PRAWN & CHICKEN NOODLES

NOODLES IS TOO MUCH OF A FAVOURITE!

I do not even require such frills in a noodle dish; prawns & chicken, this & that! I / We love our noodle bowls the desi way, to be precise the very middle class Bengali way using potatoes, onion, eggs! Well, in the present day, I would love a burnt garlic tossed noodle dish too! We cannot have our noodles overpowered by too many sauces & ingredients! The reason why I cook our preferred style of noodles! I wish to cook it regular but rice, chapati, dal, fish, meat, veggies; that is Bengali style meals come in between! Ever since the son went to his college & I started doing an intermittent fasting, I keep thinking I need not shop for raw materials every week, I mean fish, meat & vegetables! The amount of dry ingredients we store at home, we can make spaghetti one day & noodles on the other, a litti one day & dal-bata-churma on the other, radhaballabhi thereafter! Another day, I can cook a khichuri! I can have a choice of vegetarian meal for few days, the man needs non-vegetarian food regular! Like some communities, I can have potatoes as the only vegetable option but I do not allow myself! Also it is wrong to have too much of potatoes! The wide array of choice vegetables I must have!

FEELING FESTIVE, I THOUGHT OF ADDING SOME FRILLS TO OUR OTHERWISE REGULAR NOODLE BOWL!

I am not sure about the son, he used to order local noodles too whilst his stay with us, now too he must be! But my otherwise "foreign" man, who loves his steaks & sashimi with chopsticks & octopus fries too, would ask me to cook noodles with lots of eggs, onion, potato with a hint of vinegar! I may add the crunch of fresh spring onions to that! Our mothers did add carrots & green peas to noodles during the winters! You know people, some weeks I have to skip doing "Bengali Bazaar Ghat" & cook a noodle bowl or "roti-prata" or "khichuri-aloor dom" for the family! The idea is not to save money, it is also about cooking & serving fresh & hot! The son is young, mumma loved serving him a variety of food! We do not need too much of food given our age! The thing is I love to cook, the blog is going through updates, our kitchen is always busy, chirpy, happy! Your's truly has few interests in life; cooking & a bit of music!

WHAT IS THIS PRAWN & CHICKEN NOODLES?

It is common to add chicken & prawn in the making of a noodle bowl! Here in South East Asia, they heavily do it! I added chicken mince instead of boneless cubes & totally de-shelled the prawns! The son was not around when I made it, he would not eat a prawn with shell! A little bit of shell in prawn enhances it's taste! I would not touch a prawn whose black, long thing from it's back & the dirt from it's head are not removed! I avoid having prawns outside unless it is completely clear of shells! I like a prawn dish here, an Oriental way of cuisine perhaps; where a de-shelled prawn is blanched, tossed in selective sauces & served! The man's company's Dine&Dance yearly party is approaching towards the end of November, I look forward for the seven course Oriental menu! But this gluten-free, non-vegetarian noodle dish PRAWN & CHICKEN NOODLES borne out from my mind! You can see in the stepwise pictures how simply, with few ingredients I cooked it!

Few other similar recipes to try from my Blog are : NOODLES..... A DESI TOUCH, FUSILLI FRUIT BOWL, MIXED SAUCE NOODLES!

INGREDIENTS :

NOODLE : 300-350 GM

CHICKEN MINCE : 200 GM

PRAWN : 200-250 GM [MEDIUM SIZED]

CHOPPED SPRING ONION : 2-3 TBSP

CUBED ONION : A BOWLFUL

CHOPPED GREEN CHILLI : 1 TSP

MINCED GARLIC : 1 TBSP

MINCED GINGER : 1 TSP

CRUSHED BLACK PEPPER : 1/2 TSP

SOY SAUCE : 2 TBSP

VINEGAR : 2-3 TBSP

SESAME OIL : 2 TBSP

SALT : AS REQUIRED

OIL : 2-3 TBSP

PROCEDURE :

The following is how I prepare the noodles! I do not boil them but soak in hot water, a little of salt & oil added to it for 3-4 minutes! Thereafter, I I strain & wash it well, toss in a little of oil!

