PENNE PASTA IN TOMATO BASIL SAUCE - (Veg)

Ingredients: (Serves 4)

Whole-wheat Penne Pasta (or any penne pasta of your choice) – 500gm

Blanched & Pureed Tomatoes – 6 (large)

Sliced Onions – 2 (medium)

Olive Oil – 4 Tbsp

Chopped Basil leaves – 12 to 15

Yellow Butter – 1 Tbsp

Chilli Flakes – 1 Tsp

Tomato Ketchup – 2 Tbsp

Oregano – 1 ½ Tsp

Grated Cheese for Garnishing

Pepper powder – ½ Tsp

Salt to Taste

Method:

Boil water in a large pan. Add salt and pasta to it once it boils and cook till just done. Wash under the water, drain and keep aside.

In a non-stick pan add olive oil. Then add the onions and sauté till the onions are translucent. Now add the pureed tomatoes and chilli flakes. Saute for some more time. Add pepper powder and tomato ketchup. Mix well and cook for 2 minutes. Next add the boiled pasta and the basil leaves and mix gently so that the pasta does not break. Continue to cook for 1 minute. Add oregano and butter. Mix well. Garnish with grated cheese.

Serve Hot with Breads.

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SHANGHAI POTATO - Starter - Veg

Ingredients: (Serves 4)

Potatoes – ½ Kg

Finely Chopped Garlic Cloves – 15 to 20

Finely Chopped Green Chillies – 6 to 8

Chopped Spring Onion Leaves (onion greens) – 1 ½ Cup

Sliced Onions – 2 Medium

Soya Sauce – 2 Tbsp

Tomato Ketchup – 4 Tbsp

Ajinomoto – ¼ Tsp (optional)

Pepper Powder – ¼ Tsp

Orange Red Colour – a Pinch

Oil – 3 Tbsp

Oil for deep frying

Salt to Taste

Method:

-Peel the potatoes and cut into thin roundels. Immerse in cold water to which salt has been added.

-Heat oil for deep frying and fry the potatoes till they are crisp and golden. Drain on an absorbent paper.

Add 3 Tbsp oil to a Chinese wok. Keep the flame on high and add chopped garlic and chillies. Sauté till the garlic is golden brown. Add the onions and sauté for 1 minute. Then add soya sauce, salt, pepper, tomato ketchup, ajinomoto, colour and mix well. Add a cup of hot water. Bring to a boil and let it thicken. Then add the fried potatoes, toss well till all the mixture coat the potatoes. Add the onion greens. Toss again and check seasoning.

-Serve Hot.

This dish can be served as a starter or as a side dish with a Chinese meal.

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ADRAKI MURG - Main Course - Non Veg

Ingredients: (Serves 4)

1 Full Chicken – Cut into 10 Pieces

Julienned Ginger – 125 gms

Chopped Coriander – 2 Cups

Red Chilli Powder – 3 Tsp

Tomatoes – 10 Medium

Oil – 4 Tbsp

Salt to Taste

Method:

Wash the chicken pieces well and make gashes with the help of a fork or knife. Now marinate the chicken with salt and red chilli powder and keep aside for 3 to 4 hours.

To a large non stick kadhai add the oil. Once hot add the ginger and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes on high flame. Now add the marinated chicken and mix well. Lower the flame to medium and place the whole tomatoes over the chicken pieces, taking care that each chicken piece has a tomato close to it. Cover and cook for 20 to 25 minutes.

Open the lid, by now the tomatoes would have cracked open and the juice from them would have come out. Carefully remove the tomatoes in a plate and keep aside for later use. Continue to cook the chicken in the juices till it is done. Just towards the end when the oil starts to separate, add the coriander and mix well & cook for another 2 minutes.

To serve, heat the chicken along with the tomatoes that were kept aside. Remove the chicken in a tray, decorate with the tomatoes and Serve Hot with Breads of your choice.

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KURKURI BHINDI (Main Course - Vegetarian)

This dish is sure to turn even the non bhindi eaters into a fan of the vegetable commonly known as Lady Finger!

Ingredients: (Serves 6)

Bhindi (Lady Finger) – ½ Kg (Trimmed and cut finely either in roundels or slant)

Potatoes – 4 Medium (grated and kept in water)

Dhaniya (Coriander) Powder – 2 ½ Tsp

Jeera Powder – 1 ½ Tsp

Kala Namak – 1 Tsp

Amchur Powder – 1 Tsp

Salt to Taste (if required)

Oil for deep frying

Method:

-Deep fry the trimmed bhindi till they are crisp but not burnt.

-Wash the grated potatoes in plenty of runny water to remove all the starch. The grated potatoes should feel non sticky. Drain the water well and deep fry the potatoes by spreading them in the oil. Deep fry till golden brown and crisp.

