Sphagetti Al Arabiatta

      Back to blogging after a lonnnnnggggg time! And the reason why I'm back to blogging is, I loved my own cooking yesterday after much long gap.. And that is Sphagetti Al Arabiatta!

       Had been to this restaurant, Little Italy, last week. They serve buffet lunch, only Veg. Have no words to describe the food, it was fantabulous!! I got soooo inspired by the way they prepared Arabiatta!! So thought of trying at home annnnd guess what, Instant Hit 😃

So easy to prepare and healthy too.. 

This recipe serves two

Required:

Extra Virgin Olive Oil - 2 tbsp

Sphagetti or Penne - 300 gms

Garlic - 5 pods, cut into very small pieces

Onion - 1 medium cut into small pieces

Zucchini - 1 cup, small cubes

Broccoli - 4 to 5 florets

Carrot - 1 peeled n cut into small cubes

Capsicum - 1 cup small cubes

Basil leaves - handful

Parsley - reqd qty

Sweet corn - 1 cup

Tomatoes - 7 big riped ones

Salt - reqd qty

Sugar - 1/2 tsp

Chilli flakes - 3 tsps 

Pepper powder (optional)- 1 tsp

Paprika - 1 tsp

Oregano - 1 tsp

Think i have covered all the ingredients!!

Method

Sphagetti Preparation

1) In a large bowl boil water, along with one tsp oil and salt. 

2) When you see big bubbles,add sphagetti to it and let it boil for 10 mins. Keep stirring in between

TIP: if cooked in induction, its faster. 

3) Do a sample check to see whether its cooked. Now strain it and keep aside.

Sauce preparation

1) Pressure cook the tomatoes (3 whistles), peel the skin and cut it roughly. If you dont like seeds in it, remove them at this stage

2) In a bowl boil water and add broccoli, zucchini, capsicum, sweet corn & carrot to it.

3) Let it boil for 5 mins and turn off the flame, close with a lid and let it stay for another 5 mins. Strain and keep aside

4) In a large pan add 1 tbsp olive oil, let it heat for half a min. Then add finely chopped garlic and fry ( don turn it brown)Already u can smell the arabiatta aroma

5) Add onions, basil leaves and fry for 2 mins

6) Add all the par-boiled veggies and keep tossing them for 2-3 mins

7) Add the blanched tomatoes, salt, paprika, pepper pwdr and chilli flakes. 

Let this boil for 10 mins until oil seperates. 

8) Add oregano and garnish with parsley leaves.

9) In a large bowl add the boiled sphagetti, olive oil and pasta sauce. Mix them well

Spicy yummy Sphagetti Al Arabiatta is ready!!!!

Kadai Vegetable

Kadai vegetable, a very easy dish and can be prepared in few mins, also a very healthy dish for weight watchers :)

For grinding

- 1 medium sized tomato

- 1 medium sized onion

- 2 green chillies

- 1 inch ginger

- 1 clove of Garlic (Optional or you can add even more. I limited to one as I don't like garlic and also it would dominate the aroma of other vegetables)

- 1 cinnamon stick

- 1 cardamom

- 1 clove

- 1 tsp cumin seeds

- 1 tsp fennel seeds (சோம்பு)

- 2 tsp oil

Gravy

- 1 bay leaf

- 1 tsp cumin powder

- 1/2 tsp red chilli powder (optional)

- 1/2 tsp paprika (optional)

- You can add any vegetables for this dish. Here I have added, cauliflower, potato, peas, baby corn,      carrot, green capsicum and paneer. 

Method

1) In a non-stick pan, add 2 tsp oil. To this add cumin seeds, fennel seeds, cardamom, clove and cinnamon.

 2) Add onion, garlic, ginger and green chillies. Fry until onion turns translucent.

 3) Add the tomatoes and fry until tomatoes become mushy. Keep aside and grind after the mixture cools   down completely.

4) Wipe the same pan with a dry tissue and add 1-1/2 tsp oil. Add bay leaf and paneer, fry until golden brown. Paneer is optional. I like paneer and so I have added. 

5) Add all the veggies, 1 tsp salt and 1/4 cup of warm water. Toss the vegetables until soft but firm. Keep aside the veggies. You can also add onion, but I avoided as I don like onion much!

 I love this pic, perfect timing! Hoping to improve my photography skills. Suggestions are welcome :)

6) In the same pan, add 1 tsp oil. Once the oil is heat, add the grounded mixture, cumin powder, paprika and red chilli powder. Fry until oil seperates from the mixture.

7) Now add all the veggies and required salt. Cook in simmer for 5-7 mins. 

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with Chapatis

Paneer Tikka Masala

Hi all! Today I tried Paneer Tikka Masala and it turned out so well. I referred to Manjula's Kitchen. She has lot of easy recipes, and her recipes are "Satvika" (without onions and garlic).

For Marinating:
- 1/2 pound of paneer
- 1 tbsp curd
- 1 tbsp grated ginger
- 1/4 tsp chilli powder
- 1/2 tsp coriander powder
- 1/4 tsp salt

For Gravy:
- 3 medium tomatoes
- 2 green chillies
- 1tsp cumin seeds or jeera
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
- 1tsp coriander powder
- 1tsp Paprika
- 2 bay leaves
- a pinch of hing
- salt to taste
- coriander leaves
- 2 tsp corn starch
- 1/4 tsp garam masala
- 1/2 tsp sugar (optional)
- 1 tbsp oil

Method:
1) Cut the paneer as shown in pic below, about 1 inch squares

2) In a bowl, add all the ingredients under "For Marinating" and mix well. Keep the mixture in refrigerator for about an hour.