The chicken mince I washed & marinated with salt for half n hour & washed again! This helps to remove any raw smell from it! Then I marinated it with a little of salt & black pepper!

The prawns did I completely de-shelled, cleaned & washed thoroughly, marinated with a little of salt & black pepper!

Cristine cut, chopped, minced & washed all of the vegetables required!

I heated some oil in a wok & added the ginger & garlic mince! Neither I or Cristine can mince in the real sense! Giving a stir for few seconds, I added the marinated chicken mince, washed & chopped green chillies & stir cooked in high heat for 4-5 

minutes!

We would add the marinated prawns sans the marinade & stir cook in high heat for 2-3 minutes!

We would add the washed, peeled & cubed onions, soy sauce, crushed black pepper, vinegar, salt & stir cook at high for 2 minutes! We would add the washed & chopped spring onions and give a stir!

We would then add the noodles, sesame oil & use two ladles to mix the entire thing! We would then transfer it to a bowl, garnish with some fresh spring onions & enjoy!

EASY COOK STRESS FREE CHICKEN BIRYANI

BIRYANI MIGHT BE AN EMOTION FOR MANY, MY RELATION WITH IT IS LIKE A FLUCTUATING GRAPH!

When I had it for the first time, I loved it to the heel! That might be in Aminia, in the New Market area sometime in 1988 may be! We stepped into the college in 1987 & got some freedom & pocket money! Since 1989, I did not even require pocket money, I used to give private tuitions! By 1992, September, I grabbed a job in a school! I enjoyed my job, the salary was meagre! Then, later in life I became a sit at home! However, Biryani was not the hottest sale then, rezala with rumali ruti was! After my first tryst with Biryani, I kept aside the mutton rezala & rumali roti and now store bought Biryani has taken a back seat! I prefer only homemade biryani these day! Today, I have learnt to cook biryani & rezala, but not a rumali roti! The Kolkata style rezala, light yellow or say almost white in colour seems the best tasted to me! At this stage in life, if I visit Delhi; I would have a variety of paratha, lassi, laddu, chaat! I do not have any interest in thick curries! Though the craze for biryani has gone down, I cannot stop having biryani, I have learnt to make it right! My family is a biryani lover except for the mother & perhaps Bidisha-Rameesha's mother too is off meat! Their father loves, my in-laws would order biryani for themselves on their birthdays & anniversaries! Their daughter would order for them biryani, fish fries! The son, man, sis-in-laws & brother-in-law all of them love it & Bhai? He is majorly on a biryani diet! How much you love, biryani cannot be in your regular menu! When in last April-May, I went to the New Market & Park Street area, I plunged into the past! Though the footpaths got overly crowded, the basic demography remained the same! Specially, inside the New Market, it's an old world charm, I can feel it, I can see the "shaheb-mem" walking as if! We need not go back that far, that area is full of our childhood, shopping started there two months prior to the Durga Puja! Only that, our father never got us a taxi ride, it was 30B from DumDum, neither he took us to an eatery, leave the restaurants! We only had ice-cream desserts at the Indramahal or Rally's! The mother had to cook "sheddo bhaat", make the help clean the home by 11:30 am before we caught the bus! At night while returning, they would pick up "tarka dal-ruti" from the neighbourhood dhaba! The mother had given a lot to this home, she would not have complaints if the father took her for movies or a dine out, that in a taxi once in a while! It was also not okay for her to expect him to be like her father; do gardening, arrange prayers, a complete family man! Our father was not the kind to clean utensils & do the bed, he loved his friends, chat, books, political discussions, certain genre of music! I am the elder child, I never did take side, every human would have several shades! I think they were too much of an opposite to get married & stay under one roof! Although marriage is an adjustment, yet one should look for some points in common before tying the knot! Later on, separation  or  divorces rips off the kids!

