Today is a day of celebration in this island. As a resident foreigner, it feels good to watch the revelling islanders all around. This year off course there will be no pomp and show. Yet, they will enjoy their own small way. This family may not enjoy the way they will but we at home do not believe in living isolated in a foreign land. From their New Year to the National Day, we just feel happy in their happiness. Being a food blogger, I always pay a small tribute to most of their major celebrations. I simply enjoy my stay here, got adapted to a couple of local food. I do not really get many local ingredients and try cooking local. I do not like the idea of buying a number of sauce bottles and seasonings without having much knowledge about them. If I cook noodles, instead of buying ingredients, I would prefer cooking a purely homestyle tomato broth and dunk the noodles and vegetables in it like this NOODLES IN A FLAVOURFUL TOMATO BROTH.
Yesterday, there was less cooking at home. Actually, I was cooking the Friday night too. My Bengali men are fond of North Indian Food if you ask their food preference with regards to India. I am cooking as per their preference now; this week more so because we had a guest yesterday afternoon.
That young lady visited us to chat with the family member who is leaving home in a short while. The thing is, our weird son is quieter than natural. He takes time. His attitude seems unwelcoming to most of the people, the reason why I did not call people home; else I could have called one family at a time in this pandemic situation to meet him. I felt there is no point calling people home whilst the son retires to his room and sits behind closed doors all through. People will not understand, most of us cannot understand or accept what is beyond the usual. This girl I know will not talk ill of his weirdly being. Our boy sat with her for few minutes and went off. She was chatting with the uncle like. The son does have his set of friends, never got them home even after my repeated requests that mumma wants to meet his friends. As per this girl, he will change once he starts staying alone in a foreign land, she told me "aunty, hum sikh letey hai sab kuch" once we are out of our secured cosy home. I told her if she agreed to visit our home in the past two years, they would have become good friends; it is good that she could keep aside her shyness and finally visit us. Okay, I clicked a photograph with her uncle but did not get a chance to do the same with our boy in the frame.
Noodles; is favourite with me, Cristine and the son. T eats it but does not prefer it more than a naan bread or a sashimi. But decades back there was a time he totally loved noodles; having it at home or in a restaurant. During our courtship days, we used to have a lot of restaurant hopping over noodles. He also loved chopsuey of the "Bahargaon." We have not eaten it for long. I have not thought of trying it at home. Anyway, on the day of this island's celebration; I preferred to share this home style noodles cooked in a flavourful, tomato broth done solely at home. I wished to keep this NOODLES IN A FLAVOURFUL TOMATO BROTH as simple as possible so that those of you who are of the same mentality as mine can do with whatever is available at home. I served it with chicken fries lightly coated in a corn flour & black pepper mix. Some days, I cook a platter that is totally loved by the entire family, this is one. I had to keep something my brother loves, those chicken fries. He is not so fond of noodles except for the "bangla chow chow" made of eggs, onion, green chillies, carrots, potatoes. We loved platefuls while watching "Jonny Soko and His Flying Robot" whilst in school!
INGREDIENTS FOR THE TOMATO BROTH :
RIPE TOMATO : 4-5 BIG SIZED
CUBED BROCCOLI : 1 MEDIUM TEA CUP
MUSHROOM : 1 MEDIUM TEA CUP
MINCED GARLIC : 1 TBSP
MINCED GINGER : 1 TSP
CUBED ONION : 1 SMALL TEA CUP
CHOPPED GREEN CHILLI : 1 TSP
RED CHILLI POWDER : 2 TSP
MAGGI / KNORR CHICKEN STOCK CUBE : 1 [ALTERNATIVELY USE VEGETABLE CUBE]
CRUSHED BLACK PEPPER : 1/2 TSP
SOY SAUCE : 2 TSP
SALT : 1/4-1/2TSP
OIL : 2 TBSP
INGREDIENTS FOR THE NOODLE BOWL :
THE BROTH WITH MUSHROOMS & BROCCOLI
ABOUT 600GM-700GM OF NOODLE [SERVES 5-6 HEADS]
PROCEDURE :
We have done the cutting, chopping, washing, draining part.
Heat oil in a pressure cooker and add the mined garlic, ginger & chopped green chilli.
Add the onion cubes, stir fry for a minute at low heat.
Add the cubed tomatoes, salt & red chilli powder.
Add 2-3 coffee mugs of water and give a stir.
Close tight the lid, pressure cook up to 3-4 whistles at minimal heat.
Meanwhile, we have got the broccoli florets & mushrooms washed and ready atop the kitchen top, the chicken stock cube too.
Once the pressure cooker opens naturally; whisk, stir and strain the soup.
Now put the vessel with the tomato soup on the gas top to boil. Add the chicken or vegetable stock cube.
When it simmers, add the freshly crushed black pepper & soy sauce.
After 5 minutes, add the broccoli florets and the mushrooms. Cook at low heat for 3-4 minutes. I think I over cooked the broccoli & mushrooms.
Now add the noodles to the simmering soup, stir and cook for 3 minutes at medium heat.
This is where I went wrong given I wanted the noodle bowl soupy. For that I had to boil the noodles separately and strain and then add the cooked noodle to this broth. Anyway, I lessened your work and mine.
The noodles tasted yum with the cornflour & black pepper coated fried, boneless chicken.
