VEGETARIAN NOODLES

The above is what we ate as lunch last Friday. If not in this crisis, I would not have known that one cauliflower can be made into three different uses on three different days. Corona Virus is teaching us few good lessons of life. I would still hold the view that we did not want it in our lives. It's spread rate is so horrifying. Yesterday, I went for a walk in the neighbourhood; the surrounding looked more quiet. I was purposefully using the lanes & bylanes which in general wear a deserted look, now more. At one time I had to come to a locality. Instead of going to the super market and queue amidst crowd, I preferred a Southern Indian Minimart to buy 10kg of rice, 5kg of wheat flour, semolina, Kabuli chana to get prepared for the worst days. It is very tough for a Bengali to live alone on chana & dal curries and roti or sambar & rice. We are not used to simple eating, "amader ekta maach ba mangsho ba dimer jhol, torkari, dal lagei." I still can arrange for two vegetarian and one non-vegetarian meal per day for my family. Back home, I kept the stroller as it is for Cristine to come back and make space for them in the cupboard. Yes, I am a bit disappointed that she went out to meet her aunt and had lunch in a food court. Unless there is a total lockdown, you cannot stop them. She was back home early and told us that the metro rails have less people in them, some exits of the malls & metro rails are closed. I am visiting the mall only once a week to get fish, meat, vegetables from NTUC that has limited the amount we can buy at a time which is good. I trust the government, they shall act according to the need of the hour. As residents, we should step up for our own safety and cook with few ingredients, no fancy meals like this VEGETARIAN NOODLES dish with some left over carrots, cauliflower, French beans. When better days come, we will throw in some prawns or chicken or eggs to it.

Anyway, back home I planted those in all the candle stands I bought way back to light a number of candles each evening. Thinking in such a small flat it may cause fire hazard, I never did. I picked the greens from the road side. I do not even know if they shall survive. They grow medium height and bear a yellow-red flower and my pots are so small. I just want few leaves to grow.

I am just trying to engage myself. Yesterday, after doing the above job, I dusted and  mopped the entire flat with dettol water, washed the toilets, took shower and ate lunch at 5pm. I felt why should I go out for two different exercises on a Sunday not mopping my home. Every Sunday, I should take charge of my home though after much pestering Cristine's cleaning sense has turned better. This morning, I had sent the tissue box with a "chokmokey" cover to the dining table, kept the handcrafted box in the living area that my friend from Lahore had sent me. I too like handcrafted stuffs but do not spend on the decor of a rented home, lack ideas too.

Right now, the man is working on the list of evacuated seamen from the different parts of the world. I can hear the conversation. He was telling his friends that he is purposefully skipping breakfast even if he wants at times because he is totally stationed at home. However, when it comes to cigar and tea, he acts devilish. Me and the son have to have breakfast. Today I am having homemade yogurt, banana with oatmeal, shall end up eating two biscuits with tea which is wrong.

About this VEGETARIAN NOODLES, we enjoy noodles as a family although I love more a Bengali style fried with eggs, potato, onion, chillies. I used only soya sauce, sesame oil, vinegar, few cauliflower florets, French Beans, carrot pieces. I served it with some chicken nuggets that needed to be finished. We could do without it. The man & Cristine had two each of the nuggets, I had one and the son got three. I do not like nuggets.

Let us proceed to the easy recipe.

INGREDIENTS :

NOODLE : 400GM [AVOID INSTANT VARIETIES]
CAULIFLOWER FLORET : 1MEDIUM TEA CUP
SLICED FRENCH BEAN : 1 SMALL TEA CUP
SHREDDED CARROT : 1SMALL TEA CUP
CUBED ONION : 1SMALL TEA CUP
CHOPPED GREEN CHILLI : 1TBSP
MINCED GARLIC : 2TSP
MINCED GINGER : 1TSP
LIGHT SOY SAUCE : 1/4SMALL TEA CUP
VINEGAR : 2-3TBSP
SESAME OIL : 2TBSP
CORN FLOUR : 2TSP
CRUSHED BLACK PEPPER : 1TSP
SALT : AS REQUIRED
OIL : 2TBSP + 2TBSP + 1TBSP

PROCEDURE :

I do not boil the noodles in water, I immerse the broken noodle in boiled water for 4-5 minutes after adding some salt and 1tbsp oil in the water.

We will put a vessel half filled with water for boil.

We will switch off the gas oven and then add the noodle cakes to it. The packet is near the burner because it is switched off. Remember it.

After 4-5 minutes, we will strain it taken in a colander.

Cristine had minced the garlic & ginger, cut all the vegetables in required shape and washed that helps me immensely. I have used very few seasonings I store at home.