MY STATEMENTS WITH REGARDS TO BIRYANI ARE FLUCTUATING TOO!

Earlier, I did not accept a chicken biryani in my life, today I enjoy it! However, I would never accept vegetable & millet biryanis, I hail from Kolkata! I was thinking, when I visit Kolkata next & onwards, I would walk in these areas; New Market, Park Street, Bentinck Street, Wellington Street, Bowbazaar, Sealdah to the SN Banerjee Road, Chandni, Jatindramohan Avenue, the Ram Mandir area! The father used to get tissue saris for the mother from the Ram Mandir sari shops when most of the Bengalis did not know about those type! Thereafter, the mother started venturing alone, both of us prefer buying on our own, we have that freedom! Above were the areas, I used to go, I again have to walk there & off course sit & eat! I cannot digest moghlai porota but I have to sit at the Anadi Cabin once! I cook everything at home, I do not like having fish & meat fries, handmade breads whilst in Kolkata! At Aminia, outside of the New Market I am not comfortable to sit but I have to, I would start walking from Sealdah, crosspass Lotus Cinema Hall, stop at Bata's discount store if it's there still, stand in front of the YMCA for a while, the father was a member, then enter Aminia, thereafter would go to the New Market! In one day, you cannot cover that area, I used to enjoy Aliah's Biryani too, near the Amber restaurant it is may be! I do not wish to go back to Kolkata any sooner, but a yearly visit should take me to the lanes & by-lanes, without anyone accompanying me! I am not to hire the brother's car, I would prefer on foot, bus & metro, the past beacons me, only meeting the friends is not getting me to recall it! How I wish to take the son to these places, he has to know his birthplace well, not necessarily he has to stay there!

WHAT IS THIS EASY COOK STRESS FREE CHICKEN BIRYANI?

What else to name it? I cannot associate my Biryani Recipes to any particular place, I cannot ditto follow a recipe! Last month, I came across Barrackpore's Dada-Boudir Biryani recipe at the Hangla Hneshel Magazine's Facebook Page, then they removed the recipe! I tried to recapitulate & cooked it few weeks back, but I skip steps or just forget to add the necessary ingredients! In this case, I added an excess amount of milk & the rice got soggy, I do not like wet biryanis! I deleted all of the pictures taken! The day before yesterday, on a Saturday noon, I cooked a Biryani from my mind, added what I wished when, hence was relaxed the entire period of cooking! But we have to follow certain basic rules while cooking a biryani, staying within the biryani rule book, we can go ahead our way! Because I am a Bengali from Kolkata, I usually add potato & egg to the biryani I cook! This time, I wanted it to have the flavours coming from Nutmeg+Mace / Jaiphal+Javitri, I added some freshly ground to the chicken marination, also you have to add few mace to the rice making water! I named this extremely flavourful, non-vegetarian, gluten-free rice & chicken bowl EASY COOK STRESS FREE CHICKEN BIRYANI! 

We thoroughly enjoy biryani, in my case, it has to be homemade! The man's face lit up when biryani is served! I couldn't make it for the son when I visited, biryani requires quite a few ingredients! Mumma is waiting for his visit to feed him biryani & pulao! Mumma is getting used to live far from him, I miss him but the worry about his health & security is thousand times more! Last night, my dinner was a love, whilst I served "dim sheddo-aloo sheddo bhat" to the man!

Few other similar recipes from the blog are here : MINCE MUTTON RICE O OIL FREE PANEER SNACK, EASY EGG BIRYANI, SAMA CHALER KHICHURI O KUMRO ALOO DIYE LAU SHAAK

INGREDIENTS : 

BASMATI RICE : 1 1/2 COFFEE MUG

CHICKEN : 7-8 BIG CUT

POTATO : 3 

Egg : 4-5

SLICED ONION : 2 COFFEE MUG

SLITTED GREEN CHILLI : 4-5

CHOPPED CORIANDER : 1 SMALL TEA CUP

CHOPPED MINT : 2 TBSP

POWDERED MILK : 3-4 TBSP

CUMIN POWDER : 2 TSP

CORIANDER POWDER : 2 TSP

TURMERIC POWDER : 1/2 TSP

RED CHILLI POWDER : 1 TSP

MACE POWDER : 1 TSP [PREFERABLY FRESHLY MADE]