-In a large pan add the bhindi, potatoes, all the dry masalas and cook on low flame for a minute. Mix well so that the masala coats the bhindi and potatoes.

-Serve Hot with Rotis and Dal Rice.

(Do not reheat the bhindi too much. 
Kurkuri Bhindi can be kept in the refrigerator for 5 to 6 days and idle if you are travelling.)

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MASALA OATS CREPE (Veg - Chai Nashta)

Ingredients:

Oats – 2 Cups

Semolina (Sooji) – 1 Cup

Finely Chopped Onion – 1 large

Finely Chopped Tomato – 1 large

Finely Chopped Green Chillies – 3

Finely Chopped Coriander – 1 Cup

Red Chilli Powder – 1 Tsp

Curds – 2 Cups

Salt to Taste

Method:

-In a large bowl, take oats, semolina (sooji), chopped onions, tomatoes, green chillies, coriander, red chilli powder, salt and mix well. Blend the curd either with hand or a blender. Put the curd over the ingredients in the bowl. Add 1 cup water and mix well. Check the barter; it should be of thick pouring consistency. Keep aside for 15 – 20 minutes, till the oats and semolina (sooji) swell up. Mix well with the back of a spoon and if it is too thick add a little water. Check the seasoning.

-Now heat a dosa tawa (non stick flat pan). Pour a ladle full of mixture and spread a little in circular motion with the back of the ladle. Cook for 2 minutes. Add a little olive oil on the sides of the crepe. Cook a little and flip and cook on the other side.

-Serve Hot with Green Chutney, Nariyal Chutney or Ketchup.

Tip: If the crepe sticks to the pan then -

Pour ½ tsp oil on the pan and rub a half cut onion all over it. This prepares the tawa (pan) for making dosa or crepes.

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EGG CASSEROLE (Chai - Nashta)

Ingredients: (Serves 6)

Eggs – 6

Chopped Onions – 2 large

Chopped Tomatoes – 3 large

Finely Chopped Green Chillies – 3

Chopped Coriander – 1 Cup

Red Chilli Powder – 1Tsp

Pepper Powder – ¾ Tsp

Turmeric Powder – 1 Tsp

Olive Oil – 4 Tbsp

Butter – 2 Tsp

Salt to Taste

Method:

-Take a non stick pan and add olive oil. Once hot add the chopped onions and green chillies. Saute for 2 - 3 minutes on medium flame till the onions are translucent and the oil separates. Now add the tomatoes and stir fry for 2 - 3 minutes. Add red chilli powder, pepper powder, turmeric powder and salt. Mix well, cook till the tomatoes are mushy. Now add half the coriander and cook till the tomatoes are done.

Spread the mixture evenly in the pan. Break the eggs into the pan leaving distance between each egg so that they do not overlap. Now sprinkle some salt, pepper and red chilli powder over the eggs. Cover with a lid and cook on a medium flame till the eggs are cooked.

-Uncover and sprinkle the rest of the coriander.

-Serve Hot with toasted bread. 

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STEWED NOODLES (Main Course Veg & Non Veg)

A One Pot Meal 

This is a quick and easy recipe, which is complete in itself. It can be both Veg and Non Veg dish, depending on your preference. The recipe given below is Vegetarian. Non Vegetarians can add boiled shredded chicken, mushrooms, fish to the same recipe while the vegetables are being sauted.

Ingredients: (Serves 6)

Veg. Hakka Noodles – 2 packets

Onions – 2 (Thickly Julienne)

English Carrot – 1 (Thickly Julienne)

Capsicum – 1 (Thickly Julienne)

Cabbage – ½ (small) (Thickly Julienne)

Corn flour – 5 Tsp (Mix with water to make a runny paste)

Chopped Green Onion Leaves – 1 Cup

Chopped Garlic – 2 ½ Tbsp

Green Chillies – 4 (Cut Slant)

Red Chilli Powder – 1 Tsp

Pepper Powder – ½ Tsp

Ajinomoto – ¾ Tsp

Soya Sauce – 2 Tbsp

Oil – 3 Tbsp

Salt to Taste

Method:

-In a vessel, add 6 cups of water and keep for boiling.

-Take oil in a wok. Once it heats well, add chopped garlic and green chillies. Stir fry for half a minute. Add the onions, keep stirring. Add Ajinomoto, black pepper powder, red chilli powder and fry.  Now add the Julienne vegetables and stir fry on high flame. Now add the noodles after breaking them into two. Stir fry for 2 to 3 minutes till the noodles turn moist. Now add 6 cups of boiling water to the noodles. Bring it to a boil. Check the seasoning.  Add corn flour mixed with water. Once it thickens and looks like a soup, add the green onion leaves.

-Serve Hot.

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