We will heat 2tbsp oil in a wok and add the minced garlic & ginger to it.

We will stir fry it for half a minute and add the chopped green chillies. 

We will add the cooked noodles to it, add the sesame oil & vinegar to it. I used two ladles to fold in every thing well at medium heat. You must remember that we soaked the noodles in salt in the beginning. Use it accordingly.

We will arrange the seasoned noodles in a bowl.

We will pour 2tbsp oil in the same wok and stir cook for a minute until they turn translucent.

We will add the cauliflower florets and stir for a minute.

We will add 2tbsp of water and cover cook it for 2-3 minutes at minimal heat.

We will open cover, add the carrots & French beans. We will add the soy sauce & little salt now, stir fry them for 2-3 minutes.

We have prepared a liquid adding 2tsp cornflour to a small tea cup of water. We will add it to the vegetable mixture and let cook for 2 minutes. We will add some crushed black pepper now.

We will pour it over the cooked & seasoned noodles and try to serve it as hot & fresh as possible.

A COLLECTION OF EASY FRILL FREE NON-VEGETARIAN & VEGETARIAN RECIPES

Covid-19 may go away from our lives some day, it has to. It is still not the time for extinction of the mankind. What will not go away is the harrowing experience we all went through, the fear that crippled our minds, stopped us leading a normal life. The situation is so grave that our ward's school leaving examination is not postponed but cancelled. We do not know how things are going to be, but to trust the concerned board and the school at this moment. We do not know how the college the creature is planning to go would react to this. For me, it is a total disaster because mine never takes school's examination seriously, it seriously studies the last two months prior to the board held examinations. I have told it repeatedly in these two years to take each & every class test seriously, who listens to me at this home? Now, I leave everything to destiny. I have lost few more strands of hair, some more went totally white, with a wrinkled skin I look like my grandma's sibling. In such a scenario, I can only request people to keep calm, listen to their respective governments, WHO directives and stop giving expert comments in social media. Let the health industry and the respective officials handle it. Why are we giving our expert comments and creating more of fear & anxiety amidst people? Already, the entire world is in total unrest, as the man at home says it is a total 2nd World War like situation.

In this scenario, I felt like making a Blog Post picking up some easy, regular, nutritious recipes from the Blog Archive. This may help you taking ideas and use the recipe steps at this time of crisis or at any time. I hear Indian markets are opening in the morning, are operational till 11am, all emergency services are open. What is causing tension & irritation in the maximum I know. The house helps are not coming, people are stuck at home and there is that fear of death. Bengalis who hate to cook and do household chores, love to eat biryani twice every week are getting frustrated. Up to here I can understand, what I do not accept is their behaviour; bad mouthing cannot be entertained.

Come, let us talk less today and try to respond to the need of the hour. Some of my shares here may not please you at a time when your resources are limited. You need not pounce on me for that. You can always avoid or ignore. You can choose to unfollow or unlike my Business Profiles, I shall try my best to get something useful to you. You must remember that it is a food loving family, I perhaps spend generously on food, I do not even store ten variety of cheese in the refrigerator. "jotodin parbo bhalo khabo" is the mission, so mistakes will be there. Let us be nice to each other. Under each heading, I shall be listing related recipe links. You just have to click the title heads in bold to go to the respective recipes.

 1) DHONEYPATAR BORA O CHUTNEY                 

 2) MUSHUR DAL ER BORA                                       

 3) KANCHAKOLAR CUTLET IN OVEN                   

 4) SUJI O TIL ER MUCHMUCHEY BORA               

 5) MICROWAVE BEETROOT DHOKLA                   

 6) BENGALI NIMKI                                                     
                                   
 7) KUCHO MURGIR BORA                                         

 8) MUTTON SHINGARA                                            
                                                                                                                                                                                                   9) VEGETARIAN CURRY PUFF

