Vegetarian Thukpa

Now we move to Arunachal Pradesh, the second state in the series. Arunachal pradesh is mostly covered by Himalayas and the name of the state literally translates to "The land of the rising sun" or "The land of the dawn-lit mountains". It lies to the north eastern side of India and is the largest one among the "Seven Sister States". Natives trace their origins to Tibeto-Burman and Mongoloid race.
Food in the state is very less spicy and bland in taste. To save the nutritional value, boiling is the preferred method of cooking. Crops like rice, wheat, millet, maize and sugarcane are the popular items that are used in cooking. Lettuce and bamboo shoots are also commonly used. The people in the region are predominantly non vegetarian. Rice forms a major component of Arunachali cuisine. Rice is a staple food along with fish, meat and green vegetables. Boiled rice cakes wrapped in leaves is a popular snack.  Apong - local drink made from rice or millet is also a famous tribal delicacy. (Info:wiki and other online sources)
While exploring the cuisine, I realized that thukpas and momos are popular in the region. Thukpa is popular among the monpa tribe though not a native creation. I decided to go with a vegetarian version of thukpa and followed Asha's recipe. I replaced the egg noodles and chicken with mixed grain spaghetti and toasted tofu. Bamboo shoots would be an authentic addition but I wasn't sure whether we prefer the pungency and skipped it. My husband is not a fan of watery, bland noodle soups and preferred it with loads of ketchup. 

Ingredients:
4 cups vegetable stock / water
1.5 to 2 cups chopped mixed vegetables (I used 1 carrot, 10 green beans, 1 small potato, 1 small tomato, 2 tbsp celery cubes
1 green chili, sliced lengthwise
A fistful of spaghetti noodles 
1-2 tsp oil
1/4 to 1/2 cup tofu cubes
1/2 tsp ginger slivered 
Salt & pepper to taste
Minced cilantro to garnish

Method:
* Bring vegetable stock or water to a boil in sauce pan. Add vegetables and green chili to the pan and cook until the vegetables are done.
* Bring half a gallon of water to a rolling boil. Add salt and spaghetti and cook until done. Drain and keep aside.
* Heat oil and toast ginger slivers until golden brown and keep aside. To the same oil, add the tofu cubes and toast until golden brown through out.
* Add the cooked spaghetti, toasted tofu cubes to the cooked veggies.
* Add salt, freshly cracked black pepper and turn off the stove. Let it sit for a minute.
* Garnish with cilantro and serve.



Check here to know what other marathoners are cooking during this BM.

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