Blast from the Past

As far as I am concerned, April showers bring May allergies! I'm taking a break from my relentless high-decibel sneezing, eye-rubbing and nose-blowing (yeah, it's real attractive) to bring you a childhood favorite. There are times when I am simply a slave to the taste memories of my past and this is one of them- Maggi instant noodles (cousins of Ramen) stir fried with tons of vegetables.

Nestle launched Maggi noodles in India sometime in the 80s, and they were marketing geniuses- they launched their campaign by giving away trial packs of these noodles to schoolchildren right in their classrooms! Marketing to kids- the same tactic that the tobacco people know and love and have honed to perfection, although perhaps it is slightly less morally reprehensible when it comes to instant noodles. One day, I remember going home with a bright yellow pack of Maggi and for better or for worse, these slippery spicy noodles are an undeniable part of my childhood memories.

This recipe is something my mother would make as a treat for us once in a while. We would come home famished after an hour at the public swimming pool and warm stir-fried Maggi would be waiting on the stove even though my mother had already left for work by then. This is a good example of how potential nutritional disasters such as instant noodles can be averted by the addition of enough wholesome vegetables.

Nearly Instant Vegetable Noodles

(serves 2-3)
Ingredients:
2 packs Maggi noodles with Masala seasoning
1-2 t oil
3-4 spring onions/scallions/greens onions cut into 1-inch pieces (keep white and green parts separate)
1-2 C cabbage, shredded thinly
1 large carrot, cut into thin slices (a mandoline works well for this)
1 poblano pepper (tastier choice) or green pepper (milder choice), cut into thin strips
1 T soy sauce
Black pepper, freshly ground

Method:
1. Boil 3 cups of water and add the noodles (set the seasoning packs aside) for a minute. Drain the noodles and set them aside. Save a bit of the cooking water.
2. Heat the oil. Saute all the vegetables (except the green parts of the spring onions) on medium-high heat until crisp-tender.
3. Stir in the seasoning mix, soy sauce and a few grinds of black pepper. Between the soy sauce and the seasoning mix, you should not need any more salt.
4. Toss with the cooked noodles and some of the cooking water if the mixture is too dry. Garnish with the green parts of the spring onions and serve.

Before you all start rolling your eyes at this low-brow dish I have posted today, let me tell you that this blog has been given the Yummy Blog award by Shubha and Jamie. I want to thank you both for thinking of me!

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Shiny Happy Puppy

Dale is just back from Wolfgang's, after being spotlessly groomed. They use some ridiculously floral shampoo at that place, and Dale comes home smelling of roses! Quite literally. The first day he reeks incongruously of roses, the second day it is a bizarre mixture of rose and dog, and the third day he has the doggy aroma we know and love :D

Enjoy your weekend!