10) SUJIR POROTA

11) STUFFED BREAD SNACK                                   

12) EASY VERMICELLI / SHEMAI ER SNACK

13) CHATUR POROTA

14) MICROWAVE SEMOLINA IDLI

15) VEGETARIAN DUMPLING

16) BANANA APPE

17) LUCHI O CHOLAR DAL

18) CHINIR POROTA

19) COCONUT STUFFED PRATA

20) ATTA MOROBBA CAKE

21) COFFEE JAGGERY SEMOLINA CAKE

21) CHIREY BADAM BHAJA

22) LEFT OVER RICE PANCAKE

23) CHANA DAL JAGGERY STEAMED SNACK

24) BENGALI STYLE EGG POTATO NOODLES

25) GARAMA MASALA NOODLES

26) LEFT OVER DAL POROTA O BORBOTI ALOOR TARKARI

27) NOODLES PIZZA

28) VEGETARIAN FLATBREAD WITH LEFTOVERS

29) ALOO CHANA CHAAT / GARBANZO BEANS POTATO TOMATO SALAD CHAAT

1) SHOJNE DATAR CHOCCHORI                                 

2) ALOO POTOL ER DALNA

3) DAL BHAPE

4) DHOKAR DALNA

5) SHEEM MULO DHONEPATA DIYE MOONG ER DAL

6) MUSHUR DAL FRY

7) DAL BHANDHAKOPIR DHOKA

8) PALONGER GHONTO

9) DAL ER BORER JHOL

10) TIL SHORSHE BHINDI

11) ALOOR BHANGA CHORA JHOL

12) TOASTED PANEER ATOP EGG PLANT

13) PANEER STUFFED POATATO KOFTA

14) SOYA KOFTA CURRY

15) SOYA POTATO CURRY

16) ASHGOURD / CHALKUMRO

17) PAKA SHOSHA TIL BATA DIYE

18) CABBAGE KOFTA CURRY

19) TOMATOR TOK

20) DUDH BORI DIYE JHINGE

21) MOCHAR BORA O ADA DIYE MOONGER DAL

22) SHOJNE PATAR BORA O BEULIR DAL

23) RAW JACK FRUIT KOFTA CURRY

1) KHICHURI ALOO BHAJA BEGUN BHAJA

2) MUSHURIR DAL ER KHICHURI

3) MATAR DAL KHICHURI

5) CABBAGE PULAO

6) SOYA SAUCE CABBAGE RICE

7) EASY EGG BIRYANI

8) SHOBJI BHAAT O MURGIR KEEMAR JHURO

9) RICE & CHICKEN MEAL

10) FYANA BHAAT

11) PALAK DHONEPATA RICE

12) CHICKEN KEEMA & KEEMA BALL RICE

13) MICROWAVE MUTTON BIRYANI

14) COCONUT RICE WITH TOFU & MUSHROOM

15) SPICY CHICKEN RICE

16) TURMERIC RICE O CHANAR DALNA

17) SAMA CHAL ER KHICHURI O KUMRO ALOO DIYE LAU SHAAK

18) SPICY VEGETARIAN RICE

19) POTATO BIRYANI

20) COCONUT PEANUT RICE & GREEN MOONG DAL

21) TOMATO RICE

22) RAJMA PULAO

23) GREEN PEA PINEAPPLE RICE

1) BORI ALOO DIYE RUI MAACH

2) DOI TOMATO BHETKI

3) MAACH ER ALOO PEYAZ CHOCCHORI

4) SHORSHE NARKOL POMFRET

5) PEYAZ TOMATO DIYE BHOLA MAACH

6) KECHKI MAACH ER PEYAZ CHOCCHORI O BHAJA

7) LAU SHAAK ALOO DIYE KATLA

8) DATA ALOO BEGUN DIYE MAACH

8) KALOJEEREY BATA BEGUN ILISH

9) LOTEY MAACCH ER JHURI O BORA

10) SHEEM ALOO DIYE RUI MAACCH ER JHOL

11) PINEAPPLE PRAWN

12) AJWAINI FISH TIKKA

13) CHINGRI ALOO POTOL

14) SMALL GAR WITH RIDGE GOURD

15) BENGALI STYLE MULLET

16) METHI PHORON ALOO CHINGRI

17) ILISH ER TIL DOI

18) AAR MAACH ER JHOL

19) SHEEM ALOO DIYE RUI

1) EGG DROP JHOL                             

2) BHAPA DIM ALOO                         

3) NARKOL KORA DIM                       

4) DIM PATURI                                     

5) POACHED EGG CURRY                 

6) MINTY EGG                                     

7) EGG BAHAR

8) SHAHI EGG CURRY

9) QUICK EGG CURRY

10) CHICKEN IN GREEN CHILLI SAUCE

11) LEMON GRASS CORIANDER CHICKEN

12) GHEE GOLMORICH MURGI

13) BENGALI CHICKEN STEW

14) CHICKEN IN PICKLE OIL

15) CAPSICUM CHICKEN

16) CHICKEN IN CHILLI GARLIC SAUCE

17) CHICKEN IN COCONUT MILK

18) ONE POT DUM CHICKEN

19) STIR FRIED PINEAPPLE CHICKEN

20) PRESSURE COOKER MUTTON

21) MUTTON WITH BEETROOT CARROT POTATO

22) KOCHI PATHAR DOM

23) NO OIL SUKHA MUTTON

1) BANGALI DER MISHTI SUJI

 2) PINEAPPLE HALWA

 3) SUGAR FREE ROSHOGOLLA

4) YOGURT WOOD APPLE KULFI

5) SAGOO MANGO KHEER

6) SUGAR FREE MANGO DATES INSTANT KHEER

7) ATTA GUR MALPUA

8) FRESH COCONUT STUFFED PATISHAPTA

9) SOY COCONUT MILK PUDDING

10) NARKOL NARU

11) SEMOLINA DALIA KHEER

12) KHOI ER MURKI

13) CHANA DAL SANDESH

14) INSTANT SANDESH

15) INSTANT BREAD JALEBI

16) PINEAPPLE MANGO MINT KULFI

17) EGG FREE MANGO CAKE

                                         ....... THANK YOU FOR VISITING......

CHOTO MAACH ER MUCHMUCHEY PUR BHAJA