NUTMEG POWDER : 1/2 TSP [PREFERABLY FRESHLY MADE]

MACE : 2-3

BLACK CARDAMOM : 1-2

GREEN CARDAMOM : 3-4

BAY LEAF : 3-4

CINNAMON STICK : 3-4 ONE INCH LENGTH STICK

CRUSHED BLACK PEPPER : 1 TSP [IF YOU WANT IT SPICY]

GINGER PASTE : 1 TSP

GARLIC PASTE : 2 TSP

ROSE WATER : 1 TBSP

LEMON JUICE : 2 TBSP

SALT : AS REQUIRED

OIL : 3 TBSP

GHEE : 2 TBSP + 3 TBSP

THE AMOUNT WOULD SERVE 4-5 PEOPLE!

PROCEDURE : 

I think I forgot to click each step of the making! That would not be a problem! I would give you the simplest narration because I remained too cool whilst doing it!

Peel & wash the potatoes, half each & soak in salted water! We have sliced, slitted, chopped & washed the onions, green chillies, fresh coriander, fresh mint respectively! 

I have ground together the nutmeg+mace for a stronger flavour! Boil some eggs, de-shell, wash & marinate with a little of oil!

Marinate the washed chicken with salt for an hour & wash thoroughly! Marinate with some salt, the turmeric, all of the spice powders, milk powder, ginger+garlic pastes! Keep aside for 40-45 minutes!

In a wok, heat the oil+ghee, fry crisp the sliced onion, take out half to be used later!

Add the marinated chicken to the wok, give a stir, cover cook at low heat for 5-6 minutes at minimal heat!

Remove the cover & add the potato pieces discarding the water! Fold in well & slow cook covered for 15-16 minutes! Add the slitted green chillies, give a stir & switch off the gas stove!

Do not keep too much of gravy!

Boil water in a heavy bottomed vessel; add the whole spices & salt to the water! When it comes to boil, wash the uncooked rice grains & add to it!

Once the rice is about 70% done, drain the water taking in a big strainer or a colander having smaller holes!

Now, it is time to layer the meat & rice! Grease a heavy bottomed vessel with ghee & add some gravy!

Add a layer of rice, atop it some chicken, potato, eggs! Sprinkle some rose water, some ghee & gravy! Again cover them with rice, add the rest of the chicken, potato, egg, a little of rose water, fried onion slices, gravy & ghee! In the last lap, add a layer of rice, fried onion, chopped coriander+mint, ghee, the rest of the gravy & sprinkle some rose water! Close with a lid, close the hole in the lid with a clove!

Place a pan atop the gas burner, heat it! Place the vessel on it tightly closed with a lid! I slow cook at the lowest heat for 45-50 minutes!

Note, if in the beginning, you add 3-4 tbsp of ghee, not a single rice would brown! I prefer using less of oil & ghee in a Biryani! 

I always serve & have it with raita, salad, at times papad too!

 

CRISPY FRIED OATS TITBIT

DID I SAY I ENJOY ONLY HOME COOKED SNACKS THESE DAYS?

This tendency has developed in the recent years! I am just not enjoying store bought snacks! Earlier, I used to get a lot of fried snacks home; mini samosas to murukku! The son loves snacking! Now, I do not have any snack sessions, I used to love my evening tea / coffee time rituals! Now that I do an eighteen hours of intermittent fasting, I get to have only two meals, when to have the snacks? Saturdays & Sundays are my cheat days, I prefer having the snacks on those two days! I do not at all store them, if I have to buy any, I would buy the smallest pack! I prefer making my choice of snacks at home! That way, I know my ingredients, the amount of salt & sugar used! It is true, I do not enjoy the taste of most of the store bought titbits! They are either salty or bland to my tastebuds! If I make them at home, I can use crushed black paper or red chilli flakes or chopped green chillies as per my preference! When I crave for a "roti kok", I toast a bread piece until crisp on both the sides, dab butter & sprinkle minimal amount of sugar & have with tea or coffee!

