Maggi.. The noodles of joy !

This post of mine is dedicated to one of my oldest culinary friend-.Girl friend.. Maggi! Just like any true friends she has just never let me down. She has made me believe that I CAN cook. As early as my school days maggi gave me the confidence and encouraged me into cooking..simply because she is so simple to cook ! My true buddy is just so simple to make, anytime, anywhere..a quick fill in the stomach, in between meals or simply when I dont feel like having proper meals. When I got married and entered into a new kitchen, I was so relieved to find my friend gleeming at me through the kitchen cabinet. As I happened to eat maggi in the hostel rooms (illegally made on hot ketteled water), I realised even, making something as simple as maggi is an art. I then tried different ways of cooking and concluded that making these noodles with varied proportions of water, the time of addition of the cake of the uncooked noodles into the hot water and added other flavours like garlic can make huge difference in the taste. Even today Maggi continues to fullfill its responsibility as a good friend making my sundays special.

I call Maggi as noodles of joy..you name it and see how she brings smile on peoples faces.As a kid, mom used to make maggi as reward for doing well in tests. Maggi was like a little carrot hanging making us strive to do better. As I grew older, from a tiny reward, Maggi turned into a quick fill or a quick replacement of the mums food I dint like. Today. I have her like a celebration, making each time I have her special.
The south west monsoons have hit the deccan coast, and as these rain filled clouds slowly move north, they bring relief from the suns fury and give nature a chance to give birth to life. There surely cant be a better occasion to celebrate than the arrival of monsoons. The weather settled for a rainy day, and as small and big droplets of water quenched the thirst of the Rajasthans dry sand, the air was filled with the aroma of wet soil triggering all our senses. I thought I should romance with the lovely monsoon evening with a hot bowl of Maggi.

The perfect gastronomical combination to stimulate all the senses...

Maggi...the way I like:

1. One small bowl of chopped  vegetables- Carrots, Capsicum
2.  Two tomatoes finely chopped
3. One big onion finely chopped.
4. One green chilly finely chopped
5. 4-5 cloves of garlic finely chopped
6. Vinegar- one teaspoon
7. 2 tablespoon vegetable oil.
8. Tomato sauce.
9. Maggi noodles
10. 1and half cups of water.

Put the pan on flame, add the vegetable oil. When hot toss in the chopped onions, Fry for a bit and then add the garlic and chilly. Fry till onions are light brown. By now the garlic gives out insane amount of smell announcing its presence..I totally love. At this point add the tomatoes. It all  will sizzle like a magical portion. Stir till tomatoes have lost all their water. Now add the magical secret ingredient- Maggi masala. Empty the whole pouch. Stir well for a few seconds. Add vinegar and vegetables. cover the top with a lid, letting the veggies cook and absorb all the spices. Once done add water and the Maggi noodle cake. Bring to boil soaking all the noodles well in water. Finally put some ketchup and stir well till all water evaporates. By now if you have a Maggi crazy family like mine..someone is surely pulled tot he kitchen by the typical Maggi odor.
Serve hot.

I sat in my balcony watching the rains, smelling the perfect blend of spices, tasting the slippery mushy mix of noodles, spices and vegetables and hearing myself say..what a perfect day! ..

As I said.. A perfect gastronomical combination of all senses !