Tofu in black bean and tomato sauce

Ingredients
1. 2 cups of pressed tofu
2. 2 tbspn of tomato paste
3. 2 tbspn of black bean sauce
4. 2 tbspn of soy sauce
5. 1 small onion, diced
6. finely chopped ginger and garlic
7. olive oil
8. 3/4 cup chicken broth
9. 1 tbspn red chili paste

Directions:
1. Heat oil in a non stick pan.
2. Add the diced onion, ginger, and garlic. Stir till onion turns soft.
3. Add tomato sauce, black bean sauce, and soy to it.
4. Cook for 5 mins.
5. Add chicken broth
6. Cook until the gravy is thick and mixed well
7. Add tofu pieces and cook for another 10 mins.

Serve hot with white rice.

Kheer - Rice pudding

Kheer is an Indian dessert. It is made of milk and rice and popular in North India. Usually, white rice is used for preparing Kheer. Many people like to use Basmati (long, slender, variety) rice but my mom uses the fat, small variety of white rice which is equally tasty, more economical and my personal favorite.

Ingredients:
1. 1 cup rice
2. 1 litre milk
3. Half cup sugar
4. Crushed cardamom
5. Strands of Saffron -10
6. Soaked almond, cut into small pieces - 10
7. Raisins
8. peeled and cut salted pistachios.

Directions:
1. Add milk and rice in a big pot and keep stirring on medium heat until rice is cooked and starts to break.
2. Add sugar, cardamom, saffron, almonds and lower the heat. Keep stirring occasionally for another 10-15 mins until sugar is dissolved and pudding starts to thickem
3. Garnish and serve cold or hot.

Chowmein

Ingredients:
Steam Fried noodles
2 tablespoon black bean sauce
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 tablespoon minced ginger
1/2 teaspoon red chili sauce
salt to taste
Vegetables - broccolis, green pepper, carrots, 1 small onion diced.
Olive oil
Vinegar
Soya sauce

Instructions
Boil the noodles in warm water until soft.
Drain the water and keep the noodles aside.
Cut vegetables and keep aside.
Warm oil in a saucepan.
Add minced garlic and ginger in the hot oil and mix.
Add the diced onion and vegetables to the oil and mix until the onion softens.
Add chili sauce, black bean sauce, vinegar, soya sauce and mix well.
Add the noodles and mix.
Leave it covered on low flame for about 10-15min until the vegetables cook.

Serve hot!