Pasta with Pumpkin Sauce

Ingredients:

Penne Pasta - 2 cups

Pumpkin ( yellow) - 2 cups, cubed

Red Bell Pepper - 1 medium size, roughly chopped

Garlic - 6 cloves + 4 cloves(chopped finely)

Black Pepper Corns - 5

Milk - 1/2 cup

Broccoli Florets - 1 cup

Salt & Pepper

Italian Herbs - 1 tsp

Basil Leaves or Dried Basil - 1 tsp

Cream Cheese - 1 tbspn(optional)

Parmesan Cheese - 1 or 2 tbspns for garnishing

Olive Oil - 4 tbspns

Method:

Cook pasta in the boiling water for 8-10 minutes or until al dente. Strain and keep it aside.

Heat 2 tbspns of olive oil in a pan. Add 6 cloves of garlic and saute for a minute. Add the pumpkin cubes and saute until it turns soft. Add the chopped red bell pepper and pepper corns and saute for few minutes. Let it cool completely. Now add these ingredients in a blender with half a cup of milk and grind them into a paste. Keep it separate.

Again heat 2 tbspns of oil in the same pan. Add the chopped garlic and saute for a minute. Now add the broccoli florets and saute until the veggi turns crispy. Add the cooked pasta, salt and pepper, italian herbs and some basil. Saute well. 

Now add the pumpkin paste and mix it well. Let it boil for a minute. Add the cream cheese (if you are using) and mix it well until the cream cheese melts. Let it cook for a minute.

Transfer to a serving plate and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Inspired from Chef Venkatesh Bhat

Vegetable Handi

Ingredients:

Cashews - 3 tbspns (approx 20 to 22)

Hot Water - 1/2 cup

Carrots - 1/3 cup, chopped

Green Beans - 1/3 cup, chopped

Potatoes - 1/3 cup, chopped

Green Peas - 1/3 cup, frozen

Corn Kernels - 1/3 cup, frozen

Cauliflower - 1/3 cup

Paneer Cubes - 1/4 cup

Onion - 1/2 cup, chopped finely

Tomato - 1/2 cup, chopped finely

Garlic - 3 cloves, crushed

Ginger - 1/2 inch, crushed

Coriander Leaves - 1 tsp, chopped

Mint Leaves - 1 tsp, chopped

Water - 1 cup

Low fat cream - 3 tbspns

Yogurt - 1 tbspn

Green Chilies - 1, slit lengthwise

Red Chili Powder - 1/2 tsp

Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp

Garam Masala - 1/4 tsp

Coriander Powder - 1/4 tsp

Kasuri Methi - 1/2 tsp

Nutmeg - a pinch, grated

Butter - 2 tbspns

Salt - as per taste

Bay Leaf - 1 small

Cloves - 2

Cinnamon - 1/2 inch

Cardamom - 2

Method:

Soak cashews in hot water for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, drain and add the soaked cashews to a grinder or blender. Add the soaked water grind to a very smooth paste. Keep it separate.

Steam the veggies in a pressure cooker, steamer or electric cooker till they are cooked completely. You can also fry or saute the veggies till they are cooked.

Heat butter in a handi or pan. Add the whole spices - cinnamon, green cardamoms, cloves and bay leaf. Saute the spices till fragrant. Add finely chopped onions. Stir and saute the onions on a low flame till they become golden. Then add ginger-garlic paste, chopped coriander and mint leaves. stir and saute for a minute. Add finely chopped tomatoes. Stir and saute till the tomatoes soften.

Then add turmeric powder, red chili powder and coriander powder.

Add the prepared cashew paste and curd. Stir often and saute till you see fat releasing from the sides.

add water. stir. Then add slit green chilies. stir again and let the gravy begin to simmer, takes about 3 to 4 minutes on a low to medium flame. Season with salt.

Add the steamed veggies. Stir well and simmer the veggies in the gravy for 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the nutmeg powder. Then add crushed kasuri methi and garam masala powder. Stir. Lastly add cream. After adding the cream, stir & switch off the flame.

Garnish with chopped coriander or mint leaves and serve vegetable handi with tandoori rotis, naan or parathas.

Inspired from here

Peanut and Soy-Sesame Stir Fry Sauces

PEANUT STIR FRY SAUCE

Ingredients:

Rice Vinegar - 1/4 cup

Soy Sauce - 1/4 cup

Granulated Sugar - 2 tsps.

Peanut Butter - 4 tsps.