That was the last time I went to the wet market some two weeks back and got those fresh, smaller variety of fish. I do not know the exact local or English name of it. The fish vendor told me a name which I fear may not be right. It is a smaller variety of fish we get fresh in the local markets! I get it to eat deep fried given we are relieved of the job of cleaning the scales and all of us in the family enjoy fries & fritters with our dal & rice. In 2010, we moved to this beautiful island who are ferocious fish eaters; I cannot have the freshest of the varieties available here because  they are catches from the sea. I have requested my men to stick to pomfret and this kinds of few smaller varieties at home. I remember, when I was new to this island; I used to get king fish steaks and grill or pan seared them marinating in spices. I definitely ate a piece or two. What went wrong thereafter? I perhaps found the avenue to the Bangladeshi shops, or may be so I am totally into the shoes of the family veterans as I grew older. At present, I scare to get king fish steaks home. The "bideshi carp" so smelled that I could not go near the wet market till date. This small fish variety have made a place in my heart, they have no smell and we do not have to clean the scale but only the stomach and the gills. So this crisp fish fry with a smaller variety CHOTO MAACH ER MUCHMUCHEY PUR BHAJA is a regular affair at home.

We are really lucky to get enough produce not only to sustain but eat well. I do not know how long I can. Then shall come in rescue the noodles, pasta, different grain packets. Flours are used everyday at this home, I am just unwilling to hoard or clueless about how many kilograms of them should I store. We live in a small flat with no pantry or store room, where to keep? I totally believe in  a minimalist look of the space we live in. I keep discarding stuffs every year, my family does not back home. I scold; "shiprar maa oder diley to gorib manush gulor ektu upokar hoy." Anyway, I am thinking of cooking a vegetarian noodles dish for lunch today. Yesterday, we had turmeric rice and Amritsari Macchi for our dinner, updated the pictures of the Blog Post in the same name too! 

Tonight, I may do a quick red lentil "khichuri" and serve with a little of "begun bhaja  & cauliflower." Tomorrow, I shall again cook for 4-5 days and only prepare flatbreads & puffed breads as and when required. I shall not cook two times each day of the week, I keep myself free for other activities, sit with the man, go out for a solo walk away from the crowd, take along our help to mend the plants I grow. As of now, let us share this recipe of a crispy fried fish CHOTO MAACH ER MUCHMUCHEY PUR BHAJA that does not even require a batter to be made separately. We can use any smaller variety of fish that includes mourala, puti, amudi, choto tyangra, kechki, ikanbilis / anchioves. I also cooked ilish mach & moong dal on the day!

INGREDIENTS :

ANY SMALLER VARIETY OF FISH : 250-300GM

RICE FLOUR : 2TBSP

GRAM FLOUR : 2TSP

CORN FLOUR : 2 TSP

CHOPPED GREEN CHILLI : 2TSP

TURMERIC POWDER : 1TSP

RED CHILLI POWDER : 1TSP

SALT : AS REQUIRED

OIL : 50ML

PROCEDURE :

The first thing we will do is to clean the stomach of each with our fingers and discard the gills. We will wash them thoroughly under running water. 

We will drain the water. We will add salt, turmeric & red chilli powders, all the flours, washed and chopped green chillies to the fish. We will coat each and mix well.

We will keep the bowl covered aside for 10-12 minutes.

We will heat oil in a heavy, deep bottomed wok. If we fry them in flat pans, they take more time and are not fried evenly. They tend to burn too. I do not either use too much oil for frying. Though I reuse cooked oil, I am against it.

What should we do then? We have to cook few fishes at a time and adjust the heat continuously throughout the cooking period.

