Pasta with Medici Sauce

"Life is a combination of magic and pasta," - Federico Fellini

This is absolutely true! Pasta is an emotion for many of us 😃😃. How many pasta lovers here?

This recipe has been adapted from the book "Pizzas and Pastas" by Tarla Dalal. If you love pasta and you are a vegetarian, you must have this book.

Ingredients 

2 cups pasta (any pasta of your choice)

1 tbsp oil to cook the pasta

1 tsp salt to cook the pasta

 

For the Medici sauce

4 tomatoes

1 tbsp chopped garlic (lehsun)

2 spring onions/onions, chopped

1 tbsp dry red chilli flakes (paprika)

1 tsp chilli powder

2 tbsp tomato puree

4 tbsp fresh cream/milk/almond milk

2 tbsp olive oil or oil

salt to taste

 

For the garnish

4 tbsp grated processed cheese

8 black olives , deseeded (optional)

Method

Heat plenty of water in a broad pan and add 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 tablespoon of oil. Add pasta to the boiling water and cook till it is al dente or done as per your requirement.

Drain and transfer into a bowl of cold water. Drain again and keep aside.

For the Medici sauce

Blanch the tomatoes in boiling water.

Peel, cut into quarters and deseed the tomatoes.

Chop finely and keep the tomato pulp aside.

Heat the olive oil, add the garlic and spring onions/onions and saute for 1 minute.

Add the tomato pulp and cook till the sauce thickens.

Add the chilli flakes, chilli powder, tomato puree, salt and 1/2 cup of water and bring to a boil.

Add the cream/milk/almond milk. Mix well and keep aside. 

 

How to proceed

Just before serving, re-heat the Medici sauce and toss the pasta in it.

Serve hot, garnished with the cheese, spring onions greens and black olives.

Handy Tips

Tomato pulp is made by blanching whole tomatoes in hot water and thereafter peeling, deseeding and chopping them.

You can add stir fried vegetables of your choice to the pasta. I have added pan roasted zucchini. 

 

Carrot Halwa

 

"Life is short and unpredictable. Eat the dessert first!" ~ Helen Keller

Helen Keller probably knew about Corona! All said and done, quality of life is more important, so let's try to eat healthy and stay fit. We all know that eating healthy, staying physically active and building our immunity is the key to many ailments. Indulge in desserts only occasionally. 

This is one of the few desserts I approve of for obvious reasons - carrots. This is a quick version of carrot halwa made using milk powder. You can alternatively use grated khoya. Kids who are fussy eaters will also love this recipe.

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Ingredients

3 cups grated carrots

1 cup milk

8 tbsp sugar

5 tbsp skimmed milk powder

2 tsp almonds, slivered

2 tsp cashews, chopped

2 tsp raisins

a pinch of cardamom powder

2 tbsp ghee

Method

Heat the ghee and add the grated carrots to a pressure pan. Fry for 2 minutes. Add 1 cup of milk, sugar and pressure cook for 2 whistles.

Then add the skim milk powder and cook for a few minutes, stirring continually.

Roast the almonds, cashews and raisins in a little ghee and garnish. Sprinkle the cardamom powder on top. Serve hot.

 

Hot garlic sauce with tofu and vegetables

“In France, cooking is a serious art form and a national sport."

Julia Child

Some recipes are so complicated and require so much patience and practise to perfect. This is not the case for Chines recipes. They are very easy to prepare if you have all the ingredients in hand. You can vary the amount of sauces used based on your taste preference.

This recipe is adapted from Tarla Dalal's book "Chinese recipes".

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Ingredients

1 cup diagonally cut green, red and yellow capsicum (bell pepper)

1 cup cubed tofu

1 cup parboiled baby corn

2 tbsp oil

2 tsp finely chopped ginger

4 tsp finely chopped garlic 

2 tsp finely chopped green chillies

1/2 cup tomato puree

2 tbsp tomato ketchup

1 tsp soya sauce

1 tsp red chilli sauce or paste

2 tsp cornflour

1/2 tsp of sugar

2 tsp oil

salt to taste

Method

Combine the cornflour and ½ cup water in a deep bowl, mix well and keep aside.

Heat the oil in a wok or a broad non-stick pan, add the ginger, garlic and green chillies and sauté on a high flame for a few seconds. Then add capsicum and saute on a high flame for a few seconds.

Add the baby corn, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 1 minute.

