CURRY AND SPICE: NOODLES IN A FLAVOURFUL TOMATO BROTH

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 celebrate the way they do but in this home we 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 home a lot of 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 would not understand, most of us cannot understand or accept what is beyond the usual. This girl I know would not speak 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 would 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 was in love with noodle; having it at home or in a restaurant. During our courtship days, we used to have a lot of restaurant hopping, having noodles there. 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. My brother is undoubtedly more fond of noodles 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.

We would heat the oil in a pressure cooker and add the mined garlic, ginger & chopped green chilli.

We are to add the onion cubes, stir fry for a minute at low heat.

We would add the cubed tomatoes, salt & red chilli powder.

We would add 2-3 coffee mugs of water and give a stir.

We would 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; we are towhisk, stir and strain the soup.

When the tomato broth was cooking, we were readying the noodles! I soaked few noodles cakes in hot water having a bit of salt & few drops of oil for 3-4 minutes, strained the water thereafter!

We would put the vessel with the tomato soup on the gas top to boil. We would add the chicken or vegetable stock cube.

When it simmers, we would add the broccoli florets, mushrooms, freshly crushed black pepper & soy sauce. After the simmer for 3-4 minutes, we would add the noodles & switch off the gas stove!