ONION MUSHROOM PANEER

 

THERE ARE DAYS WHEN I DO NOT WANT TO HANDLE TOO MANY FOOD PHOTOS!

Today is one such day! I am at home since the morning, the AC servicing is going on! We should have offered him chai / coffee, earlier he would refuse! Today I forgot to offer him anything! Among us, whoever visits home, we should offer at least tea / coffee and biscuit, water! 

Thereafter, I could have gone for a long walk as I had only three photos required to be edited! It was a lethargic feel that stopped me! I think it was my decision & the excitement revolving around cooking a vermicelli upma for lunch, that after a long long time, is responsible for this lethargy! Anyway, I had always been a lazy being with no intent to exercise or eat healthy! If I do go for walks, do stretches, that I do under the pressure of staying a bit of sane! I do not wish to go back to my obese self! For years, two kinds of vermicelli; un-roasted & roasted, were lying in the kitchen counter! I had to finish the un-roasted, white variety! I cook this dish pretty well but it has got a lot of carb! 

Having had that plateful of, I had Cristine's coffee with milk & sugar, two sky flakes! I know I am a nuts but I cannot keep away from food! But I have stopped getting cookies, cream biscuits without any compulsion! I can never quit all that I enjoy having! Like I do not wish to stop having homemade & store bought frill-free cakes! T wants to relax at home in the weekends; the son refuses to talk for long & frequently; it is my food adventure trips that keep me happy without getting bored! Else, looking at my hopeless, unproductive self, I get irritated easily!

WITHIN A WEEK, I GAINED BACK WHAT I LOST!

What to do? "Rosh er Malpua" is addictive! It is better than taking to drugs! If the West want, I can export malpoa to their land! Why to look for chivalry in an instrument meant for the trained personnel! Each culture would have it's own vices! Till date, I could not forget that scene near that Ultadanga Foot Bridge; a mentally deranged woman giving birth to a child; he or she would never know who the father was, neither the mother would! I also do not understand how can one be beaten to death wanting to quench the thirst! I do not wish to be a social media warrior, hence would keep sharing food, that I do the best! Last Saturday, we had some guests, obviously there would be some overeating! Yet, yesterday both times I had carb filled meals; the "gur narkel"  stuffed bun had in between wasn't clicked!

I cooked some Lavash Bread for our dinner yesterday! They had to be thinner I believe! Our lunch for Saturday was our favourite "dim sheddo aloo sheddo bhaat"! The son loves it with dollops of butter, more than ghee! I prefer a choice of fried fish, not the egg! I ask him to go slow on red meat steak & cook this! Cristine, being a Filipino has developed a love for all sorts of flat & puffed bread like us!

WHAT IS THIS ONION MUSHROOM PANEER?

Few months back, I cooked this in a jiffy! I had no intent to blog about it, yet did some clicks & felt if we enjoy, I would blog about it! I remember, we had about 100 gm of paneer cheese left in the freezer and I got a pack of sliced button mushrooms for some other purpose! This idea of cooking the mushroom slices with paneer popped up on my mind and I went ahead with it! From the preparation to cooking, it would take less than an hour! ONION MUSHROOM PANEER is a gluten-free, vegetarian dish, easy to do with a few spice powders lying in our kitchen, paneer cheese, mushroom, onion! I may tell you without the use of the onion, it would not taste as good as it tastes with the use of it! I have not used ginger & garlic pastes in this veg recipe, not required at all! I sincerely hope I am creating an useful blogpost today for my readers, who are busy with work load, be it in their office or  students occupied with their studies! BTW, paneer cheese is an Indian Cottage Cheese & of few other South Asian Countries! This Everest brand Kitchen King Masala & the Kulambu Spice Mix have taken over me!