Water - 2 tbspns

Chili Garlic Paste - 2 tsps ( 2 cloves garlic and 1 medium sized chili crushed )

Method:

Combine everything together and microwave for 20-30 secs. Or heat the sauce in the pan for 3 minutes. Cool and store it in refrigerator.

SOY SESAME STIR FRY SAUCE

Ingredients:

Vegetable Broth - 1/2 cup

Soy Sauce - 1/2 cup

Rice Vinegar - 4 tsps

Sesame oil - 4 tsps

Hot Red Pepper Flakes - 2 tsps

Sugar - 2 tsps

Corn Starch - 1 tbspn dissolved in 4 tbspns of water

Method:

Combine everything together and heat it in a pan for 3-5 minutes until to get a saucy consistency.

Cool and store it in refrigerator.

BROWN RICE WITH STIR FRIED VEGGIES

Ingredients:

Brown Rice - 3 cups, cooked

Peanut Stir Fry Sauce - 4 tbspns

Soy Sesame Stir Fry Sauce - tbspns

Veggies - Sliced Onions, Sliced Peppers, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Zucchini, Baby Carrots, Green Beans approximately 3-4 cups

Oil - 1 tbspn

Salt and Pepper to taste

Method:

Heat the oil in high heat.  Add all the veggies and sauté for 5 minutes. Add some salt and pepper. Now add all the sauces and stir fry all the veggies for 2-3 minutes. Then add the cooked brown rice and sauté for a minute. Transfer to a bowl and serve hot with red chili sauce!! 

Layered Mexican Dip/Layered Salad

For the Guacamole;
Ingredients:
Avocados - 1
Red Onion - 1/4 cup, chopped finely
Tomato - 1/4 cup, chopped finely (removing the pulp)
Garlic - 1/4 tsp, minced
Salt and Pepper - to taste
Lime Juice - 2 tbpsns

Method:
Scoop out the avocados and mash it well. Add the remaining ingredients and mix it well.
Keep is aside.

For the Dip;
Guacamole - 2 cups
Sour Cream - 2 cups
Olives - 2 cups, cut into circles
Cilantro - 1 1/2 cups, chopped finely
Spring Onions/Green Onions - 2 cups, cut into circles (only the white parts)
Mozzarella Cheese - 2 cups, shredded
Salsa - 2 cups (optional)

Method:
Take a medium sized (6 cup) rectangular or square dish.
First layer the guacamole. Next layer it with olives. Third layer with the sour cream. Next layer the green onions. Then layer with cilantro and finally end with the cheese.
Refrigerate for atleast 2-3 hours. Serve it with Salsa and Tortilla Chips.

Vermicelli Biriyani

Ingredients:
Vermicelli - 1 cup
Mixed Vegetables -   1 cup, chopped (Carrot, Beans, Peas, Potato & Cauliflower)
Ginger Garlic Paste   - 1 tsp
Onion - 1 cup, sliced

Tomato - 1/2 cup, chopped
Green Chili -   3-4 (slit lengthwise)
Curry Leaves -       few
Mint -  2 tbspns, chopped
Coriander Leaves - 2 tbspns, chopped
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Salt - as per taste

To temper;
Oil - 1 tbspn
Bay Leaf  - 2 small
Cinnamon - 1" stick
Clove - 2 
Cardamom Powder  - a pinch

Method:

First roast the vermicelli with few drops of oil till golden brown.
In a vessel add 4-5 cups of water sprinkle some salt and add few drops of oil allow to boil. When the water starts boiling add the roasted vermicelli and cook for only 3 minutes. Drain the water and spread it in a plate to cool and keep aside. 

In a microwave safe bowl add the chopped vegetables, sprinkle little water and cook in microwave for 2 minutes and keep aside ( the vegetables should be cooked 3/4th to retain its crunchiness).
In a pan, heat oil and add clove and bay leaf and fry well. Then add onions and curry leaves sprinkle some salt and keep frying till transparent. Now add ginger-garlic paste and saute till raw smell leaves and add the chopped tomatoes, mint leaves and coriander leaves and stir well.
When tomatoes get soft and mushy add a pinch of turmeric powder, cardamom powder and add the cooked vegetables.
Stir fry for 2 minutes and then add cooked vermicelli. Gently stir fry the vermicelli with vegetables for 1-2 minute and add some more chopped coriander leaves and close the pan with lid and simmer for 3-4 minutes. This helps the vermicelli to incorporate all flavors n taste.
Serve hot with Raita.

Inspired from here