Add the tomato puree, cornflour-water mixture, soya sauce, tomato ketchup, chilli sauce, sugar and salt, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 5 to 6 minutes, while stirring occasionally. Keep stirring till you get a thick sticky consistency. Add tofu at the end. You can even fry the tofu in a little oil before adding.

Serve hot.

Tips : You should get a thick, sticky consistency for Chinese gravies. If you feel your gravy is too watery, add some more cornflour mixed in water to the dish and bring to a boil. Adjust seasoning as per your taste.

Palak Chutney

"Cooking is love made visible".

This Palak Chutney recipe is adapted from Mallika Badrinath's book "100 Chutney varieties".

Ingredients :

1 cup grated coconut

15 palak leaves

Garlic - 2 flakes

Green chillies - 4

1/2 lemon

1 teaspoon oil

Salt to taste

Method:

Peel garlic, chop green chillies and fry them in oil.

Add washed palak leaves (do not chop the leaves) and fry until leaves shrink.

Allow to cool and grind it with coconut, water and salt to a chutney consistency.

Squeeze lemon and mix well. 

This chutney can be served with idli, dosa, adai etc.

Beetroot Subzi/Poriyal

Keep calm and cook on.

Making small changes in your regular recipes can bring a variety to your routine cooking. This is a beetroot recipe with a slight twist adapted from Mallika Badrinath's book " Classic Lunch Recipes".

Ingredients:

2 cups chopped beetroot

1/4 cup chopped onions

2 tbsp grated coconut

1 tsp sambar powder

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1/4 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp cooking oil

A few curry leaves

Salt to taste

Method:

Heat oil and add mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds start spluttering, add onion and saute till it turns translucent.

Add beetroot and 1/4 cup water and keep it covered for 10 minutes or till beetroot is cooked. Keep stirring in between.

Make a coarse paste of coconut and sambar powder.  Add this to the beetroot with salt. 

Serve hot with rice. 

Protein Parathas

 

“Cooking a fantastic meal is therapeutic. I like the entire process-the chopping, the stirring. At the end, hopefully you get to enjoy a great meal with a friend or loved one.”

— Natalie Coughlin

Do you find cooking therapeutic? Not if it's an everyday chore 😆. But trying out a new recipe at a leisurely pace is definitely therapeutic. 

Today's recipe is Paneer and Onion Paratha from Tarla Dalal's book " Fun food for Children".  I have substituted spring onion with onion.

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Ingredients

1/2 cup grated paneer 

1/2 cup finely chopped onions/spring onion

3/4 cup whole wheat flour 

1/2 tsp green chilli paste

salt and to taste

whole wheat flour  for rolling

2 tsp oil for cooking

Method

Combine all the ingredients in a deep bowl and knead into a soft dough using enough water.

Divide the dough into 8 equal portions and roll each portion into a 125 mm. (5") diameter circle using a little whole wheat flour for rolling.

Heat a non-stick tava  and cook each paratha, using ¼ tsp of oil, till golden brown spots appear on both the sides.

Serve hot with curds and pickle.

Corn and Capsicum Subzi

When it comes to cooking, it's a skill you learn and develop. 

Ainsley Harriott

Do you abandon a recipe because you do not have a couple of ingredients in hand? I used to do that a lot when I started cooking. But as you gain experience over years, you will learn what substitutes can be used and if the lack of an ingredient will alter the recipe substantially.

Today's recipe is Corn and capsicum masala from Tarla Dalal's book "Healthy Subzis"(Yes, I have 85 cookbooks at home 😂😂). I have replaced milk with almond milk to make this a vegan recipe. This subzi goes well with rotis and pulav.

Ingredients

1 cup boiled sweet corn kernels 

1 1/2 cups coloured capsicum cubes (red, yellow and green)

1/4 tsp cornflour

1/2 cup milk/almond milk

2 tsp oil

1/2 cup finely chopped onions

1 tsp ginger-garlic  paste

1/4 tsp turmeric powder 

1 tsp chilli powder

1 tsp garam masala

1 cup fresh tomato pulp

1/2 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (Kasuri methi)

a pinch of sugar

salt to taste

2 tbsp finely chopped coriander 

Method

Combine the cornflour and milk in a deep bowl, mix well and keep aside.

Heat the oil in a non-stick kadhai, add the onions and sauté on a medium flame for 2 minutes.

Add the coloured capsicum, mix well and sauté on a medium flame for 2 more minutes.

Add the ginger-garlic paste, turmeric powder, chilli powder and garam masala mix well and cook on a medium flame for 2 minutes, while stirring occasionally.