INGREDIENTS :

PANEER CHEESE CUBE : 150-200 GM

SLICED MUSHROOM : 200-250 GM

SLICED ONION : 1 MEDIUM TEA CUP [CUT A BIT FAT]

MINCED GARLIC : 1 TBSP

SLITTED GREEN CHILLI : 2-3

LEMON JUICE : 2-3 TBSP

CUMIN SEED : 1/4 TSP

BAY LEAF : 1

CUMIN POWDER : 1/4 TSP

CORIANDER POWDER : 1/4 TSP

KULAMBU SPICE MIX : 1 1/2 TSP

KITCHEN KING MASALA : 1 TSP [I USE THE EVEREST BRAND]

TURMERIC POWDER : 1/2 TSP

RED CHILLI POWDER : 1/4 TSP

SALT : AS REQUIRED

OIL : 2 TBSP

PROCEDURE :

We would marinate the paneer cheese with a little of salt & turmeric powder for 10-15 minutes!

Meanwhile, we would wash the sliced mushroom & soak them in hot water for 15-20 minutes and then drain the water! This I must do when I cook mushrooms!

We would peel, wash & slice the onion a little thick!

We would heat the oil in the wok and temper it with the minced garlic, bay leaf & cumin seeds, give a stir! We would add the sliced onions and stir cook at medium heat until pink & translucent!

To that, we would add the mushroom slices and stir cook at medium heat for 3-4 minutes adding a little of salt & turmeric! We must remember that mushrooms catch salt easily!

Thereafter, we would add all of the spice powders and fold in well! We would reduce the heat to low & add the marinated paneer & the washed & slitted green chillies! 

At this stage, we are to fold in well & carefully; we do not want the paneer pieces to break & get crumbly! We would cook for 3-4 minutes at low heat, stirring gently every minute!

We would transfer it to a bowl and squeeze the lemon juice on top! You can enjoy it hot & fresh with a variety of rice & bread!

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!

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!

 

A hearty bowl of noodles is always welcome! You can also get a choice of sides with chicken or prawn or tofu!

MUSHROOM ALOO BEAN ER JHOL

I had no plan to blog about this easy, vegetarian curry with mushrooms, potato & French beans. When I loved it with a small bowl of piping hot rice, I felt let me click! The family too had without a denial mode means it is worthy of featuring in the Blog. Light curries are the love of my life. I enjoy them more as I grew old. Its a gloomy, rainy morning today, the window panes are closed and someone is smoking sitting beside; the brain seems dysfunctional. As it is given the situation worldwide, I am at loss of words. I echo with some; what after the lock down is lifted? India is a densely populated country, we lack hygiene sense, we are habituated to break rules. I also can understand that it is extremely difficult for a daily wage labourer to survive in the scenario. We live in a tiny island where hygiene is  prime and a way of life. The government can handle the crisis given the infrastructure is too good and it has started the screening without any delay. We ourselves are practicing social distancing unless we are required to get our produce which is once a week. I do my walks in lonely neighbourhoods; if the authorities ask to stop, I shall. My system does not work otherwise. Yoga, which is supposedly the best form of exercise does not excite me. I cannot do anything which I do not like. Similar is with food, until and unless a dish prepared appeals to my tastebud, I cannot enjoy having it. This vegetarian dish with mushrooms, French beans and potatoes MUSHROOM ALOO BEAN ER JHOL really rocked.

I have used the same old regular Bengali spice mixture for this curry which was not gelling well with the mushrooms. I was never fond of beetroot, French beans, carrots in curries unless it was a fish or meat stew. Last week, few left over French beans had to be done with which actually comes for pasta, noodle, fried rice making. In the ensuing days, we were not to cook them; weekends I cook and we eat normal Bengali. So, I prepared this light, yummy flavour burst vegetarian curry MUSHROOM ALOO BEAN ER JHOL with a dash of aamchoor / dry mango powder towards the end. I am reserving lemons, else you can use it's juice instead of aamchoor. I think the dry mango powder has an unique taste of it's own that nothing else can replace. Typical Bengali families like our's never used chaat masala or aamchoor powder in their cooking ever earlier, I do whenever I wish for a change in a regular Bengali dish. Trust me, it made all the difference to the taste of the curry. Yes, I do taste the food while cooking to adjust whenever the family veterans are not watching.

