chicken chop suey recipe by sanjeev kapoor

(We tried making it at home, but it wasn’t the same.) My dad just watched us in disbelief! Was it the way it was made, or the vibe of the place? Whatever it was, that was the first and only time we enjoyed malai toast. Kriti and I enjoyed the malai toast there so much that we took second servings. My dad always raved about it, whereas Kriti and I run in the other direction when we hear ‘ malai’! But then, a few years ago, during a visit to Varanasi, we went to the popular Lakshmi Chai Wala. (My dad says, that’s because food served at restaurants usually contains additional flavouring, oil, butter and sugar to ensure that the dish stands out.)Īnd it’s not just fancy continental food that tastes better outside. Even home-made pizza, burger, chop suey, don’t evoke the same feeling that you get when you order them in a restaurant.

It brings to mind dal, rice, roti, sabzi. Now, even after working alongside my father, I still at times succumb to the perception that home food can be boring. My sister and I were designated “sous chefs” and would serve, and of course, sneak in bites-of biryani fit for a nawab, chicken dumplings, and scrumptious desserts.

While the big pots were bubbling away, my dad would be at the open kitchen counter, making pasta or stir-fries to order for our guests. The aroma would move the party from the hall to the kitchen. If you’ve watched my dad on television, nothing compares to watching the magic live and up close. Like in every other home, they were a welcome change from the routine. (And no, Sanjeev Kapoor didn’t make my lunch every day!)Īs kids, my sister Kriti and I used to look forward to social gatherings at home. When I was in school, I used to take my lunch dabba from home very rarely would I get permission to eat in the canteen. For my friends and I, cooking feels like a chore. My father’s influence has undoubtedly fostered a never-ending zeal to experience new things-and food is at the top of that list.īut does this love for food mean a love for the kitchen? I guess not-until recently.īecause ‘kitchen’ has always meant ordinary, everyday food-yes, even in the home of a celebrity chef. As a child, I’d obediently finish my meals-even ghar ka khana (home food)-and diligently query my father every time a new flavour profile popped up in a meal. That shouldn’t be a surprise given that master chef Sanjeev Kapoor is my father. Sometimes grated Parmesan cheese is added after cooking.Food and I have a deep and loving relationship. Black pepper, herbs and Worcestershire sauce are sometimes used in preparation.Īmerican chop suey is served on a plate or in a bowl, usually accompanied by bread and often Worcestershire sauce. Whole, diced, or crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste are typical sauce bases for this dish.

The onions or green peppers may be omitted, or replaced with mushrooms. Elbow macaroni is the standard but can be substituted with pasta of similar size, such as ziti, farfalle, or rotelle. The recipe is quite adaptable to taste and available ingredients. Though this comfort food is influenced by Italian-American cuisine as well as older New England quick and practical meals like the 'potato bargain' and 'necessity mess,' it is known as 'American chop suey' both because it is a sometimes-haphazard hodgepodge of meat, vegetables and Italian seasonings, and because it once used rice, a base ingredient in Chinese cuisine, instead of pasta. The dish is typically cooked in a frying or sauté pan, as opposed to being baked in an oven like a casserole. Standard American chop suey consists of elbow macaroni and bits of cooked ground beef with sautéed onions and green peppers in a thick tomato-based sauce.

Chicken chop suey recipe by sanjeev kapoor