Fresh, organic, fragrant and home-grown lemongrass, coriander, chives and kaffir lime leaves. If these aren’t inspiring enough to ladle something wonderful and delicious, nothing can be. And so these aromatic and beautiful ingredients went on to became a truly mouthwatering Asian Broth in all modesty.
I first made a stock with all the aromats that develop the depth of flavours. These flavours were bold and robust, the ones that linger on our palate until much after you have wiped the bowl off. Some soaked dried red chillies ground into a paste with shallots, garlic and ginger gives such a great kick to the broth, spicy and tangy. Add in julienne carrots, beans, zucchini or any seasonal vegetables for some wholesomeness, but remember to keep them cooked yet crunchy.
I poured this Asian broth over al-dente noodles and finished it with a squeeze of lime, some chopped chives and coriander. Despite the punchy flavours, what unmistakably stood out in the broth was the lovely flavour of freshly plucked tender coriander. It gives such a distinct earthiness. Also, I used the discarded water from the boiled noodles which is loaded in starch and flavour. This gives a great body to your Asian or any other stock. The Indonesian Curry with Jasmine Rice is equally delightful that I made a few months ago with my garden fresh aromats.
Cooking has always been a joy for me, a process to discover and recover myself. But cooking with your own grown ingredients is another joy all together. With the Covid19 not seeming to exit our lives anytime soon, my gourmet pop-up dinners are on hold, but which gave me more time to focus on better gardening.
Thanks to #dailydumpcompost and @gobblemaxcomposter, I have been composting my entire kitchen waste into nutrient rich manure and thanks to Kalpana #kalpavriksha_farms for her gardening tips.
#cookedwithpassion #servedwithlove
∼Radhika Mimani
