Pasta

Pasta fantasy

Ingredients:
Pasta (any brand,I use Colavita):2 cups
Onion: 3 large,diced & pureed
Tomato: 3 large,diced & pureed
Ginger:1 inch,chopped & pureed
Garlic:8-10 flakes,chopped & pureed
Oil: 3-4 tbsp
Tumeric powder:1 tsp
Pepper powder: 1 tsp
Aachi Chicken masala:1 tbsp
Soya sauce: 1 tbsp
Itallian seasoning: 1 tbsp
Cheese: 1/2 cup(shredded/cubbed)
Salt: to taste

Method:
Boil the pasta as per the instruction on the package with a little salt.Strain & set it aside.
In a skillet add oil.To this add the onion & ginger-garlic paste.Add a little salt(this will speed up the cookingcprocess).Saute till the raw smell fades.Now add tumeric powder,pepper powder,chicken masala,salt & soya sauce.Let the masala/the ingredients cook for 2-3 minutes.Add the tomato puree,cook till oil starts separating from the sides(an indicator that the ingredients have cooked).To this add the cooked pasta.Mix in well.Season it  with mixed Itallian herbs.Sprinkle the cheese.Cook for 2-3 minutes.Garnish  with fresh cilantro leaves.

My kids relish & savour this pasta meal with great fervour.

Do try it and share your experience :)

Happy cooking !

Cheers,

Deepa

Back from a wonderful weekend getaway @ Pondicherry.The hotel we stayed at "Mango Hill" is unique in its own way.It is an environment friendly building from decor to cutleries,very french...very rustic.Enjoyed this short-quick break from the routine.

Today I am game for posting few recipes(all refreshe from the retreat ) I made this last night.Everyone liked it esply the kids.I find it complementing when my kids leave their plates licked clean  ;)

Delightfully Delicious macaroni
Ingredients:
Macaroni-3/4  packet
Onion-3 large
Tomato-3 large
Ginger-1 inch
Garlic-8 flakes
Spinach- 5-6 leaves
Green chilly-1 long one
Soya sauce-2 tbsp
Tomato sauce/ketchup-2 tbsp
Mixed Itallian seasoning-1tsp/to your taste
Pepper powder-1 tsp
Red chilly powder-1 tsp
Sausages-5 large ones(I used chicken sausage,you could use sausage of  your preference)
Salt- to taste
Oil-3 tbsp
Butter- 25 gms
Cheese- 1/2 cup shredded
Fresh corriander leaves- for garnish

Method:
Cook the macaroni till al dente.Boil/thaw the sausages for 5 mins.Cut the sausages into bite-size pieces.Grind onion & green chilly,keep aside.Then grind ginger-garlic into smooth paste.Grind the tomatoes into smooth puree,keep aside.In a wok/skillet add oil & saute the ground onion-chilly paste.Add ginger-garlic paste.Cook till the raw smell fades away.Next add the tomato puree & salt.Also add hilly  powder and pepper powder.Cook till oil  starts seperating on the sides.To this add soya sauce & tomato sauce.Let it cook for 5 mins.Add the cut sausages & spinach and cook for 2-3 mins.Add the macaroni to it.Add the butter & blend everything in.Now season it with the itallian herbs.Top it with shredded cheese.Garnish with fresh corriander/cilantro leaves.Serve hot.

This is not a spicy meal so kids with relish eating it. Mine did =).

Cheers,
Deepa

Palakkad sambar

I belong to God's own country rich in vegetation & ofcourse fish yet neither am I fond of coconut nor fish !(yeah thats right I donot eat fish).Back at my grandmother's home every recipe called for a dash of coconut.I do like coconut but not too much.As far as fish is concerned I have some bad memories of eating fish good enough never to eat them again ;p But I love cooking fish though :).Most of the house holds in kerala have either idlli/dosa/Idiyappam/Kozhukatta/Appam for breakfast.Coconut chutney is a must accompainiment,so is varathuaracha sambar.Here's the traditional recipe which I learnt from my grandmother.
Traditional Varathuaracha Palakkad Sambar:


Ingredients:


Toor dhal-1& 1/2 cups
Whole corriander seeds-3 tbsp
Whole cumin seeds-3 tbsp
Dry red chilly-3-4
Fenugreek seeds-1/2 tsp(divide this into 2 portions one will be used for frying the second portion for tempering)
Mustard seeds-1/2 tsp
Asafoetida-1/2 tsp
Sambar powder-2 tbsp I use MTR sambar powder
Tomato-1 big (preferably the regular one & not the hybrid one)chopped into 1" size
Shallots-6-7
Ladies finger-5{cut in 2" long}
Egg plant/Brinjal-2 diced {2" long}
Hyacinth beans/ Avarakkai-4-5{remove the strings from the sides}
Coconut flower-1/2 cup
Tumeric powder-1 tsp
Green chillies-2 slit horrizontallyFresh corriander leaves-1-2 sprigs(for garnish)
Tamarind pulp-1/2 cup(for this add a lemon-sized tamarind ball into 1&1/2 cups of hot water,squeeze out the pulp,filter & set aside)
Curry leaves-2 sprigs(for tempering)
Cooking Oil-2 tbsp(preferably coconut oil for autheticity of the recipe)
Ghee /clarified butter -1-1&1/2 tbsp
Salt-to taste



Method:

In a cooking pan/Skillet roast{fry without oil) corriander seeds,cumin seeds,dry red chillies,fenugreek seeds(one portion) & coconut flowers.Fry them till the seeds begin to change colour(brown).Remove it from fire & transfer it into a blender,you will have to grind this up after it cools down & set it aside.Another check test to know if it is time to remove  from the stove top is when you can smell the wonderful aroma of the spices.That is a speciality with Indian cooking,we use such aromatic spices to our cooking that just the aroma makes one hungry =D.

Ok,next to the same pan(that we used to roast the spices) add oil & fry the vegetables shallots.Remove it from the pan when it is semi-cooked(the shallots will turn translucent).Transfer the vegetables to a platter.Meanwhile cook the dhal,tomato & tumeric powder in a presure pan/cooker with 1&1/2 cups to 2 cups of water (enough to cover the dhal in the pressure pan).Let it cook well(say 4-5 whistles or abt 5-7 mins).Now add the fried vegetables,the ground spices.tamarind pulp,salt & sambar powder & cook till the vegetables are well cooked(not slushy though!)

In another skillet add ghee/clarified butter,mustard seeds,fenugreek seeds,curry leaves & asafoetida.when the mustard starts crakking/spluttering remove from fire & add it to the cooked dhal & vegetales.Give it a healthy stir.Check the taste.Garnish with chopped fresh corriander leaves.Serve hot with rice/dosa/idlli.Yes it takes a while(about 45 mins) but trust me once you cook this for your family they ill never let you cook sambar any other way !

Happy cooking,serving & eating folks !

Cheers,

Deepa 

NB:You will find another variation of sambar here .