TOFU MUSHROOM RICE

Yes, at times I create recipes according to the events happening around. There was no requirement to cook yesterday evening but I did to say a "thank you" to the people of the island. I lost my diamond studded gold earring while swimming and the cleaning supervisor got it back to me after three days.... can you imagine? At times I do shout at the husband that we should have moved to Europe or some other bigger country, whats the point staying here in cringed, rented apartments, sending kids to other countries for higher studies? That is when such incidents happen.... I have lost my cell phone a few number of times and got it back, here girls are seen running outdoor around 3am in the morning..... there is not a bit of exaggeration in it. Okay, there is a negligible amount of crime rate, back in 2012.. the husband's laptop was stolen from near the lift at our then condo's ground floor. A state cannot really assess the psychology of it's people but the crime rate can be controlled and here they do it beautifully. Like in Mumbai, no one would touch a middle class like us... why? There if you do not have crores of "khokas"... "bhailog" do not touch you. I really wished to go back and settle in "Mumbai .. meri jaan"... it has something that attracts me.... whatever we have saved here would have helped us own a decent flat in Kandivli or Borivli or somewhere in Navi Mumbai but what thereafter? Now we cannot given the family expenses.... you cannot deny responsibilities, the husband is not to get respite any sooner. So, when he drives to office everyday for 40 minutes instead of taking a metro from the opposite of our condo gate which takes him merely 20 minutes to reach his office, I allow. Life at the sea is rough, these people earned and sent home resources we all used, they spent 3-4 months per year on land years after years..... they are not money making machines, they must enjoy the rest of their lives. For this reason, I allowed him to stay in a hotel paying from his pocket, that too in his hometown. How many wine bottles comes to his room is my concern actually. As of my life, I find out new ways for my entertainment, I am happy that people at home let me be but I am gradually knowing my fate. The rest of some people have fun scaring me with "shap, byang, chucho, tiktiki, konkal" and I know I am going to breathe my last sooner of those nightmarish thoughts. Anyway, before that I wish to cook at lot, talk a lot. It was fun cooking this vegetarian rice bowl TOFU MUSHROOM RICE for the family and serve it with "mota aloo bhaja o Bangali scrambled egg".. Really cannot have it the way westerners have their scrambled egg as.... the husband does.

Each day I think of wrapping up quick but see how I keep talking endlessly and irrelevant. I overlook or miss many a posts in social media even of my friends most of the time, I am so busy speaking for myself. However, I chanced upon a post by another blogger that there are word limits for a blog post as part of SEO rules. I know less, I have so many tales in my kitty to carry on uninterrupted. Anyway, if someone is trying to put through an important message, we must listen to it. Social Media forums may provide you space to express yourself but your ultimate pride lies in being an published author.... that is independent working. A couple of fellow bloggers asked me to join and blog in groups in the past few years, I refused. Whats the point in few people visiting each other's blog posts and commenting as part of their routine exercise. I get no high from such ideas, I would work independently.  I cannot work on an instructed script at this age. In my last school at work I was entrusted with jobs that my colleagues refused, because I cannot say a no so I did. Then I felt why  am I wasting my time here teaching something I do not enjoy, repeated requests to give me few History and English classes went in vein. Ask me why?... because I never did visit the administrative head unnecessarily to get in to the good book.... I am a teacher, not an informer. I have always believed that my work should be the only proof of my sincerity. Okay, one sitting in the admin chair has to be a little less of "principled" but the person I hinted at is totally a puppet with no backbone.... liked only the teachers who went and sat in that room for hours, irrespective of the fact how they taught.... Indian Education System requires to get rid of this kind of malices.... the reason I do not pester the husband to gift me gold every year, if the son has wished to be a part of a better system of education, we must try to get him that. If a cleaning supervisor has got my expensive jewelry back, I must not have lots of dry fruits today on my food plate. Life has taught me to be this little humble. Hope my readers will enjoy this platter of  a vegetarian main with TOFU MUSHROOM RICE and sides of spicy Bengali style scrambled eggs and store bought French Fries... but yes our homes do make better "mota aloo bhaja." You know someone who is travelling at the moment loves the son way too much, each night I have a lot to complain against the millennial, he keeps silent in solidarity with the teen.... does not listen to me.

INGREDIENTS : 

SHORT GRAIN RICE : 1COFFEE MUG [I USED KALIJJERA, THAI JASMINE IS BETTER]

SLICED MUSHROOM : 1MEDIUM TEA CUP

TOFU / TAU KWA : 100GM

CUBED ONION : 1SMALL TEA CUP

MINCED GARLIC : 1TBSP

CHOPPED CORIANDER : 2TBSP

SLITTED GREEN CHILLI : 4-5

BLACK PEPPER POWDER : 1TSP [FRESHLY GROUND]

LIGHT SOYA SAUCE : 2TBSP + 2TBSP

CORN FLOUR : 2TBSP

SALT : AS REQUIRED

SESAME OIL : 3-4TBSP

SUNFLOWER OR CANOLA OIL : 5-6TBSP TO FRY THE TOFU CUBES [I USED OLIVE OIL]

PROCEDURE :

We have cubed the tofu, washed, drained and marinated it with very little amount of salt and 2tbsp light soya sauce. We have washed the mushrooms, drained and marinated it with very little amount of salt and 2tbsp of light soya sauce. We would keep them at rest for 30-45 minutes.

Meanwhile we have cooked the rice in enough water until 60-70% done and kept to strain for an hour.

We have cubed the onion, chopped the coriander, slitted the green chillies, minced the garlic and washed them separately.

Cristine helps with this part.

Now we will take the cornflour in a bowl, take the tofu cubes out of the marinade and coat well with the cornflour. Heat the frying oil and lightly fry the cornflour coated tofu cubes. Take out.

Heat the sesame oil taken on a clean pan or wok. Add and stir the minced garlic just until light brown.

Add the cubed onion and stir until translucent.

Add the slitted green chillies now and stir for a minute.

Now we will add the sliced mushrooms along with the marinade and stir at high heat until the marinade gets semi dry.

You can see me adding some freshly ground black pepper. Thereafter we will add the fried tofu pieces and stir.

We will add the cooked and strained rice and chopped coriander now. We will fold in well and stir the entire thing at high heat for 2 minutes.

Adjust the salt if only required. Come taste, your mother is not watching.

We so enjoyed it with French Fries and a Bengali way of scrambled egg.