Soy Chunks Manchurian and Macaroni - Lunch Box

Fried rice style Macaroni and soya chunks manchurian for a special lunch. This was S's request for his special lunch box treat on his birthday. I packed it for my lunch too and was surprised that it tasted pretty good even when the food was luke warm. It is a pretty healthy too as no deep frying is involved.


Soy Chunks Manchurian:

Ingredients:

1. Soy chunks - 3 cups
2. Ginger - 1 inch
3. Garlic - 4 medium cloves
4. Pepper corns - 1/2 tsp
5. Garam masala - 2 pinches
6. Soy sauce - 1 tbsp
7. Tomato sauce - 2 tbsp
8. Vinegar - 3/4 tbsp
9. Onion - 1 cup diced fine
10. Corn starch - 1 tsp
11. Oil - 1tsp

Method:

1. Grind giner, garlic and pepper corns.We like it slightly coarse, so I generally grind them in a mortar.
2. In a pressure cooker add enough water to submerge the soy chunks and add about a 1tsp salt and cook on high heat. Switch it off when you see the pressure build up and the first whistle is about to come. Another option is to boil water, add salt and soy chunks and cover them up for 15 minutes. I found that when I pressure cook the soy chunks they remain soft even when they are cold. Each cooker timings are different and by trial and error you get the right timing.
3. Heat a pan with oil and saute the onions.
4. Once the onions are translucent, add the ginger, garlic and pepper corn paste and fry for a minute on low heat.
5. Now add the soy chunks, mix and now start adding soy sauce, vinegar, tomato sauce and garam masala.
6. Mix the corn starch in a cup of water and add it to the pan.
7. Cover and simmer the whole mixture for about 5 minutes for the gravy to thicken.
8. Adjust salt and chilli powder if necessary.

Brands used:

1. Ruchi soy chunks always worked for me. They are not too big and remain soft even after cooling.
2. No preference for a soy sauce /vinegar/tomato sauce brand. The quantities given are based on what I have and you will have to slightly adjust them as necessary because each of the brands will have different amounts of salt/spices.
    

Macaroni - Fried rice style

Ingredients:

1. Macaroni - 2 cups
2. Ginger - 1/2 inch
3. Garlic - 2 medium cloves
4. Carrot - 1/4 cup grated
5. Beans - 1/4 cup diced
6. Celery - 1/4 cup diced - only the stick
7. Sesame seeds - 1 tbsp
8. Soy sauce - 1 tsp
9. Vinegar - 3/4 tsp
10. Butter/oil - 1tbsp 

Method:

1. Grind or dice giner, garlic.
2. Cook macaroni according to the instructions in salted water.
   
3. Heat a pan with oil and saute the vegetables.
4. Once the vegetables are almost cooked, add the ginger garlic paste and fry for a minute on low heat.
   
5. Now add sesame seeds and toast them for about half a minute.
6. Add the macaroni, soya sauce and vinegar.
7. Mix, adjust salt if necessary and heat thru.

Notes

1. The macaroni is intentionally bland as it is paired with the manchurian which is loaded with flavors. 
2. Packing in a leak proof box is essential even though the gravy is thick.
3. The quantities above will make enough for 2 hearty lunch boxes. Pack more manchurian as the aroma will entice others to share it with you.