Stir Fried Garlic Tofu Noodles

Some of my favorite weeknight dinners are simple stir fried dishes. This version came about simply with ingredients I had in my fridge, combined with my love for singapore noodles. With garlic, ginger and turmeric as base flavors, this stir fried noodle is a great way to incorporate tofu into your meals.

8 oz rice noodles (approx.220 grams)
1 large red onion, thinly sliced lengthwise
2″ piece ginger, peeled
5 cloves garlic, peeled
5 indian green chillies (makes this dish spicy. substitute with 1 serrano to make it mild or feel free to leave out chillies all together)
3/4 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 1/2 tsp coriander powder
4 cups fresh baby spinach, washed
2 cups sweet corn (I used frozen, can be substituted with fresh)
14 oz extra firm tofu  (you could also used super firm tofu)
handful of fresh cilantro, washed and chopped
2 tsp salt
2 tbsp canola oil

Cube the fresh tofu into 1″ pieces and place between dry towels and gently squeeze any excess moisture out. Make sure you don’t break the pieces.

In a pan heat one tbsp canola oil over medium heat for 30 seconds. Add the tofu to the hot oil. Make sure you stand away and drop the pieces in gently, facing away from your body. There will be some spluttering. Let cook for 3 minutes. Gently move the tofu around and get an even light brown on them. Remove the tofu onto a paper towel using a slotted spoon and let them rest.

Add the remaining tbsp of oil to the leftover oil in the pan and heat over medium heat. Finely chop ginger, garlic and chillies together. Add the cumin, coriander and turmeric powders to the oil and fry for 20 seconds and then add the chopped garlic, ginger and chillies. Fry over medium heat for 2 minutes.

Add thinly sliced red onions and sautee for 7-8 minutes until the onions are cooked and start slightly browning. Add 4 cups of spinach along with a tsp of salt. Mix well and cook over medium-high heat for 10 minutes. The spinach will wilt and give out a bit of water which should help you scrap any spices in the bottom of the pan and create a unified aromatic base for our noodles.

Add the frozen corn with the remaining tsp of salt, mix well and cook covered for 5 minutes over medium-high heat. Uncover, increase the heat and cook another 5 minutes. Add the pre-sauteed tofu to the corn mixture and toss together gently. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes which will allow the tofu to soak in all the flavors of the vegetables and spices. Add almost all of the chopped cilantro with a little saved to add just before serving and turn of the heat.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add a few drops of oil to the water and then drop the rice noodles in it. The oil will keep the noodles from sticking to each other when cooked and drained. Cook the noodles according to your package instructions. Mine took just about 3 minutes. Drain the noodles, let sit for a minute to make sure all the water is drained.

Add the noodles to the vegetable-tofu mixture and toss together gently. Use tongs to separate the noodles and mix well to make sure all the spices, vegetables and color mix evenly.

Sprinkle the reserved fresh cilantro on top and serve warm.

Aaloo Palak

This recipe is very special and one of my favorites. I am thrilled to share my simple , easy to follow recipe of this traditionally  slow cooked laborious process, all without compromising on an ounce of flavor.

My home made version is not doused with cream and butter which often is the reason for flavor in many restaurants. I like to rely on the natural taste of the ingredients and add to the deliciousness with perfect combination of spices and stay away from the cream.

Much like for me,  this will quickly become one of your favorite weekend meals.

1 pound of baby potatoes, boiled and peeled (around 10-12)
3 bags of baby spinach (about 12-13 cups of fresh spinach)
1 large red onion, peeled and diced
3 large tomatoes, roughly chopped
5 cloves garlic, peeled
1 inch piece of ginger, peeled
3 green chillies (substitute: 1 serrano)
3 cloves
1/2 inch stick of cinnamon
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp canola oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsps salt
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp coriander powder
3 tbsps cilantro, washed and finely chopped
In a large saute pot, melt 2 tbsps butter and add the oil and heat for 30 seconds. Add the cumin seeds and just when it starts turning light golden brown,  add chopped onions. Keep sautéing on medium-high heat until the onions are golden brown, around 10-12 minutes. Drop the heat to low.

In the meantime, using a blender, make a puree of roughly chopped tomatoes, garlic, ginger, cloves, cinnamon and a pinch of salt. No extra water needed since the tomatoes will lend a lot of water.

