Salad in a Basket

Imperial Salad in Crispy Noodle Basket

Exotic vegetables served in a crispy noodle basket, everything about this recipe is truly imperial.

Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 40 minutes
Serves 4 

Ingredients

For the crispy noodle basket

4 cups half cooked noodles
4 tsp cornflour
salt to taste
oil for deep-frying

For the imperial salad

2 tsp oil
1/2 tbsp crushed garlic (lehsun)
1 tsp chopped green chillies
1/2 cup chopped green, red and yellow capsicum
1/2 cup thinly sliced baby corn
1/2 cup finely chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped black mushrooms (khumbh), optional
1/2 cup boiled sweet corn kernels (makai ke dane)
1/4 cup pinenuts (chilgoza)
1/2 chopped asparagus
1 cup chopped spring onions
1/4 cup shredded iceburg lettuce
salt to taste
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp cornflour dissolved in 2 tablespoons of water

Method

For the crispy noodle basket

1. Spread the noodles on a kitchen towel and dab them lightly to absorb all the moisture.
2. Sprinkle cornflour and salt on the noodles and toss lightly.
3. Divide them into 4 equal portions and place one portion of the noodles in a strainer in a single layer to make a basket.
4. Heat the oil, hold the noodles in the strainer on top and pour the hot oil in the strainer, using a ladle, to fry the basket.
5. Keep pouring the oil on all sides until the noodles are golden brown.
6. Remove carefully from the strainer and place on absorbent kitchen paper.
7. Repeat with remaining noodles to make 3 more baskets. Keep aside.

For the imperial salad

1. Heat the oil in a wok on a high flame, add the garlic and green chillies and sauté for a minute.
2. Add all the vegetables, except the lettuce, and stir-fry for 3-4 minutes.
3. Lower the flame, add the salt, soya sauce, cornflour mixture and ¼ cup of water and simmer till the vegetables are cooked and all the water dries up.

How to proceed

1. Put ¼th of the shredded lettuce in each noodle basket and top with ¼th of the salad.
2. Serve immediately.

Recipe Source: 

Imperial Salad in Crispy Noodle Basket