Pasta and Vegetable Casserole

An assortment of veggies are roasted with chopped garlic and olive oil and baked in layers with cooked pasta, a gooey cheese sauce made of grated cheese, flour and butter and with a generous sprinkling of cheese on top. Enjoy it hot, with molten cheese in every bite!

Preparation Time: 15 mins.
Cooking Time: 30 mins.
Baking Time: 25 to 30 minutes.
Baking Temperture: 200°C (400°F).

Ingredients

2 cups cooked pasta ( penne, fussilli, etc.)

For the roasted vegetables

2 cups blanched peeled and quatered tomatoes

1/2 cup red capsicum cubes

1/2 cup green capsicum cubes

1/2 cup onion cubes

2 tbsp chopped garlic

3 tsp olive oil

1 tsp sugar

salt to taste

For baking

4 tbsp grated cheese

For the cheese sauce

1 tbsp plain flour (maida)

2 cups milk

4 tbsp grated cheese

2 tbsp butter

salt to taste

pepper to taste

Method

For the roasted vegetables

Combined all the ingredients in a baking tray and toss well.

Bake in a pre-heated oven at 200°C (400°F) for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring once in between.

For the cheese sauce

Melt the butter in a pan, add the flour and sauté on a slow flame for ½ minute or till you get the aroma of cooked flour

Add the milk gradually, while stirring continuously, so that lumps do not form Bring to a boil.

Add the cheese, salt and pepper, mix well and heat till the sauce thickens.

Keep aside.

How to proceed

Spread a layer of the roasted vegetables in a baking dish.

Top with the cooked pasta.

Cover with the cheese sauce and top with the grated cheese. Bake in a pre-heat

Serve hot.

Dhabey Ki Dal

Everyone loves dhabey ki dal. We take a long drive to nearest dhaba for the delicious food. A pan of mixed pulses, seasoned with spices and lots of garlic, cooked in just 2 teaspoons of oil. This dal tastes best with a bowl of rice.

Ingredients

1/2 cup urad dal (split black lentils) , with skin

1/4 cup chana dal (split bengal gram)

1/4 cup red rajma (kidney beans)

1 cup onions , finely chopped

1 tbsp garlic (lehsun) , finely chopped

2 green chillies , slit green chillies into 2

1 cup finely chopped tomatoes

1 tsp chilli powder

2 tsp cumin seeds (jeera) powder

1/4 cup chopped corriander (dhania)

1 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)

2 tsp oil

salt to taste

Method

Clean, wash and soak the urad dal, chana dal and kidney beans in sufficient water for at least 6 hours.

Drain the soaked dals, add six cups water and pressure cook for 15 to 20 minutes or unitl the dals completely cooked.

Heat the oil in a non-stick pan, add the garlic, onions and green chillies and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes till the onions are golden brown in colour.

Add the tomatoes, chilli powder, cumin powder and salt and cook over a high flame for 3 to 4 minutes.

Add the cooked dals and coriander, mix well and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes.

Add the kasuri methi, mix well and serve hot.

Gobi Manchurian

One of my favourite dish. It is not so very complicated to make but it has a great taste. It also looks good on serving table when guests are around.

Ingredients for Manchurian

15 cauliflower florets of lemon size

3 tablespoons corn flour

5 tablespoons all purpose flour

¼ cup water

1 teaspoon black pepper powder

Salt to taste

Ingredients for Sauce

½ cup chopped spring onions

1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic

2 teaspoons finely chopped green chillies

2 teaspoons finely chopped ginger

1 tablespoon corn flour

1 cup water or vegetable stock

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon tomato ketchup

1 tablespoon vegetable/sunflower oil

Salt to taste

Method for Manchurian

Heat oil in a wok or a deep fryer.

In the meanwhile, dissolve the corn flour and all purpose flour along with pepper and salt in water.

Add the cauliflower florets and mix until the florets get coated with the flour mixture.

Add about 5 florets (or the amount your deep fryer /wok can hold) at a time into the hot oil and fry until golden brown.

Remove from oil and drain in paper towels. Keep aside.

Method for Sauce

Mix the corn flour with ¼ cup of water. Add soya sauce, ketchup and salt.

Heat oil in a wok or frying pan on high heat; add garlic, ginger, green chillies, spring onions and stir fry for a few seconds.

Add the corn flour mixture to the above and cook for a few minutes until thick and the corn flour is cooked.

Turn off heat.

Serving the Manchurian with Sauce

Just before serving, put the fried Manchurian in the sauce and stir fry on high heat for few minutes. Garnish with spring onion leaves and serve hot.

Khatta Meetha Karela

I love my bitter gourds. I love the bitterness which one gets while eating. So, when I came across this recipe I was surprised that how a bitter can turn into khatta and meetha. I tried the recipe with small changes. Instead of jaggery I added sugar and I skipped peanuts. Jaggery may have added to the taste but, it was still surprisingly delicious to eat. It was something new for me.

Ingredients

2 tender Bitter Gourds/Karela (washed)

1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder

1/2 teaspoon coriander powder

1/4 teaspoon cumin powder

1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder

1 teaspoon dry mango powder

1/4 teaspoon asafoetida

4-5 curry leaves

1 tablespoon of jaggery

1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds

1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds

3 tablespoons of roasted crushed peanuts

2 tablespoon oil

2 tablespoons of freshly chopped coriander leaves

Salt to taste

Method

There are two ways you can choose to cut the bitter gourd. If you have a thick bitter gourd it will most likely contain seeds. In this case split the bitter gourd into half and remove the seeds. Cut the bitter gourd into cubes.

If you have a thin and long bitter gourd, you can slice them into thin rings.

Once you have cubed or sliced them, you can steam them in a pressure cooker or a steamer with salt and turmeric powder and set aside.

Heat oil in a non stick or a heavy bottomed pan. Add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds and curry leaves. Allow them to crackle. To this add the asafoetida and stir in low heat for a few seconds.

Add the steamed bitter gourd, red chilli powder, dry mango powder, coriander powder and cumin powder. Stir all the ingredients and allow the gourd mixture to simmer for a few minutes. Add the jaggery and stir on medium high until the vegetable tends to get crispier. This happens due to the addition of jaggery which tends to caramelize.

Stir in the crushed peanuts and coriander leaves and serve hot with phulka's or even mix it with plain hot rice and ghee.