The amount cooked serves a family of 4-5-6 heads!

INGREDIENTS :

MUSHROOM : 300-350GM
POTATO : 2MEDIUM SIZED
FRENCH BEAN : 50GM
GREEN CHILLI : 2
ASAFOETIDA : A PINCH OR TWO
GINGER PASTE : 2TSP
CUMIN POWDER : 1TSP
CORIANDER POWDER : 1/2TSP
RED CHILLI POWDER : 1TSP
TURMERIC POWDER : 1TSP
AAMCHOOR / DRY MANGO POWDER : 1TSP
CUMIN SEED : 1/4TSP
BAY LEAF : 1
SALT : AS REQUIRED
OIL : 2-3TBSP


PROCEDURE :

Cut half the mushrooms, wash and soak in hot water adding a bit of salt for 1/2 an hour.

Peel the potatoes, get 6-8 pieces from each. Discard the two ends of the French beans, cut each one into 3 pieces trowing of the fibre that comes out.

Take both in a bowl and wash thoroughly. Marinate  with a little of salt & turmeric. We will not fry them, lessen the time of your cooking at this time, eat simple and healthier.

Take together the ginger paste, cumin powder, coriander powder, red chilli powder, 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder and mix well. Add 2tsp of water if required for a paste like consistency.

Heat oil in a wok, temper with asafoetida, cumin seeds & bay leaf. Add the spice paste and stir at low heat for 2 minutes.

Add the potato & French beans pieces now and stir at minimal heat for 3-4 minutes. Add 11/2 coffee mugs of water and cover cook at minimal to low heat for 7-8 minutes.

Open cover, drain the water from the mushroom and add them to the curry. Cover cook for 5 minutes or so.

Open cover, add the dry mango powder and give a stir. Cook uncovered at minimal heat for 2 minutes.

Enjoy with steamed rice or chapati.

CHICKEN PRAWN VEGETABLE SOUP

This was the soupy curry that caught our fancy when I prepared it earlier in July. The mother was visiting us and she was only wanting to have light soups the island styles having a bit of noodles or rice in them as part of her carb intake. Just like our mother, chicken in soups is very welcome to me and I prefer doing it at home because I give them a vinegar bath for quite sometime, cook for a little longer period as per our taste bud. So, I thought let me try similar kinds at home using different combinations of ingredients. Yes, the rest in the family liked it and would not mind having such kinds often when served with something like garlic tempered rice. If they get to have good amount of chicken and prawns in one dish, they would tolerate the vegetables. I think what made it seem too favourable to us are the use of lemon grass, khaffir lime leaves and lemon juice in good amount. 

I do not know back from India why I have not done a non vegetarian soup with chicken, prawn, broccoli, mushrooms, watercress like this CHICKEN PRAWN VEGETABLE SOUP for a single day but I must now. Yesterday was the day for my blood sugar check and it reached a staggering height. I really do not wish to be my husband's burden, he is already overburdened with too much of responsibilities.... he is no "Mithunda".... you know na that guy bought a lorry for one relative, and set some other business for the other. Off course, I had to poke my flat nose and give a strong message as and whenever required that my husband is not a billionaire and I am no social worker neither we have a money plant. History cannot repeat and I cannot put my son's future at stake. Mr.T was not born to furnish the entire family branch, excuse me! Nope, I have no regrets speaking harsh, I do not start my day at Starbucks and end at Nando's neither the husband gifts me gold now and then depriving others.The guy is travelling and had sent me the picture below last Monday morning because I get too tensed when he drives to the neighbouring state, he has to provide me details at every stop. Nope, he is not a regular Facebook-er but a black tea aficionado, never with milk and sugar.

