Chow Mein in our veins run deep

Chow Mein or noodles as we all know the latter better than the former as Bengalis most lovingly call their noodles so. I decided to try out this amazing snack that is a hit amongst elders and young children and teenagers alike.

First foremost, I decided to get the Indo Mie noodles that is readily available in all grocery stores and supermarkets where I live. In my neighborhood Indian grocery store I decided to buy this for it tempts me more than anyone can really know. It's history goes back to those times when noodles was the delicacy of all Bengali households in the evenings and my mother used to cook up lavish amounts for the entire family for us to relish and devour all at the same time. During my growing up days it was a go to snack in my college canteen and my friends and I used to often battle our ways through the crowds to grab a plate and then share between at least three of us where noodles was the prize won against friendship as if.

It fills me up with both nostalgia and concern that my toddler will not be growing up in a land where noodles is almost a snack eaten every evening but at least I could provide her with the same taste or something closer adding my own unique touch to the dish.

So yesterday evening was one of those times when the mommy got to work in the kitchen. She decided to boil two packets of Indo Mie noodles that comes with it's instant mixes and oils that I literally trash it for I believe in making noodles in my own Bengali way without the need for extra condiments or spices that has a lot of superficial additives mixed and as a concerned mother will never allow the kid to consume. As the noodles was boiling away in enough water that it could easily immerse in (estimate it as per your convenience) and in the mean time quickly chopped up in very small pieces some capsicum, three fourths of one onion, 1 green chili and kept them aside for the frying process that follows after the noodles is boiled and strained out is the liquid. It's a very easy and simple process that literally takes few minutes to be done and is also exceedingly tasty and flavorful to say the least.

I took a medium sized wok and heated up olive oil, a healthy medium of cooking since olive oil is good for heart patients and my mother is one so I ensure that I usually cook in that medium for most days. Next, I tipped in the small diced up capsicum chunks, onions cut small lengthwise, some tiny pieces of green chili used only one here and tossed it all up in the heat which was on medium to high. After a few toss ups I added the noodles which was lying around waiting to sink into the mix of vegetables and ensuring I also added few frozen peas to it giving it color variety taste and texture. Everything mixed together I made sure I keep tossing up the noodles along with the veggies so that the bottom does not easily burn. At the end of my cooking saga of making Bengali noodles in my usual homemade style I added some salt and pepper for taste and you can do the same as per your taste buds. Also not forgetting the little Chinese flavor that needed to go in for the flavors had to come together with a bit of soya sauce and here I used organic gluten free Tamari sauce that has lower amounts of sodium. Mixed it all together and let it all come together as a confluence of most cultures come out once they meet where diversity is in unity. This is how my mother used to make noodles at home and this is how I have loved it while I was growing up in a typical Bengali household full of food and varieties of that where every evening the noodles was a common dish incase the mother had not cooked up something else.

Finally, plate it up or throw them into medium sized bowls for the whole family to dig in and enjoy the tastes of Indo Chinese confluence and Bengali ness at the very heart of it all. A very healthy option incase you are running out of options in your head and need to cook up something that most Bengalis love to sink their teeth into.