Add this pureed tomato mixture to the simmering onions. Make sure you are on low heat, there will be some spluttering. Mix well and let cook covered for 15 minutes until the tomato puree and spices are cooked and infused together with the onions and cumin.

Uncover and let the tomato sauce simmer on low heat. In the meanwhile, puree the baby spinach in a blender with few tsps of water. You will have to do this in batches. Make sure the spinach is a puree and not too watery. It is raw spinach at this time.
Add the pureed spinach to the simmering tomato sauce. Mix well and let simmer over medium heat for 30 minutes, while mixing every 10 minutes. You will notice a change from a bright green to a darker and earthier green as an indication of being done.

Add salt, coriander powder and garam masala. Mix well, add the halved cooked baby potatoes to the spinach sauce. Let simmer over medium heat for another 20 minutes. Check for seasoning, sprinkle cilantro and turn off the heat. Tastes great with any indian bread or basmati rice.

I like to serve this the day after because the baby potatoes have more time to absorb all the flavors. Tastes quite divine!

Macaroni – The Simple Indian Way

This is my favorite go-to recipe. With ingredients that I always have readily in my pantry, it makes for a delicious, comforting and easy to make meal.

1 pound elbow macaroni
2 tsp coriander powder
3/4 tsp cumin powder
4 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
5 indian green chillies, finely chopped  (substitute: thai chillies or serrano chillies)
2 yellow onions, finely chopped
2 yellow onions, thinly sliced lengthwise
1 large green bell pepper, seeded and chopped into bite size pieces
4 large tomatoes
1 cup green peas
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
2 tsp salt
3 tbsp canola oil

Heat the oil over medium heat in a large sauté pan. Add cumin and coriander powders. Fry for 30 seconds (the spices can burn easily, so keep stirring) until the spices are slightly toasted. Add the finely chopped garlic, chillies and onions. Saute until the onions turn translucent.

Add the sliced onions in and cook for another 5-7 minutes until the onions turn golden brown. I finely dice a couple of onions to blend into the dish and leave a couple of onions sliced to give a bite to the dish.

Puree 4 whole tomatoes (no water added). The tomatoes itself, will give enough water to make this a thin puree. Pour this over the golden brown onion mixture. Add 1 tsp salt, green peppers and green peas.

Mix well, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Add 1/3 cup water and cook covered over medium heat for another 10 minutes. This will cook the raw tomatoes along with the peas and soften the green peppers.

Add the garam masala and cilantro. Add another 1/3 cup of water and cook uncovered for 10 more minutes.

During this time, bring a large pot of slightly salted water to a boil and drop the elbow macaroni in. Cook according to packaging instructions. Around 6-7 minutes until al dente (perfectly cooked but with a slight bite). Drain the pasta and put the hot pasta back in the pot it was cooked in.

Add the tomato-peas-onion sauce to the cooked pasta, mix well an serve hot with your favorite bread.

Sweet Potato, Chickpea and Green Lentil Soup

This is a soup recipe adapted from BHG. The original recipe called for pumpkin, red lentils and chickpeas, but with sweet potatoes, green lentils (french puy lentils) and chickpeas in my pantry, I decided to improvise. The sweet potatoes and green lentils turned out to be a great substitute for the pumpkin and red lentils.

I also had sage in stock. Since I am a sucker for sage with sweet potatoes, I decided to fry the sage in butter first and then start the soup with the sage infused butter. The crispy butter fried sage also makes a great garnish.

I was quite pleased that I could make enough and share with friends at work. It turned out to be a great lunch perfect for that rainy day!

4 medium sweet potatoes, washed, peeled and cubed
1 32 oz can chickpeas
3 cups green lentils, dried ( I prefer using dried and cooking it in stock, rather than using pre cooked lentils)
1″ piece ginger, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
3 medium carrots, peeled and diced
3 large tomatoes, chopped
6-8 fresh sage leaves
3 tbsp fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1 dried bay leaf (optional)
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 1/2 tsp coriander powder
3/4 tsp cumin powder
4 tbsp butter
12 cups vegetable stock
2 tsp salt ( split into four 1/2 tsp quantities to be added in layers)
juice from 1 lemon

Melt butter over medium heat until it turns golden brown. Add sage leaves which will start becoming crispy after some spluttering. Remove sage and set aside.

In the sage infused butter left behind in the pan, add garlic, ginger and onions. Cook for 4-5 minutes until the onions are cooked translucent.