3) In a frying pan, add 1 tbsp oil and spread the paneer (after marinating) as shown below. Let it cook on both sides for about 2 mins or until it becomes brownish. Take out the paneer and keep it in a seperate dish.

4) Blend the tomatoes and chillies, to make a puree
5) In the same frying pan, add 1 tbsp oil. Once the oil is heat, add cumin seeds, hing and bay leaves

6) Now add the puree, coriander powder, salr, turmeric powder, parpika, sugar and cook for 5 mins in medium heat

7) Dissolve corn starch in 1 1/2 tsp of water and add to the mixture. Stir for about 2 mins.

8) To this mixture, add the fried paneer and let it cook for another 5 mins.

9) Turn off the heat, add garam masala and cilantro.

Serve with chapathis or rice.

Ulundhu Vadai!!

Wishing you all a very happy and blessed Navaratri!

"Navaratri" literally means nine nights. We invoke Goddess Durga also known as "Shakthi (Power)", on all these nine days to remove the miseries from our life. For the first 3 days we worship Goddess Durga, next 3 days Goddess Lakshmi and the last 3 days Saraswati. Today is Saraswathi Pooja.

I prepared Ulundhu Vadai (Ulundhu - Urad dhal) and Godhumai Rawa Payasam.

Ulundhu Vadai
Urad dhal - 1 cup
Toor dhal - 1tsp
Green chillies - 2
Red chillies - 3
A pinch of asafoetida
Salt to taste
1 sprig of Curry leaves

Method:
1) Soak urad dhal in sufficient amt of water for 2 hrs. Grind this to thick and fine consistency by adding little water. Refrigerate the mixture for 20mins. TIP: If you add more water by mistake, add 4-5 tsps of rawa and leave it to sit for 20 mins, then you can get the shape.
2) Grind green and red chillies seperately and mix this with urad dhal mixture.
3) To the mixture add a pinch of asafoetida, few leaves and salt to taste.
4) On a plastic paper (I use Ziploc) place a lemon sized ball of the mixture, make it flat with your fingers and make a hole in the center. Its better to wet your fingers with little water each time when you do this.

5) Deep fry in oil until golden brown.

Vadai Ready!

Godhumai Rawa Payasam!

Godhumai Rawa Payasam:

Wheat Rawa - 1 cup
Water - 2 cups
Milk - 1cup
Ghee - 1 tbsp
Elaichi powder - a pinch
Sugar to taste
Cashews and raisins

Method:
1) Roast the rawa in a pan for 3 mins without oil.
2) Pressure cook (4-5 whistles) the rawa by adding 2 cups of water.
3) Smash the rawa, add sugar, elaichi and hot milk. Mix well
4) Roast the cashews and raisins in ghee, add to the payasam.

Quick Rasam or Gottu Rasam

Almost one hour left for our lunch time, yet to cook. When I browsed through my fridge, to my surprise I could not find even a single veggie except for one tomato :)  Gottu rasam came to my rescue. Also found few potatoes. Gottu rasam and potato curry is one of the South Indian's favorite combination. My mom used to prepare this rasam and சுட்ட அப்பளம் whenever we are back from a tiresome journey. During those times, this rasam would taste like Heaven! 

Preparation Time: 12 mins

Ingredients:

- 1 medium sized tomato (grind it)                       

- 2 green chillies

- 2tsp Toor dhal

- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder

- 1tsp Rasam powder

- 1tsp Sambar powder

- 1tsp heaped tamarind paste

- a small piece of hing or 1tsp of asafoetida                               

- salt to taste

Seasoning

- 1tsp ghee

-1/2 tsp mustard seeds

- coriander leaves

Method

  I prepared this rasam in our traditional "Eeya Chombhu (ஈய சொம்பு)". Heard from my mom that it adds an extra taste to the rasam and also in a way good for our health.

- Add all the ingredients to this pot and add one cup of water. If cooking in ஈய சொம்பு, ensure that there is enough water and keep it in low flame, else the pot will melt. 

- Let this boil for 10-12 mins until the raw smell goes off

- Now add the reqd qty of water to the rasam and switch off the flame when a layer of froth forms on the top, do not boil. Garnish with coriander leaves.

- In a frying pan add 1tsp of ghee and add mustard seeds. Once the seeds splutter, add to the rasam.

 Rasam ready!!

Chole (Channa Masala)

Chole or Channa Masala goes very well with Poori. Quick and easy to prepare.

Recipe

Soak channa overnight and pressure cook by adding 1tsp of salt (3 long whistles)

Coriander leaves (garnish), grind-ed ginger - 2tsp, 2 green chillies, 3 medium tomatoes pureed and 1 small onion.

Jeera - 1 tsp. Powders: Chilli - 1.5 tsp, Turmeric - 1/2 tsp, Coriander - 1tsp and Garam masala - 1tsp

Add 2tsp oil and add the jeera. Wait for it to splutter

Add the chopped green chillies, ginger paste and fry well. I've also added 2tsp besan powder for thick consistency which I saw in a website.   

Add the tomato puree and mix well

Add corainder powder and chilli powder.

Sorry for the change of stove, suddenly I ran out of gas in the cylinder so had to induction cook.
Now fry the mixture by adding 1 tbsp butter. Wait until the oil seperates from the mixture.

Add the cooked channa and mix well

Add the garam masala and mix.

Let this cook for 5 mins, until the mixture becomes thick.

Add the chopped onions and garnish with coriander leaves. Lemon juice (optional)
Chole ready!!