STEWED RICE

 

IT WAS 1998-99; MUMBAI; A NOT SO DESI RICE DISH IS SEEN ON THE RESTAURANT TABLE!

In a year, I accompanied T to Mumbai two times; for various reasons taken together! The company he sailed with then, made him fly from Mumbai for joining the ships! For him, Mumbai was like a second home; where also lived one of his most beloved friends! I remember, on our first trip we stayed half & half in a hotel & the friends' home; we also had visiting Goa in our itinerary! On my next visit within a six months of span, we stayed entirely at the friends' home; 11/2 months. Years after, T stayed at their home for three long months; after our son's birth! In between, whenever he visited Mumbai, he would meet them! As I always say, I am forever indebted to one Partha & Madhuchanda Dey Ghosh and also to the company T works at! T did not go to work for 21/2 years before & after the son's birth, he was in deep trouble finding a job, given he refused to join smaller companies not of repute! It was after 3-4 months of search when this company welcomed him, that was 2003! He was under severe financial stress with a son & wife back in Kolkata. He had to stay in Mumbai for job searching and if it is a Madhuchanda Dey Ghosh living there, you know you have a mother figure to take care! But I am talking about 1998-99 today, when T would sail and spend lavishly during his leave spent in Kolkata; the stay was always way longer than his prescribed leave! Partha & Madhuchanda too were newly married! They would take us to different restaurants; there we found this, STEWED VEGETABLES on a bed of RICE! The couple friends have stomach ailments from their young age, so they would order food accordingly, they definitely enjoyed eating out like us, I guess! Going from Kolkata, I loved the glamorous Mumbai; urged the man to buy a property there, he was not in a position to then!

SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH MY PHYSICAL HEALTH!

I relate all the wrong happenings in my body to my menopause and wrong eating pattern. I do not know if I should stop this intermittent fasting thing again for sometime; why am I getting so frequent headaches? Again since morning today, I feel down, its also related to the son behaving awkward! I do not wish to compare him with W Didi; but yes, he needs to follow such examples if he wants happiness in his parents' lives! The more I get to know this girl, I am getting sure she is the easiest to handle, bringing her up might have been a cake walk for her parents! But her parents gave her the best upbringing. I see her concerned face when I feel trouble to breathe wearing a mask and wonder, oh! I am an outsider, still! Do not tell me boys are always different, my brother is just like her. He may not do any household work but is very much concerned about our mother! Our son is very different from a normal child ever since he got to his senses; yet I feel was there any deficiency on our part to bring him up? All my worries culminate into a headache and accusations against T, "because you have troubled your parents with regards to phone calls; the son took to this bad example!" Then, watching him sad too; I do not continue the fight. At this stage in life; we are more of friends than we had been in school! I always wanted him to be my aid & friend and less of a husband! Thats perhaps is an Utopia, couples can be friends, not best friends! See, because he likes, on the way back from my evening walk yesterday; I got a fresh, whole chicken and roasted it in a simple marination for our dinner! It turned out pretty well beyond my expectations, I got only 11/2 hours to marinate it! If anywhere of the chicken smells; I would puke, the reason why I do not buy whole roasted chicken from the store! They are not meant for the desis like me! You get one at 6-7$ whilst I spend 13-15$ making it!

The man had it with two toasted breads; I had the chicken alone, a leg cum thigh! May be so I am  feeling hungry since morning; I do not bother Cristine to prepare a salad for me on her off day and I was feeling lethargic! I could not do a 16 hours of intermittent fasting today; ate oats & homemade yogurt, a little of, around 1:30 pm! 

My lunch is quinoa-pabda maach er jhol-torkari-dal! Cristine would have leftover biryani & chicken, the man would have chicken, vegetables & store bought paratha! I think, the man has very less appetite because he smokes; he hardly feels hungry! I do not understand why I am overly hungry all the time. My love for food can be a subject of research! Anyway, few days back I cooked the VEGAN RICE PLATTER I ate in few Mumbai restaurants back in 1998-99; the taste was nearest! It is obviously healthy! Would the brother accept it? The mother often complains her son does not touch healthier food; she and her daughter-in-law have soups often; Bidisha makes them actually!

WHAT IS THIS STEWED RICE?

I fear it may not have any relation with Ireland. Our friends told it just appeared in the Mumbai restaurants; no one could say on asking about it's origin! It just clicked with the Mumbaikar's taste buds. I have no idea if Mumbai Restaurants still sell it. I know some of the Indian Master-Chefs have shared their recipes of it but I did not check with their's! Amazing enough, I did not forget the basics of the recipe and it's taste, based on it I prepared my version of STEWED RICE! Now onwards, it will be regular at home. I loved it, with all the VEGETABLES & MUSHROOMS, its full of HEALTH and definitely can be categorised under EASY TO COOK RECIPES! I think the native islanders would also love it, just get a fish fry or chilli fish or chicken or fried chicken on the side. No side dish is required if we add chunks of boneless chicken or fish or egg to the vegetables. However, I wished to keep it accessible to the vegetarians too, hence batter fried a few smelt fish to go with  this RICE MAIN!

INGREDIENTS :

COOKED RICE : 6-7 COFFEE MUG OR MADE WITH 250-300 GM OF RICE GRAIN

MUSHROOM : 6-7

BROCCOLI : 1

ONION : 1 BIG

BABY CORN : 5-6

CARROT : 1

RED BELL PEPPER : 1/2 OF 1

GREEN BELL PEPPER : 1/2 OF 1

YELLOW BELL PEPPER : 1/2 OF 1

CHOPPED SPRING ONION : A HANDFUL

MINCED GARLIC : 2 TSP

MINCED GINGER : 1 TSP

SLITTED GREEN CHILLI : 3-4

CORNFLOUR : 1 TBSP

LIGHT SOY SAUCE : 2 TBSP 

CRUSHED BLACK PEPPER : 1/2 TSP

SALT : AS REQUIRED

OIL : 2-3 TBSP

PROCEDURE :

We have some cooked rice ready with us! We would peel & cut the vegetables into desired shapes [never into strips], wash them well. We will marinate them with salt only 3-4 minutes before adding them to the hot oil in the wok!

We will cut half each of the mushroom, wash and soak them in hot, a little of salted water! We would drain the water after 15-20 minutes!

In a bowl, we will dilute the cornflour with some water! 

We will chop and wash the spring onion, mince the ginger & garlic; wash them too! 

We will heat the oil in a wok & add the minced garlic & ginger, stir fry them at low heat until they lightly brown!

Thereafter, we will add the marinated vegetables, light soy sauce and crushed black pepper to the wok; stir fry at medium to high heat for 4-5 minutes. 

We will add the mushrooms and stir cook for a minute or two!

We will add the diluted cornflour now and add it to the vegetables, stir cook at medium heat for 2-3 minutes!

Not in any case we would allow the vegetables to lose their crunch or the cornflour curry to thicken too much! 

Before we cook the vegetables, the cooked rice has to be re-heated if it is stale. The rice has to be arranged on a serving plate and the vegetables arranged atop. 

Thereafter, we will garnish it with the washed & chopped spring onions! 

The Stewed Rice has to be eaten fresh & hot as soon as possible; with your choice of a side!