Mix Veggies in Hot Garlic Sauce

A simple Indo-Chinese style dish loaded with colourful vegetables in a spicy, sweet and tangy hot garlic sauce. It comes together quickly, has plenty of crunch and texture, and works well as a light meal or side dish.

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cuisine: Indo-Chinese
Diet: Vegetarian
Servings: 1

Nutrition per serving:
172 kcal • Protein 6 g • Fat 6 g • Carbs 22 g

Ingredients

• 50 g carrot
• 50 g cauliflower
• 50 g beans
• 50 g mushroom
• 50 g bell peppers
• 50 g onion
• 5 g groundnut oil
• 5 g corn flour
• 5 g soya sauce
• 2 g gingelly oil
• Red jalapeño
• Garlic
• Dry red chilli
• Sweetener, to taste
• Salt, to taste
• Apple cider vinegar
• Lemon juice
• Spring onion
• Coriander leaves
• Water, as required

Method

1. To make the hot garlic sauce, boil the red jalapeño and garlic until softened.
2. Transfer them to a blender. Add apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, salt and sweetener to taste, then blend until smooth.
3. Strain the sauce through a sieve and keep aside. If red jalapeño is unavailable, dry red chillies can be used instead.
4. Heat the groundnut oil in a wok. Add garlic and sauté until lightly golden.
5. Add the deseeded dry red chillies and sauté briefly.
6. Add the cauliflower, carrot and mushroom. Stir-fry for about a minute.
7. Add the soya sauce and prepared hot garlic sauce. Mix well and sauté for another couple of minutes.
8. Add water and salt, then bring the mixture to a boil.
9. Once it starts boiling, add the beans, onion and bell peppers. Cook for 3–4 minutes, keeping the vegetables slightly crisp.
10. In a small bowl, mix the corn flour with 4–5 tablespoons of water to make a smooth slurry.
11. Gradually add the corn flour slurry to the wok and stir until the sauce reaches your preferred consistency.
12. Switch off the heat and transfer to a serving bowl.
13. Finish with gingelly oil and garnish with spring onion. Add coriander leaves if desired.

Ippitizer Note

Keep the vegetables slightly crisp rather than overcooking them. That gives the dish better texture and keeps the hot garlic sauce from becoming too heavy. The balance of chilli, vinegar, lemon and sweetener is what gives it that familiar spicy, sweet and tangy Indo-Chinese flavour.