Sunday 29 July 2012

Tricolour in Pasta


Credit - Adapted from Internet but still my versions!


Quantity - 6 servings

Time - 50 minutes

Ingredients -
  • Pasta - 600 gms.
  • Salt - 2 tsps.
For Green Sauce
  • Spinach - 100 gms.
  • Green peas - 100 gms.
  • Onions - 1 nos.
  • Garlic clove - 1 nos.
  • Oil - 2 tb. sp.
  • Cheese - 50 gms.
  • Salt to taste
For Red Sauce
  • Tomatoes - 200 gms
  • Onion - 1 nos.
  • Garlic clove - 1 nos.
  • Red chilli powder - 1 tsp.
  • Tomato ketchup - 1 tb. sp.
  • Oil - 2 tb. sp.
  • Cheese - 50 gms.
  • Salt to taste
For white Sauce
  • Potatoes - 1 nos.
  • Sweet corn - 1 cup
  • Onion - 1 nos.
  • Garlic clove - 1 nos.
  • All purpose flour - 2 tb. sp.
  • Butter - 2 tb. sp.
  • Milk - 2 cups
  • Cheese - 50 gms.
  • Salt to taste

Method -
  1. Put the pasta in boiling water and add salt to it. Keep steering it from time to time.
  2. In another pot, boil the spinach and green peas together. Do not throw away the water, we would need it for gaining required consistency in the sauces.
  3. In another pot, boil the potato and corn together.
  4. Finely chop the 3 onions and garlic cloves. Sauté over oil till onions turn golden brown. Make 3 equal parts of the same in 3 different cooking pans.
  5. In a blender, make the tomato purée and add it in one of the pans of onion. Turn the heat on and add red chilli powder tomato ketchup and cheese. Finally add salt to taste. Bring to slight boil before turning off the heat.
  6. In a blender make a purée of spinach and green peas. Add this purée to another pan of onions and turn the heat on. Add cheese and salt and with the help of freshly made vegetable stock, attain the necessary consistency of this sauce. Bring to slight boil before turning off the heat.
  7. Finally in another pan, melt the butter and add the flour. Sauté till the flour is slightly golden. Do not over do it. Immediately add milk and keep steering to avoid the lumps forming. Add salt and bring it to boil. Then pour this mixture into the last onion pan and turn the heat on. Cut the potatoes into small cubes and add them along with corns and cheese in this sauce. Bring this final white sauce to slight boil before turning off the heat.
  8. The last stage is the pasta mixing. Drain the water completely and divide it into 3 equal portions. Folding it into the respective sauces, serve them along side each other.

Serve - Serve with Garlic bread and wine.

p.s: I know its too much of pots and pans and simultaneous tasks. But trust me this version with a slight homely touch to it doesn't fail you at all. It looks too good, is relatively easy and absolutely sumptuous! :-)

Sunday 22 July 2012

Kukuye Sibzamini (Persian Potato Omelet Recipe)



Credit - National Microwave/ Convention Cook Book


Quantity - 6 pieces

Time - 30 minutes

Ingredients -
  • Potatoes - 500 gms.
  • Onions - 120 gms.
  • Turmeric Powder - 5 gms.
  • Salt - 10 gms.
  • Pepper - 5 gms.
  • Eggs - 6 nos.
  • Ghee - 60 gms.

Method -
  1. Pressure cook the potatoes for about 10 minutes. You can also microwave them.
  2. Finely chop the onions and add turmeric, salt and pepper.
  3. Peal the potatoes and mash them to add to the onion mixture.
  4. Whisk the eggs and add them to the potato mixture.
  5. In a pan or microwave bowl, add ghee and cook for 3 minutes. Pour in the egg-potato mixture and cook for another 8 to 10 minutes till it sets. In case of cooking range use medium-high flame.
  6. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool down before you cut the wedges.

Serve - Serve with tomato ketchup or cheese sauce.

Tuesday 17 July 2012

Pumpkin Soup


This is one of those coincidental creations that began with the weekly clearing out of my fridge. Special because its dead simple with readily available ingredients at home and very healthy!!

Pumpkin Soup

Credit - Yours truly :-) :-D


Quantity - 4-6 servings depending upon your soup bowl size

Time - 30 minutes

Ingredients -
  • Pumpkin - 1/2 kgs.
  • Potatoes - 2 nos. (medium size)
  • Onions - 2 nos. (medium size)
  • Garlic paste - 1/2 tsp.
  • Oil - 2 tb. sp.
  • Milk - 1 cup
  • Ground Nutmeg - 1/2 tsp.
  • Coriander - 1/4 cup (finely chopped)
  • Salt to taste

Method -
  1. Pressure cook the potatoes and pumpkin for 5 to 8 minutes. Do not drain the water because we will use it for blending the soup to attain required consistency. You can also boil the vegetables.
  2. Finely chop the onions and fry them with the garlic paste till they turn brown. You can do this simultaneously while the vegetables are cooking.
  3. Once the vegetables are cooked, peel the potatoes and mix the fried onions before blending the soup. You have to do it in 3-4 batches and use a net to give that extra smoothness to the soup. Use the freshly created stock for attaining the semi-liquid consistency.
  4. Add milk and nutmeg to this smooth soup and bring to boil. Before serving, add the chopped coriander for garnish.
Serve - Serve hot with bread or rice. Just a bowl full of this soup is good enough a quick healthy treat!

Monday 9 July 2012

Chocolate Mousse (Egg less)



Credit - Nigella Lawson


Quantity - 6 servings

Time - 15 minutes preparation and minimum 60 minutes chilling

Ingredients -
  • Mini marsh mellows - 150 gms.
  • Unsalted butter - 50 gms.
  • Dark Chocolate Chips - 250 gms.
  • Water - 4 Tb. sp.
  • Fresh Cream (Double) - 300 ml.
  • Vanilla essence - 1 T.sp.
  • Bar of Chocolate (White/ Milk) - grated for garnish

Method -
  1. In a pan, mix marsh mellows, butter, chocolate and water. Heat on a simmer till it turns into a homogeneous mixture. Set aside for cooling.
  2. With a help of a blender, whisk the double cream with vanilla essence till thick and soft.
  3. Fold in the chocolate mixture into the whipped cream.
  4. Put random swirls in dessert bowls for chilling in the fridge.
  5. Just before serving, garnish with grated chocolate.
Serve - Chilled with grated chocolate. Also a small dollop of cream looks very stylish!

p.s: Yes I am a chocolate lover!!!! ;-) :-D

If I am a memory

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