Add chopped carrots, 1/2 tsp salt and sauté for 5 minutes until the carrots just start getting tender. Add cubed sweet potatoes, chickpeas, 1 tsp salt, turmeric, cumin and coriander powders. Cook for 10 minutes until the sweet potatoes just start cooking.

Add chopped tomatoes, remaining 1/2 tsp salt and the sage leaves. Cook for 2 minutes and add the lentils, bay leaf and measured vegetable stock. Cover and let cook over medium heat for 40-45 minutes.

Uncover and check for doneness. The lentils should be perfectly tender (but not mushy), the sweet potato, chickpeas and carrots should also be tender yet hold their shape but will melt in your mouth into an explosion of flavors. Add chopped cilantro and lemon juice, turn off the heat and serve hot with any fresh baked bread of your choice.

I served the soup with pumpernickel bread and loved the combination of the smoky earthy soup with the deep and intense pumpernickel bread. The combination was perfect.

Coconut Chayote Squash Masala

This kind of Squash, a prominent vegetable in Indian cooking, is known as Chayote squash in markets in the US. The local name we know and call it by is Chow Chow, which certainly sounds more fun! It is typically used to many varieties of stews. It is a juicy/watery vegetable with a light and delicate flavor.

This variation makes it an easy weeknight meal and an ideal side dish for Indian breads or a steaming bowl of basmati rice. Personally, the garlic-ginger-coconut combination makes it divine!

4 chayote squash, washed and peeled
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 large tomato, chopped
1 large potato, chopped into 1 inch cubes
1″ piece ginger, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 serrano peppers, finely chopped
2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp cumin powder
1/3 cup freshly grated coconut
3 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped
2 tbsp canola oil
2 tbsp salt

Heat a non stick pan over medium heat. Add the chopped serrano, ginger and garlic. Stir for a 30 seconds and make sure the garlic doesn’t burn. Add the chopped onions and cook for 5 minutes until they turn translucent. Add tomatoes and cook for 10 minutes until the tomatoes soften.

Add cumin, coriander and turmeric powders. Sauté for 6-7 minutes minutes until the strong spices mellow down slightly and get incorporated well with the veggies. Add the chopped potatoes, squash, salt and mix well together. Cover and cook on medium heat for 10-15 minutes. Check a couple of times in between and stir the veggies to make sure they don’t stick to the bottom. If they do, then sprinkle a little water and lower the heat.

Uncover and make sure the squash and potatoes are cooked well. Insert a small knife into the center of veggie and make sure they are cooked through. They should to still hold their shape but also be tender.

Sprinkle the coconut and cilantro and cook uncovered for another 6-7 minutes which helps blending all the flavors together. It is best served hot like most other Indian curries.

Superbowl Super Snack

Here are a few of my successful experiments of the day – three kinds of crispy snacks with two different kind of dips. It all started with a craving for crisp onion rings and french fries to mindlessly reach for while watching the game. But that unfortunately entails waiting forever to have it delivered and eating something with an unimaginable amount of grease and salt. Making a snack at home turned out to be easy, healthy and just incredibly delicious.

I made two dips – Caramelized onion Dip and a Herb infused ketchup. Served with two types of crispy potatoes and oven toasted pierogi.

Pierogis are stuffed dumplings much like ravioli. You could call this the eastern/central european ravioli! It is a pillowy soft dough typically filled with potatoes, onions and cheese. Although they taste the best made from scratch, the second best option is to buy them from the frozen section usually next to the stuffed pastas. Unlike pasta, they are typically not served with heavy sauces but more with light sauces like a brown butter sauce or just plain fried onions on top.

Inspired by fried raviolis, I oven roasted the pierogis and served then as a snack and not an entrée.

Two kinds of potatoes:
4 large potatoes( You will need long ones than the round kind)
1/4 tsp + 1/4 tsp  red chilli powder (substitute paprika if you don’t want any heat)
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp + 1/2 tsp  salt
1/2 tbsp dried basil

For the dips:
Dip 1 :
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup indian yogurt or greek yogurt ( if you are using regular yogurt, drain using a cheese cloth overnight to remove all excess water. you will be left with a creamy thick yogurt)
1 white onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped
1/2 tsp crushed red peppers
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp canola oil
Dip 2:
4 tbsp ketchup
1/2 tsp  green chilli paste
1/2 tsp mint paste
1/2 tsp coriander paste
1 tbsp water

Oven toasted pierogis:
1 pound pierogi ( frozen)
1/2 tsp salt

Pre heat the oven to 400F.