Add the fresh tomato pulp, dried fenugreek leaves, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 3 to 4 minutes, while stirring occasionally.

Add the corn, cornflour-milk mixture, sugar and salt, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 2 to 3 minutes, while stirring continuously.

Serve hot garnished with coriander.

Vegetable Corn Bake

“Food is symbolic of love when words are inadequate.”

– Alan D. Wolfel

The above quote is so true for all people close to our heart! 

Today's recipe is Vegetable Corn Bake adapted from Tarla Dalal's book " 100 calorie snacks". The only change I have made to the recipe is omitting spinach due to non-availability.

Ingredients

1 cup besan (bengal gram flour)

1/4 cup grated sweet corn kernels

1/4 cup grated cabbage

1/4 cup grated carrot

1 tsp ginger-green chilli paste

salt to taste

1/2 tsp sugar

2 tbsp finely chopped coriander 

1 tsp fruit salt

1/4 tsp oil for greasing

1 tsp oil for cooking

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp sesame seeds

a pinch asafoetida

 

For The Garnish

1 tbsp finely chopped coriander  

Method

Combine the besan, corn, cabbage, carrots, ginger-green chilli paste, salt, sugar, coriander and ¼ cup of water in a bowl and mix well.

Add the fruit salt and sprinkle some water over it. When the bubbles form, mix gently.

Pour the batter into a greased oven-proof baking dish and bake in a pre-heated oven at 180 c for 20 to 25 minutes. Keep aside to cool.

For the tempering, heat the oil in a small non-stick pan and add the mustard seeds.

When the seeds crackle, add the sesame seeds and asafoetida and sauté for a second.

Remove from the flame, add 2 tbsp of water and pour the mixture over the vegetable corn bake.

When cool, cut into equal portions.

Serve immediately with tomato ketchup or pudina chutney.

 

  

Paneer and Carrot Sandwich

 

“Cooking demands attention, patience, and above all, a respect for the gifts of the earth. It is a form of worship, a way of giving thanks.”
– Judith B. Jones

Today's recipe is adapted from Tarla Dalal's book "Sandwiches". I have additionally used paneer along with cheese and used onions instead of spring onions. This is a good protein rich evening snack.

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Ingredients

8 whole wheat bread slices

8 tsp butter/olive oil for spreading and brushing

 
For The  Sandwich Filling

1/4 cup grated paneer

1/4 cup grated processed cheese

1/2 cup finely chopped  onions 

1 tbsp butter/olive oil

2 tsp finely chopped green chillies

1/2 cup finely chopped cabbage

1/2 cup grated carrot

2 tsp red chilli sauce

1 tbsp tomato ketchup

salt to taste

Method

For the sandwich filling, heat the butter/oil in a broad non-stick pan, add the onions and green chillies and sauté on a medium flame for 1 to 2 minutes.

Add the cabbage, carrot and sauté on a medium flame for 1 minute.

Add the chilli sauce, tomato ketchup and salt, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 1 minute.

Add the grated paneer and cheese, switch off the flame and mix well till the cheese melts.

Allow it to cool slightly and divide the filling into 4 equal portions and keep aside. 

To make the sandwich, place 2 whole wheat bread slices on a clean, dry surface and apply ½ tsp butter/oil on each slice.

Spread 1 portion of the prepared filling evenly on one bread slice.

Place the other bread slice, buttered side down, over the filling.

Brush ½ tsp butter/oil on top of the bread and grill in a greased pre-heated sandwich griller or toast it on a tava for 5 to 7 minutes or till it turns crispy and brown from both the sides.

Cut the sandwich diagonally into 2 equal pieces.

Serve the sandwich immediately with tomato ketchup.

Vegetable Panchamel Khichdi

"If you're not the one cooking, stay out of the way and compliment the chef." Michael Strahan

Don't you agree with the above quote? Compliments keep us going and encourages us to try more new recipes. So, let's learn to appreciate and compliment the people who cook for us.

Today's recipe is adapted from the book "Chawal" by Tarla Dalal. 

It's a one pot recipe which is wholesome and nutritious. You can add more vegetables and even modify the dals used slightly based on availability. I have used carrots instead of cauliflower.  

