Sweet and Sour Vegetables

Blanching vegetables

1. Rinse, peel and chop all the veggies first.
2. Quarter the onion and separate the layers.
3. Heat 2 to 3 cups water with 1 teaspoon salt until the water begins to boil.
4. Add the carrots, french beans, cauliflower to the hot water.
5. Turn off the heat, cover pan with lid and set aside the veggies to blanch for 5 to 10 minutes.
6. Drain all the water and keep the blanched vegetables aside.
7. If you want to preserve the colors of the veggies, then simply drain the water and immediately place the veggies in cold water.
8. In a small bowl, mix the soy sauce and tomato ketchup. Set this sauce mixture aside.

Making sweet and sour vegetables

1. Heat oil in a wok or kadai.
2. Add the chopped ginger and garlic and stir fry on high heat for some seconds.
3. Then add the onions and stir fry for 2 to 3 minutes on a high heat.
4. Add the bell pepper and mushrooms and stir fry for 2 to 3 minutes.
5. Then add the blanched veggies - cauliflower, french beans and carrots and stir fry for another 2 to 3 minutes.
6. Add the celery and stir fry for a minute.
7. Add the prepared sauce mixture to the veggies. Stir and season with black pepper, sugar and salt.
8. Stir and add 2 cups of water or vegetable stock.
9. Let the sauce get heated through and come to a simmer.
10. Dissolve the 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with ¼ cup water to a smooth paste.
11. Add the cornstarch paste to the veggies and stir briskly so that no lumps are formed.
12. Simmer until the cornstarch gets cooked in the sauce and the sauce thickens.
13. Lastly add the apple cider vinegar or white vinegar.
14. Stir through and serve Sweet and Sour Vegetables hot with veg fried rice or steamed rice or stir-fried noodles or plain noodles.