Invite your friends over this Sunday for a long, elaborate luncheon.Chef Manindra J Singh helps you put out the perfect spread

Mushroom And Beancurd Soup

Serves: Four
Time required: 15 minutes

15 g button mushrooms, sliced
20 g bean curd (tofu), cubed
a few drops cooking oil
10 g garlic
5 g green chillies, finely chopped
2 cups vegetable stock (see box)
salt to taste
sugar to taste
20 g corn flour
5 g coriander leaves, finely chopped

Heat some oil in a wok and add the garlic and green chillies and sauté for two minutes. Add the vegetable stock, mushrooms and bean curd, and bring to a boil. Check seasoning and remove the scum. Thicken the broth with the corn flour.
Garnish with the chopped coriander. Serve hot.
You can also add broccoli and baby corn if you want more vegetables in the soup.

Hot Pepper Chicken

Serves: Four
Time required: 15 minutes plus marinating time

200 g boneless chicken, diced
5 g salt
a pinch of sugar
1 egg yolk
20 g corn flour
30 ml cooking oil
20 g garlic, chopped
10 g crushed black pepper
5 g red chilli flakes
1/2 tsp butter (optional)
few drops chilli oil
20 g spring onion, chopped
10 g coriander leaves
10 ml rice wine (optional)

In a bowl, mix together the salt, sugar, egg yolk and corn flour. Marinate the chicken pieces in this mixture for half an hour.
Heat some oil in a pan and deep-fry the chicken pieces. Set aside.
Heat some more oil in a wok and add the garlic, black pepper, chilli flakes and butter, if using. Sauté for two minutes and add the chicken, chilli oil, spring onions, coriander leaves and rice wine, if using, or splash a few drops of water. Toss well to ensure that it does not get burnt. Serve hot.