Dip 1:

Heat a non-stick pan with a tsp of canola oil. Add the finely chopped onions and sauté until the onions are browned and crispy. In a bowl mix together the sour cream and yogurt. Add the crispy onions, cilantro, crushed red peppers and salt. Mix well and serve with the crispy potatoes.

Dip 2:

Mix all the dip ingredients together and this is ready to serve! Although adding ketchup with herbs seems kinda crazy, trust me, this is the best dip you have ever eaten. It pairs extremely well with potatoes and anything that needs a kick up.

Oven toasted Pierogis:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Drop the frozen pierogis in and cook until the pierogis float to the top. That means they are ready to come out. Drain any excess water and place them on baking sheet greased with a little canola oil. Bake for 10 minutes until brown on one side. Turn them over and bake for another 10 minutes until crispy. Serve with the spicy herbed ketchup. This turned out to be the perfect combination. Crisp on the outside, soft and pillowy on the inside,  dipped into a spicy tangy sauce is just heavenly!

Potato Crisps:
Wash the potatoes well. Slice two potatoes lengthwise into large thin strips about a 1/4 inch thin. Spray a large baking sheet with cooking spray. Spread the slides evenly. Bake for 20 minutes, turn the slices around and bake for another 5 minutes. Remove the baking sheet, sprinkle potatoes with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp chilli powder.

Bake for another 5 minutes and serve hot with dips.

Fries:
Cut the remaining two potatoes into french fries style pieces about 1/2 inch thick. Spread them evenly on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, turn them over and bake for another 10 minutes. They should be browned  by now, then add salt, cumin, chilli and coriander powders along with the dried basil.

Back to baking for 5 more minutes and serve hot with the dips.

Spicy Beetroot and Peas Curry

3 medium beets, washed, peeled and diced
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 cup frozen green peas,thawed to room temperature
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garam masala powder
2 tbsp canola oil
3 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped

Heat oil in a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and fry till golden brown. Add onions and turmeric powder.

Sauté until onions are golden. Add the peas, diced beets, coriander powder and salt. Stir well and cook covered for 10 minutes until the beets are softened. Uncover, add red chilli powder, and garam masala. Mix well together and let cook over medium heat for 12-15 minutes stirring every 4-5 minutes. Once the curry is well incorporated together, sprinkle cilatntro on top and serve hot with chapathi’s or basmati rice.

Fried Tomato and Onion Rice

I call this the South Indian risotto. It has the same comfort and warmth to it. On a cold day, this is one of my favorite things that I look forward to.

 

1 cup basmati rice (I used brown basmati rice)
2 tbsps butter
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp asafoetida powder
8 indian green chillies, split into two lengthwise
1″ piece ginger, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 large onions, diced
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
3 tomatoes, diced
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
3 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped

Bring 2 1/2 cups of water to a boil over high heat. Add the cup of rice, cover and let simmer over medium heat for 35-40 minutes until all the water is absorbed and the rice is cooked. Remove from heat and let cool.

If using white basmati rice, follow the same procedure, just use 1 1/2 cups water per cup of rice and simmer for 20-22 minutes to cook completely.

Melt the butter in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Add the mustard seeds and asafoetida. As soon as they start spluttering add garlic, ginger and green chillies.Fry for a minute, add the onions and turmeric powder.

When the onions start turning golden brown, add the tomatoes, salt and coriander powder. Mix well, cover and cook over medium heat for 8-10 minutes. Uncover, add the cilantro and stir together.

At this stage, this makes a great side dish on its own, served with chapathi or naan.

Add this tomato-onion mixture to the cooked rice, mix well together and serve warm.

Chilli Paneer

This dish is inspired from one of the popular cuisines in India :  Indo-chinese food. A whole genre based on merging chinese and Indian ingredients uniquely catered to the Indian palette. If you have never heard about it or eaten this food, you either have to fly to India, visit the few Indian restaurants in the US that have it or of course try this recipe(more to come) at home!

