Baked Penne Pasta

This Italian dish is another way of having the Penne pasta. The top layer of the pasta is very crispy and second layer is very juicy and delicious. I liked the combined texture,with cheese in it, it gives a treat to the taste buds.

INGREDIENTS:

1) Penne pasta - 1 box
2) Marinara sauce (tomato basil) - 1 bottle or 3 1/2 cups
3) Mozzarella cheese - 2 tblsp grated and 1/2 cup cut into cubes
4) Vegetables:
a) Green bell pepper - 1 chopped into big pieces
b) Onion - 1 chopped into big pieces
c) Sliced black olives - 1 small can or 1/2 cup
d) Mushrooms - 1 cup chopped into big pieces.
(You can add any other vegetables you want, I thought the above vegetables gave exact taste and texture I wanted.)
5) Black pepper powder- 2 tblsp
6) Olive oil - 2 tblsp
7) Garlic - 1 pod finely chopped
8) Tomato Ketchup - 2 tblsp
9) Salt to taste
10 ) Italian seasonings - 2 tsp
11) Grated Parmesan cheese - 1/2 cup

Cook the pasta as per the instructions on the box. Drain the pasta and keep aside.

Meanwhile, in a frying pan, saute all the vegetables along with garlic in olive oil . Add salt and pepper.Then add tomato ketchup and fry for 10 to 12 mins or till all the vegetables become tender. Add the Italian seasonings.

Pre-heat the oven at 375 degrees.

In a big bowl, mix the cooked pasta,vegetables, marinara sauce and both the cheeses (use half of the Parmesan cheese now).

In a baking dish (I used 8X8 dish) transfer all the ingredients from the bowl to the dish , garnish with the remaining Parmesan cheese and bake for 25 mins at 375 degrees.

Hot Penne pasta ready!!!! Serve it immediately. Enjoy :)

Mint And Coriander Chapati

This chapati is similar to Tepla . With dry and fresh spices it adds great taste.

INGREDIENTS:

1) Wheat flour - 1 cup
2) All purpose flour(maida) - 1 cup
3) Chickpea flour(besan) - 1 cup
4) Coriander leaves (chopped) - 2 1/2 tblsp
5) Mint leaves( chopped) - 2 1/2 tblsp
6) Red chilly powder - 1 tsp
7) Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
8) Coriander seeds powder - 1 tsp
9) Ajwain seeds(omam) - 1/2 tsp
10) Cumin seeds(jeera) - 1/2 tsp
11) Ghee - 1 tsp
12) Oil - 1/2 cup
13) Salt to taste
14) Luke warm water to knead the dough

Mix all the above ingredients into a soft dough ( except use oil 2 tsp) and make small balls of it. Roll each ball into chapati. In a pan, cook the chapati with the desired amount oil on both the sides.

Hot chapati ready. You can have it with curd or pickle.Enjoy!!!

Garlic Bread

This bread can be made as a starter or can be had with soup . It is very simple to make.

INGREDIENTS:
1) Garlic Pods - 2
2) Butter - 2 1/4 tblsp
3) Any Hard Bread - 4 to 5 slices
4) Italian Seasoning - 1 tsp
5) Salt to taste
6) Pepper - 1/2 tsp
7) Mozzarella Cheese(grated) - 1/2 cup
8) Olive Oil - 11/2 tsp

Saute the garlic in half of the oil and keep aside to cool. Then, grind the garlic with the remaining oil.

Bring the butter to room temperature and mix the garlic paste along with salt and pepper.

Spread little of the garlic butter on the bread, put a pinch of Italian seasoning over it and sprinkle some mozzarella cheese.

Broil the slices in the oven ,until the cheese melts and turns little brown.

Garlic bread is ready!!!! can be had with marinara sauce. Enjoy.

Chilly Egg

This is an other way of having eggs. It can be made as a starter or side dish for any kind of Indian bread.