I think I have to tell all not to send any kind of sweets at this home, it comes for the men but I cannot resist myself having them. I got the punishment yesterday at the doctor's chamber. Let me prepare the family sweets my own way. Out from the chamber, the demoralised me had to have a pork & egg fried rice with some vegetables. Broccoli is not something we enjoy but we eat it as an accompaniment.  Thereafter, late afternoon I had "samo rice and mushur dal porridge," at night we had the best meal... mumma made chicken with bell pepper ..... our boy is having fencing lessons everyday  and the babai is not there to drive him back late night. My question is.... "when will you study after all these?"

Yes, I am having everything with millets but I have read that it is not good for people with hypothyroidism. You see, I have everything at a food court or food chain / joint.... the man cannot say I deprive others and have my own pleasure and luxury.... people can always have a different notion.

I actually have a series of fish and meat recipes in the kitty to share. I am so unwilling to share a prawn I so want you to prepare, all my earlier fish photos are in a package of five or two I am so unwilling to share at the moment.... never knew five can have such a broader, wide perspective.... amazing thinking ability people possess, look at me! Its always a pleasure to end the day looking at the son's and his father's face who happens to be my ultimate security. For the son or his parents, a soya sauce chilli chicken or a non vegetarian soup CHICKEN PRAWN VEGETABLE SOUP any time of the day is welcome. If only he cared about mumma and think what gives her a high. 

What gives me ultimate pleasure? Well, I keep telling the son, if you have inherited the father's brain matter, do not waste it, do not get me average results.... your mother always has kept your interest, your well being at forth.... remember that. Who listens? The friends' daughters and sons have scored 95%-98% in almost all subjects. I am like "amar jiboney kichu chaina, amar number chai, academic records chai"..... I am my mother's daughter after all who became a diabetic when the brother refused to pursue further education after leaving college.... I am also my maternal grandmother's girl.... whose sons, specially the eldest and the youngest of the three are business magnets, quite known in the Nadia circuit.... even few years back she used to say "ora ayam-e pash korlo na, bank e dhuklona, amar dukkho"..... She is 90 up, she must be happy knowing that her youngest grandson is doing PhD in mathematics who does not want his father's huge property.... need to ask him if he can kindly transfer it to my account.... bad joke... lets cook and eat.

INGREDIENTS :

BONELESS CHICKEN STRIP : 250-300GM
DE SHELLED PRAWN : 200-250GM
MUSHROOM : ANY VARIETY
CHOPPED WATER CRESS : A BUNCH
BROCCOLI FLORET : 1MEDIUM TEA CUP
SLICED ONION : 1SMALL TEA CUP
CRUSHED GINGER & GARLIC : 1TBSP
CHOPPED LEMON GRASS : 1TSP
KAFFIR LIME LEAF : 6-7
LEMON JUICE : 4-5TBSP [I REMEMBER I USED GONDHORAJ]
CRUSHED BLACK PEPPER : 1TSP
VINEGAR : 2TBSP
SOYA SAUCE : 1TBSP
TABASCO : 1-2TSP
SALT : AS REQUIRED
OIL : 2TBSP

PROCEDURE :

Wash and drain all the ingredients well. Marinate the chicken strips and dressed prawns with vinegar and very little amount of salt for an hour. Drain the marinade thereafter. Add the broccoli, chicken and prawn, half of the lime leaves to a vessel with boiling water. Add some salt.

You can see we have got everything ready,  crushed ginger garlic to sliced onion. We would add the washed watercress and mushrooms in the last lap of the cooking.

After the chicken, prawn and broccoli has boiled for 5-7 minutes, strain and reserve the stock.

Separating the crushed and cooked garlic-ginger and lime leaves was a tedious job, did I need to?

Heat the oil in a wok and add the lemon grass pieces. Stir and add the sliced onion. Stir until they turn translucent.

Add the freshly made stock. Bring to a boil.

When it has boiled for 3-4 minutes, add the cooked chicken, prawn and broccoli. Add all of the lemon juice  and crushed black pepper.

Add the mushrooms and watercress and cook for 2 minutes.

Then add the rest of the lime leaves and tabasco, adjust the salt if required.

You can have it as a soup or enjoy it with plain rice or garlic tempered rice.