1 packet of paneer, sliced lengthwise into slabs ( This is a standard size available in most Indian stores)
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
8-10 indian green chillies, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2″ piece ginger, finely chopped
1 tbsp + 2 tbsp oil
1/3 cup ketchup ( I used the hot and sweet Indian variety, you could use regular too)
1 tbsp tsp soy sauce
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp lemon juice
2 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a medium non-stick pan.  Place the paneer pieces and cook until browned, around 2 minutes. Turn over, brown the other side (around a minute) and remove from heat and set aside on paper towels. Cut the slabs into half, so they are bite size pieces.

Add 1 tsps oil to the remaining oil in the pan. Add the garlic, ginger and chillies. Cook for 2 minutes and add the onions. Saute over high heat until the onions soften and brown. Add soy sauce, coriander powder, lemon juice and let simmer for 2 minutes.

Add ketchup. Mix well and let simmer for 5 minutes. Add the fried paneer pieces coat well, sprinkle with cilantro on top and serve.

The soy sauce and ketchup add enough salt to this dish, no extra salt is needed.

This dish goes to Culinarty’s Original Recipes.

Carrot and Ginger Soup

8 medium sized carrots, diced
1 onion, diced
2″ ginger piece,chopped
1 tbsp butter
1 bay leaf
1/2 tspoon red chilli powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
3/4 tsp salt
4 cups vegetable broth
2 tbsp cilantro (garnish optional)

Melt 1 tbsp butter over medium heat in a soup pot. Add the ginger, onions and coriander powder and stir utnil the onions soften. Add red chilli powder and carrots let cook a minute.

Add salt, bay leaf, pour in the vegetable stock and bring this to a boil. Cover the soup pot and simmer over medium heat for 25 minutes until the carrots are cooked and tender. Uncover, remove the bayleaf carefully and blend the entire soup using a hand blender.

Serve warm garnished with cilantro.

This dish goes to Food In Color event hosted by Tongue Ticklers.

Paneer Balls

Paneer is a comforting and luxurious ingredient. Stuffed in bread mixed with a few herbs and spices, it makes a decadent appetizer to serve at any party. It is easy and quick to prepare.

Recipe courtesy of my always resourceful mother-in-law.

1/2 cup paneer, crumbled
5 slices white bread
1/2  small onion, finely chopped
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
3 indian green chillies, finely chopped
1/2 tsp coriander powder
2 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped
1/2 tsp salt

Microwave the paneer for 30 seconds to soften it. Crumble it with your hands. The heat of your hands will make it creamy.  Add the onions, cumin seeds, green chillies, coriander powder, cilantro and salt. Mix it with you hands together to form the filling.

Place a little ball of the filling in the center of the bread. Fold the corners of the bread over the filling and press within the palm of your hands to make a ball of the bread with the filling inside. Press hard to make sure it is completely sealed. If the bread is too dry, dampen your hands which will help the bread bind better.

Heat a pot with oil up to half way through over medium heat.  Gently drop the balls into the oil and fry until golden brown on all sides, around 2-3 minutes. Serve hot with ketchup.

Bhajji (aka Indian Tempura)

I am stuck in the house because of the blizzard that’s hitting our town. What else is there to do but watch a movie with a bowl of something fried and crispy.

This is a common snack I ate growing up. It’s easy to put together and execute and all you need is some basic veggies. The classic bhajji is made with onions and potatoes. The great thing about this dish is that you could any vegetable you have in hand. Broccoli, cauliflower, eggplant, plantains, green beans, green bell peppers would all make great bhajjis.

2 cups gram flour (aka Besan or chickpea flour)
1/2-3/4 cup water
3 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder

Mix everything together in bowl. Make sure there are no lumps and the batter is the consistency of  pancake batter, even a bit thicker. It should be thick enough to coat the vegetables when dipped, but not so thick that it makes the fritters heavy and mealy.

1 large Potato and 1 large Onion chopped into rounds about 1/4 inch thick
1 large green bell pepper, seeds removed and cut into 1/2 inch strips

Fill a frying pan half way to the top with canola oil. Heat over medium heat for 7-8 minutes. Dip the veggies into the batter using a slotted spoon and gently drop them into the oil. I cook the onions first so the oil gets a great flavor from the onions. Then followed by the potatoes and green peppers dipped similarly.

Drain them on a paper towel for a minute. Serve warm with ketchup or mint/coriander chutney.

I am entering this dish into the EFM-Savories event hosted by SrishKitchen.

