Friday 9 June 2017

Fava bean leaves and chinese style risotto

Dear Family & Friends

Remember I planted some Fava beans in early spring since I was given some seeds by one village grandmother? Well, the past weeks, we tried it's leaves as part of our meal. Cutting the green tips for it's leaves will just bush out my fava bean plant even more. The bonus of course is that we are enjoying it's delicious taste too. My big girl described it as: 'taste like McDonald' - whatever she meant... was only for good.

fava bean greens - delicious as stir fry or simply steam it for a minute

I always pre-plan a balance hot meal to serve my little family everyday. Sometimes my brain just get stuck. So, I ask the girls' opinion... they say they just want my chinese-style rissoto. It's one of my made up recipe - by recalling how my own grandmother makes it and invites me to have it with her. She usually cooks a pot and send it to our house for our whole family too.  It's always a hit! 

chopped up variety of fresh herbs to throw in to a meal at the last minutes - makes a difference

It seems like my girls are sharing my childhood fond food memories:) I can't share you the recipe because I don't have one. I just make things up my way... even the ingredients are not so accurate as some of the basic I couldn't even buy or obtain in this country.

precooked chicken breast always comes handy for a quick balanced family meal

My grandmother uses half sticky rice (of which we can't get here) and half ordinary rice. She stir fry pre-soaked dried shitake mushroom, onions, and dried shrimps (which is also unobtainable for us here) and in goes the pre-soaked rice for a quick stir fry along with all other ingredients. Later, it is topped up with water or broth to cook till rice soaks all the liquid. At times, it also includes dried chinese sausage. It's a comfort food and the best in the world!

cooking my chinese style risotto with shitake mushrooms and onions - variation is easy to incorporate

If I can't get the ingredients to make them, at least I am grateful that I've got the fond memories to replicate it my way, the best I could come up with and I pass this on to my children too:) Life can be good if we are grateful with whatever we have. Make do and be creative...that's the best way:)

Wishing you a blessed day.

Yours

1 comment:

  1. Hello Annie, you're getting really good value out of your fava bean plants!
    It's always lovely how recipes are handed down through families and each add their own version based on one reason or another. Thanks for your lovely post!

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