Cheese pasta balls

I had seen this dish in a Recipe show and had tried it out. It tasted so yummy that I couldn’t stop myself from sharing this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup pasta (boiled)
• 1 small capsicum (finely chopped)
• ½ onion (finely chopped)
• 2 cubes cheese (grated)
• 1 tsp black pepper powder
• 1 tsp oregano
• ½ tsp chilli flakes
• 2-3 tbsp corn flour
• 2 tbsp maida (plain flour)
• Toast crumps
• Salt to taste
• Oil for deep frying

Method:

1. In a bowl, mix pasta, capsicum, onion, pepper powder, oregano, chilli flakes, salt and 1 tbsp corn flour. Mix all the ingredients properly.
2. Make medium-sized round balls of this mixture.
3. Separately, mix maida, remaining corn flour and water making a very thin paste.
4. Dip the balls in this paste and roll them in the toast crumps. Deep fry them.
5. Serve hot with tomato ketchup.

Baked Vegetable Dish

I make this dish very often as my husband likes it a lot. The top layer of cheese tastes very delicious with chilli flakes and oregano sprinkled on it. You can even add more vegetables as per your choice.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup pasta (macaroni – boiled)
• 10-15 stands of spaghetti (boiled)
• ½ cup plain flour (maida)
• 2 cups milk
• 1-2 cup water
• 2 tsp black pepper
• 2-3 tsp sugar
• 2 tsp butter
• 1 cup chopped carrot and fresh beans (boiled)
• 1 cup green peas and corn (boiled)
• ½ cup chopped capsicum (boiled)
• 4-5 black olives (optional)
• 4-5 jalapeños (optional)
• 1 tsp chilli flakes and oregano
• 2 cubes cheese (grated)
• 2 tsp cheese spread
• Salt to taste

Method:

1. Heat the butter in a pan and add flour to it. Cook it till it turns slightly pinkish.
2. Add milk, water, black pepper, salt and sugar to it and cook it for some more time till it becomes thick.
3. Add some cheese spread and stir it properly. Then add pasta, spaghetti and boiled vegetables.
4. Lay this mixture in a greased microwave safe glass bowl. Add some olives and jalapeños on it. Sprinkle grated cheese and finally some chilli flakes and oregano.
5. In a pre-heated oven, bake it for 10 min on 200°C Convection + 180W Microwave on combination mode.

Ajwain Idli

This dish is traditionally called Padiya. I learnt it from my Mom. It tastes great with coriander chutney or any South Indian chutney. My husband and I like it a lot.

Ingredients:

• 2 cup rice
• 1 cup ‘math’ dal
• 4-5 green chillies
• 1 tsp ginger paste
• 7-8 garlic cloves (paste to be made)
• 1 tsp soda
• 2 tsp carom seeds (ajwain)
• 2-3 tsp oil
• Salt to taste
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp curd

Method:

1. Soak the rice and dal overnight.
2. Wash them and grind in a mixer after adding some water, green chillies and ginger paste.
3. Add curd and salt to the mixture and let it stand for 5 hours.
4. Now add garlic paste, carom seeds, turmeric powder and salt (if required). Mix it properly.
5. Separately, mix oil, 1tsp water and soda. Stir it properly and add it in the mixture.
6. Pour the mixture in Idli-stand and prepare it like traditional Idli.
7. Serve hot with chutneys.

Dal Makhani

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole Urad
• 2 tbsp kidney beans
• 2-3 tbsp curd
• 2-3 tbsp cream
• 3-4 tbsp butter / desi-ghee
• 2 whole red chillies
• 2 green chillies
• 2 onions (paste to be made)
• 6-7 garlic cloves
• 1” piece ginger
• 1 large tomato finely chopped
• 1½ tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp coriander-cumin powder
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• Salt to taste

Method:

1. Soak whole urad and kidney beans for at least 6-7 hours.
2. Wash them, add some salt and butter and cook in pressure cooker on a low flame for approx 40 minutes.
3. Mash them with a ladle, add curd and cook them in open cooker for another 15 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
4. Soak whole red chillies for 15 minutes in water and grind them along with garlic, ginger, green chillies, garam masala and coriander-cumin powder.
5. Take the butter in a deep pan and add onion paste. Sauté till it becomes golden. Now, add chopped tomato to it and sauté it further for 2-3 minutes. Add the paste made in step 4 to it, and cook it further for some time. Add turmeric powder, salt and mashed urad and kidney beans.
6. Add some water (if required) and cook it further till its thickness becomes consistent.
7. Finally add some cream and garnish with coriander leaves.
8. Serve it hot with parathas or rice.