I am entering this dish to the “Winter Treat” event hosted by Recipe Center.

Chickpeas-Mint Patties

A simple and healthy snack with insanely great flavors. With the lemon-cilantro-garlic sauce, it’s a marriage made in heaven!

1 13 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 tbsp dried mint
1 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp cumin powder
3/4 tsp coriander powder
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 tsp salt

Preheat oven to  400F

In a blender, add the the chickpeas, mint, red chilli powder, cumin seeds, cumin and coriander powders, garlic and salt. Pulse blend a few times with no extra water added. Drop the egg and blend completely. Transfer the mixture to a bowl.

Grease a baking tray or a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray liberally. Drop a tablespoon of spoonful of mixture on the sheet and gently flatten them with the back of your spoon.Make the rest of the mixture into patties and place then an inch apart.

Bake for 15 minutes until one side is browned and turn them over and bake 10 more minutes until completely crispy. Serve warm with the cilantro-garlic dipping sauce.

I am entering this dish into the EFM-Savories event hosted by SrishKitchen.

Fettucini with Caramelized Onions and Green Peppers

Thanks to the torrential down pour with 50 mph winds, I get to eat this for dinner!  What’s better on a cold rainy day than hot creamy pasta. This version is sweet from the caramelized onions and spicy(ofcourse!) from the serrano, creamy and hearty thanks to the béchamel.

3 tbsp butter
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 serrano peppers, minced
1 bay leaf
1 large onion, sliced thin lengthwise
1 cup peas (i use frozen peas)
2 green bell peppers, seeds removed and sliced lengthwise
1 tsp salt
1 tsp coriander powder
1/4 tsp cumin powder
2-3 cups béchamel sauce
1 tbsp dried basil
2 tbsp cilantro, washed and finely chopped
1 pound fettucini

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fettucini and cook until al dente according to package instructions (Around 8-9 minutes). Drain and set aside.

Melt butter in a large pan and add garlic and serrano peppers. After a few seconds add the onions and bay leaf. Cook on high heat until the onions are caramelized. Add the green peppers, peas, salt, cumin and coriander powder. Mix well and cook for 5-6 minutes until the peppers just start softening.

Lower the heat to medium-low and add the béchamel sauce. I used 2 cups, you can use 3 cups if you like your pasta with a lot of sauce. Add the basil, cilantro and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the pasta into this sauce, mix well together so all the pasta is coated with the creamy sauce and serve with your favorite bread.

I am sending this recipe to Culinarty’s Original Recipes.

Quesadilla – A quick Indian inspired version

After a long day at work or at home, making different things to eat is always frustrating and puzzling! I always wonder how my mom managed to cook different meals 3 times a day every single day, and work full time, and have kids and still stand at the end of the day! Kudos to my mom and mothers everywhere.

This dish will hopefully make your lives a little easier!  It’s quick, easy and tasty.

4 flour tortillas (You could also use chapattis/rotis)

1 cup shredded cheese (I use a mixture or monterey jack, pepper jack and cheddar)
1/3 cup Pickled jalapenos (optional)

For the Filling :
1 large onion, thinly sliced lengthwise
1 large tomato, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped into 2 inch pieces
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped
1 jalapeno, finely chopped (discard seeds for a milder flavor)
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/4 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp canola oil

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic, jalapenos and fry for 30 seconds. Add onions and stir fry until onions are cooked and completely translucent. Add tomatoes and cook for 4-5 minutes until they breakdown and start to form a sauce with the onion. Add green bell peppers, salt, coriander and cumin powders and mix well . Cook 7-8 minutes until the spices mellow and the bell pepper softens. Stir in cilantro, remove from heat and set aside.

Grease a non-stick pan with cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Place one tortilla in the pan and spread one tablespoon of the veggie filling evenly just shy of the edges. Evenly sprinkle 1/2 cup of the cheeses over the filling and top with 3-4 pickled jalapenos. (To make the dish mild, skip this step with the extra pickled jalapenos)

Top the second tortilla over this and gently press down and the filling will gently fill out to the edges. Turn the quesadilla over and cook until this side crisps and browns. Remove and let cool.

Make the rest of the tortillas, filling and cheese into quesadillas. Once they are easy to handle and cooled down for a few minutes, halve or quarter them and serve with sour cream.

I have sent this recipe to Culinarty’s Original Recipes.