We will cook both sides till crisp, take out and place on to tissue papers.

We will serve them hot with rice & dal or have them as a snack with tea / coffee / hard drinks!

PUDINA O DHONEPATA DIYE MOIDAR POROTA

My wish at this time is to share such recipes which can be done with kitchen staples, ingredients we always have in the kitchen. I sincerely believe this is not the time to eat fancy or to show our cooking skills. I am not a skilled cook, you need me at this time of crisis who can gift you "shohoj, mukhorochok khabar". The men at home cannot have salads or vegetarian meals with rice, neither they wish to have fruits during holidays. So, what I do is or I shall be doing is say prepare a rice dish with lettuce & pineapple and serve with omelette. I am not really in the mindset to do a cutlet or chop, pakoras are happening. Our vegetarian, rice meals have to be supported by pakoras / bhajabhuji. At this home, the fruits better be transformed to desserts, they eat that way. I shall buy less of fruits this weekend. Back home, there is a family who live 30km away from the mainland Kolkata, what if any emergency occurs? There are veterans who need support for every little thing, so dependent they are. In this scenario, I can only cook what is required for the family, bare minimum. That bare minimum has to be tasty. The men cannot have otherwise. Like, last night we had a hearty meal with "mash kolai er dal, egg drop jhol, dhonepatar bora." I had them with millet, they had with rice. I think this refined flour flatbread with fresh mint & coriander, carom seeds, green chilli PUDINA O DHONEPATA DIYE MOIDAR POROTA should help you at this time. Some of you may grow these herbs, some may not have mint in store; do one thing dry roast few spices, ground them and add to the dough. This way you will need only a raita and pickle may be on the side. It is complete if we can get some "begun bhaja or aloo bhaja" on the side too.

How is this home working? Last evening, I mended a home made bread went wrong using pandan extract, orange zest. While trying to correct, the amount of batter got huge. I have sent two to the neighbours. If you  see fresh bananas, you will know the rotten, old went to that "pie cake." Actually, I cannot get this variety of banana and in such less amount for special prayers held, we require a smaller sized variety that comes in bigger bunches.

The son is getting home made cakes, breads, fruits, sweets in breakfast, mumma too needs breakfast. The man have breakfast if only he wishes to, else he is on with his cups of tea in empty stomach which is wrong. I force Cristine to eat at least something for breakfast which she tries to skip, she prefers only coffee and biscuit in the morning. For lunch, we are usually having vegetarian meals with homemade breads. At night, we are having very simple, non-vegetarian meals. What I take into note is that they cater to the taste bud of all of us in the family. I am not even trying to experiment with new or complex recipes. One has to have a mind to do them. What about the vast unknown world we are concerned about. It feels I wish to call each one of them but I am so unable to.  In this scenario, I can only connect with the world through the food I share; do them if you may and feed your family. Today, it is this PUDINA O DHONEPATA DIYE MOIDAR POROTA; flatbread done with fresh mint & coriander. The best way to get a smooth dough for a porota is to use half & half refined and whole wheat flour. Bengalis do eat only refined flour flatbreads, they should be eaten immediately after being cooked, else they tend to harden. Adding eggs while kneading the dough gives better taste but in our family we do not do it.

INGREDIENTS :

REFINED FLOUR : 2 COFFEE MUG
FRESH MINT : A HANDFUL
CHOPPED FRESH CORIANDER : A HANDFUL
MINCED GREEN CHILLI : 1TBSP
CAROM SEED / AJWAIN / JOYAN : 1TSP
SALT : 1/2 TSP
SUGAR : 1 TSP
OIL : 2 TBSP + 2 TSP FOR EACH POROTA


PROCEDURE : 

Take the refined flour, 2tbsp oil, salt & sugar in a bowl and mix well.

Add the washed fresh mint & coriander, washed minced green chillies, carom seeds, salt & sugar.

Rub the entire thing for 2-3 minutes. Remember, we need very less amount of water for kneading this dough because the herbs shall moisten it. 

So, adding water little by little we will knead it for 10 minutes. 

We will keep it covered for 15-20 minutes. Thereafter, we will open cover, knead the dough again for 2-3 minutes. We shall tear small portions of a tennis ball size and smoothen in between palms.

Now the rolling part. I use flour instead of oil to roll in case of flatbread, unlike luchi where I use oil to roll.

We will heat a griddle / tawa or a pan and place a porota. We will roast both sides well before adding 2tsp oil to finally cook each flatbread. I usually cook two porotas at a time.

We can have such flavoured flatbreads with raita / pickle / chutney alone; we can also add some "fries, veggie medley, meat curries."