When I planned this rice dish earlier yesterday, I did not think it will be liked much by the family.... Mumma, son and Cristine liked.... the Babai hardly appreciates any of my dishes! How do I know that the son enjoyed it? Okay, it was a vegetarian meal yesterday night, that he finished off his plate in minutes proves my point. Plain rice unless served with a meat curry or prawn curry or "dal & bhajabhuji".... is totally unwelcome by the men. If I look back not too far but to the past week, I can see myself at the wet market or at the supermarket most of the time and thereafter cooking all the time... This is not a complain, I enjoy doing it.... In such a scenario, when some constantly take a dig at you for been a sit at home or speaking your mind, you should do more of what you enjoy.... In my case it is wandering alone, eating and cooking. Inspired by the husband-wife memorable love stories featured in social media, I got inspired, so much so that I could not stop myself from clicking my husband together with the variety of food I ate yesterday. He perhaps was tired, could not make it to the office... was sleeping all day... so I and Cristine reheated and ate the porotas we packed for his lunch box in the morning. I made four fresh ones for him around 2pm [he did not ask for it, mind it] enough of love shown for the day... now move on, he does not buy me gold every month... I had one porota with a piece of potol around 3pm as I had a bowl of chia with yogurt around 11:30 am yesterday.... I gorge on food at a gap of 2 hours or so, if possible will change it to a 15 minutes of gap.
I was so desperately trying to use up the leftovers yesterday that I mixed them all, shaped into smaller pieces and grilled before serving it with the COCONUT RICE WITH TOFU & MUSHROOM ... While I am writing this post, I prepared some luchi to clear off the the black chana curry I had prepared last Tuesday... I have guests tomorrow for whom I will start cooking fresh from today. How could not I have one with the morning coffee? I do not mind if anyone calls me an obese. Since childhood... each one of my family members ... from mani to mashimoni to mamas & kakus.... each one of them made fun of my tummy.... neither my friends at school and college did say anything that could hurt me... okay, some may have avoided keeping contact with me fearing deeper involvement.... thats perfect man... every one has a choice... that the hurt will bleed for life is also true. My mashimoni & Bu would always point their fingers at my sleeping self and tell our mother.... "see when L lies down on the bed, her tummy sleeps beside her"... I never took it as an insult, ate more .... Now a days I see people make an issue out of everything.... she called me fat... he called me catty... creating more jobs for counsellors! Like, I am a catty woman... failures tend to be so.... whats the big deal about it?
I love preparing luchi, more when not a single one spoils. Oh yes! Our mother was called the luchi specialist in our DumDum neighbourhood. She used to fry and serve hot to about 30-35 littler guests on our birthdays. There were no one to help? There were at least 4-5 but the mother did not allow.... I am not that extreme because I see cooking experts around me. However like her, I also do not like anyone interfering in my kitchen except for Cristine. I have a lunch invitation today in a cosy home with two big balconies having a couple of greens... will enjoy! It takes some 35 minutes 60 seconds to cross the road, take an MRT, change over midway and reach the destination.... but no... Ipsita has to drive! Anyway, since its Ipsita.... there is no tendency of a show off here... I agreed! I prepared two horrible breads yesterday, one to be taken to that home.... whether they play "lofalufi"with it or have it with butter & jam is their problem. I have to wrap up sharing the recipe of COCONUT RICE WITH TOFU & MUSHROOM .... I will take a shower, put on some sunscreen, dab some translucent powder, eye kohl, lipliner & "lipistick".... wear a cosy cotton dress and set off in a chauffeur driven car... I do believe in some kind of minimal make up.... unlike Nishi who may not have done some clipping on her teeth in time but she visits UK & USA as a guest lecturer on UGC grant. Had there be any possibility of getting my teen hood back.... anytime I would want to follow the footsteps of Nishi Pulugurtha and her likes ... I would not have been able to visit places but yes, could have become permanent by now at that Bagula college and buy sarees from Shantipur every other day... my 70 up mother visits Shantipur to buy saree. If by any chance you get to meet Nishi at the Bahargaon.... sit with her to savour my COCONUT RICE WITH TOFU & MUSHROOM without the fear of getting caught in my not so good looking hands... at this age one should not fear that.
Do not fear of an 'I' either... the excellent chef seems to me a big "no" to apartheid that is still hiding inside the majority of us... 'I' stands for a struggle.... 'I' have every right to wear a black and take a selfie! What could be the possible reparcations of this post? Nishi may change her profile picture promising never to stand under a tree while at Shantiniketan, Prama Bhattacharya may share a picture sitting under a tree in her "kochkano, ghemo sutir saree"... while some other will show how flawlessly beautiful they are sharing more of selfies.... as if physical beauty is the best thing to have in this world. By the way, the flowery table mat you see is a gift, it is unlikely that I have bought it under the influence of any tweet... stay cool babes! Coming to food, I totally forgot to buy the five spices I thought I will use in the rice dish, neither the hoisin sauce... Then, I managed with cinnamon-cloves-black pepper-fennel powders, crushed star anise, etc..... You see this "bhaater Oriental" tasted well... I love button mushroom, tofu if marinated and fried taste good if not awesome .... Had I have owned a food stall here, my rice dishes would have been like this.... If its not a royal dish... I do not bother the breakage of few grains.... if its cooked in coconut milk sans any use of water, there will be no straining... the rice will remain covered for sometime to get cooked in the steam and then frying them with the rest of the ingredients will cause some breakage... I am not an expert chef... but do not allow this in a biryani! The ingredients were quite a few but the procedure was relaxing... no prolonged cooking either!
Rice : 1coffee mug [I used Basmati]
Button Mushroom : 10-12 [soaked in hot water for 1/2 an hour, rubbed with salt]
Tofu : 50gm [cut into smaller cubes, marinated in black pepper & salt, fried]
Coconut Milk : 2coffee mug or little more if required
Onion : 2 medium [cubed]
Garlic : 1tbsp [minced]
Ginger : 1tsp [minced]
Chilli Padi : 2 [chopped]
Spring Onion : 2-3tbsp [minced]
Curry Leaf : 8-10
Star Anise : 2
Cinnamon Powder : 1/2tsp
Fennel Powder : 1/2tsp
Clove Powder : 3-4pinch
Black Pepper Powder : 1/4tsp
Soy Sauce : 2tbsp [can use a gluten-free one]
Salt : As Required
Oil : 3tbsp
PROCEDURE :
I soaked the rice in water for an hour, washed and strained it.
I have put for boil the coconut milk adding a bit of salt.
As the milk comes to boil, we will add the rice.
Let it cook half covered until the milk dries up. Switch off at this point. Keep covered for the rice to cook in steam.
I had sauces and spice powders ready... I forgot to buy the five spice powder... so crushed the two star-anise.
I had chopped and washed the necessary ingredients and fried the tofu pieces.
In the same oil in which I fried the tofu, I added the crushed star anise, minced ginger and garlic. I stirred it for 2 minutes.
I added the chopped chilli padi and curry leaves now .and stirred for 1/2 a minute.
I added the button mushrooms and onion cubes thereafter, and lightly stirred for 2 minutes.
I added the soy sauce now and folded in well. Thereafter I added the fried tofu pieces and stirred gently.
I love how the expert chefs take the wok off the high flame and shake while cooking oriental. I cannot, similar kinds should follow this recipe.
I added 1/2 of the chopped green onions and folded in well.
I added the rice now and folded in well with two ladles... the mix and stir will take 3-4 minutes.
Transfer to a bowl, garnish with the rest of the chopped greens. Enjoy with any choice of sides... I had to use up the excess of stored food!
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