Chinese style rice vermicelli with sweet and hot tomato sauce

As I mentioned before in my earlier post about chinese fried rice, I am not very fond of food that lack in heat. One of the other indo-chinese dishes that I miss is chow mein noodles that I had eaten in a small cart in Bangalore. I tried to make some but couldn't find any noodles that do not have egg. So, I used rice vermicelli instead which I had in the pantry. To go with it, I made some sweet and hot tomato sauce and the result was a very pleasant Chinese style dinner.


For the Vermicelli:
Ingredients:

1. Half a pack of rice vermicelli ( I used Elephant brand) - crushed into irregular pieces.
2. Red Onion - 1 big diced
3. Scallions or green onions - one bunch chopped white and green separately and green part reserved for garnish.
4. Broccoli - 1 big crown separated to florets.
5. Celery - half of one stalk. Chopped with its tips and leaves.
6. Vegetable oil - 4 TBSP.
7. Soy Sauce - 1 TBSP
8. Hot sauce - 2 -3 TBSP or to taste.
9. Red wine vinegar - 3 TBSP
10. salt - to taste.
11. Star Anise - 2
12. Garlic - 2 pods crushed.

Method:
Boil enough water in a pan. Add some salt. When it comes to a boil, add vermicelli and simmer and cook. Drain and run cold water through and drain again.Keep it aside.
Heat oil in a wok. When hot, add anise. Remove them after they brown and discard. (This is just to infuse the flavor) Add garlic and onion. Add some salt and stir. Add the white parts of the chopped scallion. Let them cook for a while. Add celery, broccoli and let it cook. Add vinegar in two additions. Add soy sauce, hot sauce stir. Add the green parts of the scallion and stir. Check for salt and adjust. Add the cooked vermicelli and stir. Check for seasoning again and make changes to your taste. Serve hot. with Sweet and hot tomato sauce.

For the Sweet and Hot Tomato sauce:
Ingredients:

1. 1 small onion cubed
2. 2 pods of garlic crushed
3. 1 tomato cut into chunks
4. 2 TBSP of veg. oil
5. salt
6. Paprika - 2 tsp
7. Chilli powder - 1 - 2 tsp or to taste.
8. Tomato puree - 1 can (14 - 15 Oz)

Method:
Heat oil in a pan. Add garlic, onion and saute till they are done. Add salt, tomato and turn off the heat after a minute. Let it cool. When cook, churn this in a blender to paste. Return the paste to the pot and add tomato puree and let it simmer. Add chilli powder, paprika and more salt to taste. When it simmers for about 6 - 8 minutes, turn it off. Sauce is ready to serve.

This dish is going to Its a Vegan World - Chinese hosted by Vaishali.

Happy Cooking!! Pin It