Pasta in two styles

It was a Friday Dinner time and I thought of making Pasta, that is when one voice at home says "I need a cheesy version" and other says "I need it spicy". This became my motivation for cooking that evening and also restart my blogging again in 2020 :).

Cheesy Carrot, Spinach Italian Style 
Ingredients:
1. Pasta - I used Penne for this recipe. You can chose any style you like - 1 cup
2. Carrot - 1 
3. Tomato - 1/2
4. Garlic - 1 clove finely chopped
5. Spinach - 1/2 cup
6. Milk - 1/4 cup
7. Salt - to taste
8. Olive oil - 2 tablespoon
9. Butter - 1 tablespoon
10. Italian spice mix - 1/2 tablespoon
11. Grated Cheese - 1/4 cup

Preparation

1. Boil 2 cups of water, add little salt and few drops of olive oil, add pasta and cook for 5 to 6 minutes and strain the water
2. Grind carrots, tomato, garlic into a coarse paste
3. Heat butter and olive oil in a pan and add the ground paste
4. When it starts cooking and the raw smell leaves, add milk and continue cooking in medium flame
5. When the sauce starts to thicken, reduce to low flame and add the herb mix and salt and the roughly chopped spinach
6. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes and add the pasta and cheese and mix well to coat the sauce

Yummy cheesy carrot spinach pasta is ready to serve hot... Do not shy out to add more cheese :)

Carrot, Spinach Indian Style 

Ingredients:
1. Pasta - I used Penne for this recipe. You can chose any style you like - 1 cup
2. Carrot - 1 
3. Tomato - 1/2
4. Garlic - 1 clove finely chopped
5. Spinach - 1/2 cup
6. Onion - 1/4 cup chopped 
7. Salt - to taste
8. Olive oil - 2 tablespoon
9. Red chilly powder - 1/2 tablespoon
10. Coriander powder - 1/4 tablespoon
11. Garam masala - a pinch
12. Pepper powder - a pinch
13. Turmeric powder -a pinch

Preparation

1. Boil 2 cups of water, add little salt and few drops of olive oil, add pasta and cook for 5 to 6 minutes and strain the water
2. Grind carrots, tomato, garlic and spinach into a coarse paste
3. Heat olive oil in a pan and add chopped onion and saute it for 2 minutes
4. Add the ground paste and cook for 5 minutes in a medium flame
5. Add red chilly powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and salt and cook the sauce until the raw smell leaves
6. Add garam masala, pepper powder & pasta and mix with the sauce well
7. Cook for 5 minutes in low flame

Hot spicy Carrot, Spinach pasta is ready to serve.

Upma Kozhukattai (Steamed rice balls)

Here is a simple and healthy breakfast/dinner recipe.

Ingredients:
1. Idly rava - 1 cup
2. Oil - 2 tablespoons
3. Urad dhal - 1 teaspoon
4. Channa dhal - 1 teaspoon
5. Asafoetida - a pinch
6. Red chilies - 2 to 3 
7. Grated coconut - 2 tablespoons
8. Salt - to taste
9. Curry leaves - 5 to 6
10. Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Preparation:
1. Heat oil in a pan and season it with mustard seeds
2. Once it splutters, add urad dhal, channa dhal and fry well until it turns golden brown
3. Add hing, red sillies, curry leaves, grated coconuts and saute for couple of minutes
4. Add 3 cups of water and required salt and bring it to boil
5. Once the water boils well, simmer the stove and add the idly rava slowly and keep mixing. At this stage, it is likely to form lumps, so you need to mix continuously
6. Once the rava is cooked nicely switch off the store. Now the upma is ready. You can have this as a dish by itself
7. Now let this cool completely
8. For the next step, fill the idly cooker with about 1 inch of water and bring it to the stove
9. Meanwhile start making small balls with the upma and place them on the idly plates and steam it for about 5 to 6 minutes
10. Remove it from the flame and serve it hot with any chutney


Tips:
1. You can dry roast idly rava for 3 to 4 minutes in little oil to make it cook faster
2. Once you make the upma kozhukattai, you can dust them in idly podi for additional flavor