SUNDAYS ARE NOTHING SPECIAL AT THIS HOME!

I do wish to go out for the day on Sundays, the man does not agree! Though, it is an island, you are not left with much to see after a thirteen years of stay, yet I wish to go out & explore! I do not know why he became too homebound after I refused to mingle with the group we were a part of back in 2015! The self proclaimed team leader was opposite my character, I am not the kind to give in to anyone's bossing, I love my freedom! May be the man was hurt, the regular meets were alluring truly but I did not like the association! I absolutely dislike rude, loud people! I love more my peace! The family outings I craved for happened less post 2015, then one day the son flew off my lap! He has no time to text me at least, no one is bothered about my wishes, I had to find my getaway in social media, wandering alone, eating here and there! I cannot be someone to sleep all day, watch television, sit idle & give instructions to others about what I have never followed in my life, neither chat over phone or with people for hours! Everyone in this world has to find out their way to happiness! Music, Cooking, Blogging, Social Networking keeps me happily busy! I avoid making friends, I have serious issues about people talking at my back, I cannot take part in all those, specially when people criticise the kids! Because Sundays are not special, I did not mind having "rice with egg kosha, shojne datar torkari, dried fish bharta" for our lunch & I made some bhature for our dinner, had with leftover Kidney Bean Curry!

WHAT IS THIS SPICY & CRISP OATS CRACKERS?

It was an instant idea & I took no time to turn the idea on to a vegan, gluten-free, crisp, tasty small bites; named it CRISPY FRIED OATS TITBIT! The Filipino went to the local market, I did not wait for her return, I just arranged what were required & went ahead, that was last Friday mid-morning! I did not wish to add the rice flour but we need to bind the dough with something, I do not have the expertise to work with an oatmeal dough alone! I did a pretty good job & was happy with the outcome, crisp, thin with a hint of flavour & taste coming from the freshly crushed black pepper! I am trying to have maximum of the food stuffs homemade! I love cooking, I do not work, Cristine is such a help; why not? Just now I had a bowlful of Dalia Upma, I have to update the blogpost about it too! I wish to wrap up today's blogpost quick & watch something, a movie or a series! It's raining & pretty cool is the weather. The past days were hot, I took shower few times a day & developed a sore throat! Yet, taking shower at least once a day is a must, there can't be any excuse going otherwise! I keep telling the son, after all kids pick up habits from their parents!

INGREDIENTS : 

OATS : 1 COFFEE MUG

RICE FLOUR : 1/2 COFFEE MUG

SALT : 1/4 TSP

CRUSHED BLACK PEPPER : 1/2 TSP

OIL : 50 ML TO FRY

PROCEDURE :

At first, we would powder the oats in a blender, keep aside! 

On the gas stove, we will boil 1/4th coffee mug of water, add the rice flour & salt to it, roughly give a stir! We would not fold in thoroughly!

After 2-3 minutes, we would transfer the mixture to a plate, let cool but not fully! 

While still warm, we would knead it a bit & add to the oatmeal! We would add the crushed black pepper & oil too! 

We would knead for 3-4 minutes to get a dough, not too smooth!

We would tear off smaller portions, smoothen between our palms, cut into desired shapes; not too thick or thin!

We would heat the oil in a wok & gently add a small batch when the oil is little warm & not hot! Thereafter, we would fry them in low heat, take out and place on to a tissue paper!

They are too crisp & breakable, handle them carefully! The taste reminded me of "sheooi", made in the grandparent's home with rice paste, was used an aluminium tray with holes like thing to shape, sun dried & stored, fried & served! Nostalgia runs faster as we age!