh paste of 5-6 garlic pods. You can adjust according to taste.
Pepper powder - to taste
Soya sauce - a little to taste
Salt - to taste, only if needed (since the soya sauce already contains salt, be careful not to overdo it!)
White of 1 egg
Cornflour - about 2 tablespoon 

For the gravy
Cornflour - 1 or 2 teaspoon
Soya sauce - about 1 teaspoon
Green chillis - 4-6, chopped, (adjust based on how hot you want the chicken)
Garlic - about 1 teaspoon, finely chopped
Capsicum - about 1/2, diced
Onion - about 1 medium sized, diced

Method
1. Wash the chicken well and marinate with the ingredients listed under 'For the marinade'.
2. Keep it aside for 15 minutes.
3. Now heat oil in a pan, and gently place the chicken pieces. Do not add the marinade.
4. Shallow fry the chicken till it is light golden.
5. Keep it aside.
6. Now, take some oil in a wok.
7. Add the green chillis, capsicum, garlic and onion.
8. Saute till you get a nice aroma. The onion should not become brown.

9. Make a paste of the cornflour and soya sauce listed under 'Gravy' with some water.
10. Add this paste one spoon at a time till you get the required amount of gravy.
11. Sprinkle a little sugar.
12. Add the chicken and mix well.
13. Switch off the flame when the chilli chicken reaches the desired consistency.
14. Garnish with spring onion and serve hot with fried rice or noodles!

HOW TO MAKE Butter Chilli Garlic Noodles

Invented in China? Maybe. But Made in China? Naah! It's the Made in India version that I crave.

You guessed it, I am talking about Chinese food! The Indian-Chinese kind I mean. The Chinese-Chinese I am yet to eat. So for now, the Indian version is what makes me happy. The 'died and gone to heaven' kind of happy!

This recipe is what I love eating at one of our favourite restaurants in Hyderabad, Aromas of China. Here goes my simplified take on it.  

Ingredients

Noodles - 1 packet
Butter - a few tablespoons (depends on how buttery you like the noodles)
Garlic, chopped - 4-6 cloves (again, depends on how garlicky you want your noodles)
Red chillies, broken in half - 2-4 (yep! Depends on you. Who else!)
Onion, thinly sliced - 1 large
Capsicum, thinly sliced - 1
Green chillies - optional (depends on how fiery you want the noodles)
Veggies of your choice (you can use carrots, beans, broccoli, corn or babycorn, red or yellow bell pepper, etc), julienned
Chicken, boiled and shredded - optional

Method
1. Add the noodles and some salt to plenty of boiling water.
2. Cook till done. This takes a few minutes. (I usually check by tasting. :P)
3.When it is cooked, immediately drain the noodles and hold under cold running water. This ensures that the noodles cool down and stop cooking. Else, they become soggy and stick together.
4. Spread on a plate and mix in about a tablespoon of oil.

This is how the noodles look at this point.

5. Heat a non-stick pan and add a dollop of butter. You can mix in a little oil if you want, as it prevents the butter from burning.
6. When the butter is hot, add the garlic and chillies and saute for about a minute or so.
7. Add the onion and capsicum and saute for a couple of minutes.
8. Add the remaining veggies, and chicken (if you want), and cook till the veggies are done. Veggies should be crunchy at this point, and not soft or overcooked.

10. Mix in the noodles, give a final stir to mix everything well, and serve hot.