Hearty Winter Meals: Easy Mushroom Noodles and Desi Chilli Chicken

Well, what can I say? Winter is here, and everything looks optimistic; even the sun feels mellow and balmy.
We must admire and cherish winter, for it may not last too long the way we’ve messed up our planet, and thanks to climate change, we’ll only have memories of the nippy weather left.

Until that happens, let’s cherish, savour and be grateful for this weather while it lasts. This is what I prepared for lunch on a sunny Saturday winter afternoon.

Wok tossed wholewheat noodles with mushrooms and garlic. As life should be simple, so should our recipes. Lesser the ingredients, the more soothing the dish (at least, that’s my opinion; others may beg to differ), but that’s fine! Each one to their own.

Please note that these recipes are something I’ve come up with over the years of trials by fire (literally, at times, in the kitchen). I’m sure many similarly prepare the noodles… that’s what I realized when I watched recipe videos on YouTube and Instagram. Nonetheless, I hope you like my soulful, simple meals, which are meant not only to nourish the stomach but also for a fatigued human who’s made it through a busy, chaotic week.

I like to team up my mushroom-tossed noodles with a country-style chilli chicken. I throw in some sauces (tomato, chilli and dark soya), a hint of sugar and a star anise for spice. By country style, I mean it is a fusion of flavours. It tastes divine, and I’d rather focus on the meal than its politics.

I use chicken drumsticks and bone-in-thigh pieces, usually marinated with homemade ginger, garlic paste, salt, black pepper, sugar, and olive oil.

Such meals don’t take long to cook, and can relished with the family. As in some cases, the mumma or daddy usually gets up to serve, heat up, or prepare a fresh serving, but this one is a ‘no-fuss-all-family’ meal.

Enjoy a bowl of mushroom noodles with this mildly spicy sweet chilli chicken sitting on the balcony in the company of the plants on a winter afternoon – so much to be grateful for, isnt’ it?