My husband has always wanted vegetables in his Maggi, I don’t know if he’s always eaten it this way, or it got triggered when we got married and I used to re-create my university staple Korean noodles with vegetables in them, sort of justifying it as a wholesome meal. This also goes to using pantry staples or non-perishables as a base, and then adding whatever bits and bobs you have on hand to make an excellent non-boring and non-depressing meal.
I also downloaded this gratitude printable (the proceeds of which go to daily labourers in India who are suffering the most due to the Covid-19 lockdown of the nation). I used the printed format to help me feel aligned and grateful for all that we have been blessed with, especially at times like this, and I use the reverse blank page to note my intentions for the next day, and this gives me more clarity and focus, helping me achieve my goals and feel productive.
Another great resource I wanted to share was this website that focuses on good food practices, and had a very relevant post on that they term ‘shelf cooking‘, or cooking with ingredients you have on hand. Some great ideas are:
- chopped salad, using whatever chopped vegetables you have on hand
- buddha bowl with bits and ends of vegetables, and a grain as the base, brought together by a dressing
- fancy maggi / other packaged noodles
- pasta with canned tomato used for a pomodoro sauce or a béchamel sauce
- canned beans used in a bake, curry or even in wraps
Back to the splendid Maggi noodles that we’ve all grown up eating. Every single person has their own favourite way to eat and cook Maggi, I love mine with a dash of soy sauce and a tbs of butter, slightly soupy. My husband on the other hand, loves them with mushrooms, some greens and crunchy fragrant bits on top. I know a lot of us are having a tough time sourcing vegetables and fruits as easily as we are used to, so please please use whatever fresh produce you have on hand – some great ones are bell peppers, mushrooms, baby corn, bean sprouts, edamame, peas, green beans, carrot, scallions, brocolli, purple cabbage, you get the drift. Or simply a fried egg and a drizzle of sesame oil. Go wild!
Ingredients:
- 1 packet of Maggi (standard masala flavour – the yellow packet)
- 3 mushrooms, sliced
- 5-6 pieces brocolli
- 1/2 carrot, cut diagonally
- 3 pieces baby corn, cut into 1″ chunks
- 1 tbs roasted and crushed peanuts
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tbs butter
Method:
- Boil 2 cups of water, and add the carrot, brocolli and baby corn. Once almost cooked, add the soup mix of the noodles. Mix well so no chunks remain.
- Add the butter and the noodles. After 2 minutes, add the mushrooms (I don’t add them earlier since they shrivel up quickly).
- Empty into a noodle bowl once you’re happy with now the noodles have cooked (adjust water if you want a soupier version). Garnish with peanuts and sesame seed. Finish with sesame oil and enjoy with a pair of chopsticks.