INGREDIENTS:
1) Boiled Eggs- - 5 or 6
2) Green Bell Pepper - 1 (small size)
3) Onion - 1 (small size)
4) Chilly Garlic Sauce(we get in grocery store) - 2 tblsp
5) Pepper - 1 tsp
6) Tomato Paste/Puree/Sauce - 3 tblsp
7) Egg Curry Masala Powder - 1 tsp
8) Oil - 2 tblsp
9) Salt to taste

Cut the the boiled eggs into medium size and remove the yellow yolk out of it. Keep aside

In a pan, heat oil and fry onions and bell pepper till tender. Then, add the chilly garlic sauce,pepper, salt and tomato paste and cook for few minutes or until it becomes thick and dry. Add the egg curry masala powder. Finally, add the chopped eggs and mix well. Garnish it with cilantro.

Hot chilly egg recipe is ready. Enjoy!!!!

Vegetable Kothu Parota

This recipe is one of the best tiffin varieties in Tamilnadu and it is done in different ways . After referring to many blogs and recipes, I came out with an healthier version of making this Parota. My friends loved it hope everyone does too :)

INGREDIENTS:
1) Frozen Plain Parota's (we get in frozen section of groceries stores) - 4 to 5
2) Green Bell Pepper - 1 (medium size)
3) Onion - 1 ( big)
4) Carrot - 2
5) Green Peas - 1/4th cup
6) Tomatoes - 2 to 3 (medium size)
7) Fennel Seeds - 1/2 tsp
8) Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
9) Red Chilly powder - 1 tsp
10) Garam Masala Powder - 1 tsp
11) Poppy Seeds - 1 tsp
12) Almonds - 1tsp
13) Oil - 3tblsp
14) Hing powder - little
15) Salt to taste
16) Cilantro for garnish

Make Parota's as per the instructions given on the cover . Later cut the parota's into cubes and keep aside.

Chop half onion and tomatoes. Then, in a pan heat little oil and fry them, add all the dry spices and salt to it and cook for 5 to 10 minutes or until the become tender. Allow it to cool and grind them into a paste along with poppy seeds, fennel seeds and almonds. Keep aside.

Chop all the vegetables into medium size.

Heat oil in a saute pan, add hing to it. Fry the remaining chopped onions and vegetables until tender. Then, add the ground paste to it and cook for another few minutes till everything gets well incorporated and finally add the cut Parota's to the same pan and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes till the pieces absorbs the sauce. Garnish it with cilantro.

Hot kothu parota is ready!!!!! enjoy it with onion raita.

Bell Pepper Dip

This Dip was outcome of few colourful bell Peppers at home. So, I thought why not make a yummy dip out of these.

INGREDIENTS:
1) Green Bell Pepper - 1(medium size)
2) Yellow Bell Pepper - 1(medium size)
3) Red Bell Pepper - 1(medium size)
4) Garlic - 2 small cloves
5) Sour cream - 3/4th cup
6) Mayonnaise - 2 tblsp
7) Ranch sauce - 2 tblsp
8) Salt to taste
9) pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
10) Oil - 1 tblsp


Cut the peppers into big cubes and broil it with oil, salt and pepper powder on both sides for nearly 30 minutes or until it starts to burn . Then, allow it to cool.

Fry garlic until it turns slightly brown . Keep aside.

Grind the peppers with garlic and little salt coarsely (note salt already added when broiling)

Mix the ground paste with sour cream, ranch and mayonnaise . Adjust salt and pepper if needed.

Refrigerate the dip for few hours and then serve it with crackers or some corn tortilla chips.Enjoy!!!!!!!!!

Quick Peas Rice.

My mother used to make this rice when I was young. It is very simple to make but surely very tasty.

INGREDIENTS:
1) Basmathi rice - 1 cup
2) Green peas - 1 cup
3) Chopped onions - 1/2 cup
4) Butter - 1 1/2 tblsp
5) Bay leaf - 1
6) Lavang, Patta,elaichi - 1 each
7) Jeera - 1 tsp
8) water - 2 cups
9) Salt to taste

Wash and soak rice .

In a pan, add butter. Then fry jeera, add masala items and onions to the butter. Allow it to become tender . Now add green peas. Fry for 5 mins. Later, drain the rice and add to the pan.

Now, tranfer the rice to a microwave safe bowl . Add water and salt to it. Now cook the rice on high for 5 mins, stir it and again for 5 more mins. Again stir it and cook for final 2 mins ( microwave cooking time differs.Cook adjusting to the time)

Peas rice is ready!!!!. Serve it with raitha.