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Ingredients :

1 1/2 cups long grained rice (basmati)

1 tbsp masoor (split red lentil) dal

1 tbsp chana dal (split bengal gram)

1 tbsp yellow moong dal (split yellow gram)

1 tbsp toovar (arhar) dal

2 tbsp oil

1 tsp cumin seeds 

1 tsp finely chopped garlic 

1 tsp grated ginger 

1/4 cup onion cubes

1/2 cup cabbage cubes

3/4 cup carrots

1/2 cup potato cubes

1/2 cup green peas

1 tsp chilli powder

1/4 tsp turmeric powder 

2 tsp coriander-cumin seeds (dhania-jeera) powder

1/2 cup chopped tomatoes

salt to taste

 

For Serving With Vegetable Panchmel Khichdi 

fresh vegan curd /papad/pickle

Method

To make vegetable panchmel khichdi, clean, wash and soak the rice and dals in a deep bowl for 15 minutes. Drain and keep aside.

Heat the oil in a pressure cooker and add the cumin seeds.

When the seeds crackle, add the garlic and ginger and sauté on a medium flame for 1 minute.

Add the onions and sauté on a medium flame for 1 minute.

Add the cabbage, carrot, potatoes, tomatoes and green peas and sauté on a medium flame for 2 minutes.

Add the chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander-cumin seeds powder, rice, dals, salt and 3 cups of hot water, mix well and pressure cook for 2 whistles.

Allow the steam to escape before opening the lid.

Serve the vegetable panchmel khichdi hot with fresh curds, pickle or papad.

Coriander Roti

This is an extremely hard time for everyone and it also feels like a time when new healthier habits can be formed.  With no restaurants open and more time at home it feels like a great opportunity to cook more meals at home.

Cooking a new meal is a great way to have fun on your own or with the family, learn a new skill and have the treat of a delicious, healthy meal to enjoy at the end of it.  

I have taken up the challenge to cook one new recipe a day from my plethora of cookbooks at home. And by doing this, I hope I will have something to look forward to everyday during this seemingly never ending pandemic.

So why not use this time to commit to the challenge of trying at least one new recipe per week, if not every day?  When the lock-down is over you will have several amazing new dishes in the repertoire to enjoy and to share with friends and family.  

Please tag us and use the hashtag #onenewrecipeaday or #onenewrecipeaweek and let us know how you get on!

Today's recipe is Coriander Roti from the book "Forever Young Diet" by Tarla Dalal. The original recipe requires a filling to be made but I have tweaked it a bit and have made the filling into a coarse paste and mixed it with the roti dough. I felt this small change would make the recipe easier for beginners too.  

INGREDIENTS 

For the dough

1 1/2 cups  whole wheat flour 

1 tbsp   oil 

salt  to taste

For the paste (grind to a coarse paste)

1 cup   chopped coriander leaves 

2 tsp   coriander-cumin seeds (dhania-jeera) powder 

1/4 tsp   turmeric powder  

1 1/2 tsp  finely   chopped green chillies 

salt  to taste

Other Ingredients For Coriander Roti

whole wheat flour  for rolling

oil  for brushing and cooking

METHOD

To make coriander roti, combine all the ingredients required for the dough and the coarse paste in a deep bowl and knead into a soft dough using enough water. Keep aside. 

Divide the dough into 8 equal portions. 

Roll a portion of the dough into a 6” diameter circle using a little whole wheat flour for rolling. 

Heat a non-stick tava (griddle) and cook the roti, using a little oil, till golden brown spots appear on both the sides. 

Serve the  coriander roti  immediately. 

 

 

Meal Plan 5

I am back with a weekly meal plan on popular demand 😀

Hope all of you are staying home, staying safe and taking care of your health. 

Keeping you all in my prayers and wishing that we all heal quicker.

Day	Breakfast	Lunch	Dinner
Sunday	Akki Roti	Vegetable Pulav Kadai Vegetable Gravy	Kadai Vegetable  Gravy Roti
Monday	Idli      Onion Sambar	Tomato garlic rasam Okra Stir Fry Onion Sambar	Okra Stir Fry Tomato garlic  rasam
Tuesday	Dosa Onion Tomato  Chutney	Udupi Tomato Rasam Brinjal/Eggplant  Stir fry	Roti Gobhi Masala
Wednesday	Huli Avalakki	Puli Kajippu  (More Kozhambu)  Beans Poriyal	Kadubu Idli   Puli Kajippu  (More Kozhambu)
Thursday	Oats and Broken  Wheat Idli	Manathakkali keerai  thambli Udupi Style Avial	Roti Udupi Style Avial
Friday	Uppu Huli Dosa	Keerai masial Beetroot Saasmi	Roti Keerai/Beetroot
Saturday	Cabbage Pathrode	Bisi Bele Bath Bell Peppers and  Cucumber Raitha	Bisi Bele Bath