Pumpkin Puree Penne Pasta

A simple winter vegetation recipe today – Pumpkin Puree Penne Pasta

Always on the lookout for new and simple recipes, and this time I was bored with cooking the regular penne pasta in red sauce. So I tried to replicate a Pumpkin Puree Penne Pasta recipe that I once tasted at a Mumbai Fine Dining Restaurant.  It turned out slightly sweet yet with added spices, it was a delicious combination. This is a totally vegetarian recipe but a delightful one so go ahead and try it out.  It made such a fabulous dinner treat for my family. 

Here is the secret to this easy pumpkin pasta sauce! I never used heavy cream, just the puree of pumpkin with Extra Virgin olive oil instead, which brought in a healthy spin to the contemporary recipe.  I have used penne pasta for this recipe however you can try fusiili or Rigatoni or any other type of pasta.  

Ingredients

3 cloves garlic

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup milk

2 cups of pasta

1 tomato 

Half  kg  pumpkin

1 tsp red chili flakes

1 tsp pepper powder

A dash of cinnamon powder

Salt to taste teaspoon salt

Spring onion greens for garnish 

Method

1. Take a pot of water, let the water boil; now add the pasta, a dash of salt and oil. After it boils, keep it on simmer for ten to fifteen minutes. To check if pasta is done just press with fingers, it should feel firm yet cut through. Switch off the gas, and strain the pasta in cold water. 

2. Remove the skin of the pumpkin and chop it into large pieces. Place the pieces of pumpkin and tomato in a pressure cooker with one cup of water.  Pressure cooker the pumpkin for 3 to 4 whistles.  Let it cool, now open the pressure cooker and puree the pumpkin in a blender or mixer. 

3. Add Olive oil to a pan, to this add chopped garlic. Sauté the garlic for 1 to 2 minutes, then carefully add the pumpkin puree, milk, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Stir well to make a good paste. Stir it on low flame.

4. Now add the boiled pasta, and toss it with a light hand. Add greens of spring onion and serve it hot.

Option

You can add parmesan cheese shavings to enhance the flavors. We generally use butter for this recipe but today I used Disano Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

, Olive oil is definitely a healthier and better choice for cooking. 

 Why Disano Olive Oil?

It is obtained from High-Quality Spanish Olives. 
It is also good for daily Indian Cooking.
It can be used in paratha, pulao, pulses & any kind of meat and vegetable preparations.
It also can be used for deep Fry, sautéing, grilling and many more cooking techniques.
It does not change the original taste of the food. 

 It gets absorbed less in food, ensuring a low intake of oil.
 It has a high smoking point which makes it ideal for deep frying.
 Active in- Rich in Mufa & Pufa/, 0 cholesterol that will keep the Heart of our family healthy.

You can even check out this very simple Pasta Recipe here
And the Pumpkin Halwa Recipe here

Parsi Recipe - Methi par Eedu, Eggs with Fenugreek

Hello.
Wishing all my readers and recipe lovers a very happy and prosperous 2020. May it be a healthy one filled with good wholesome food. Cooking with love for your family be your priority and may you cherish each meal moment with them.

Today was the first day of 2020. And I wished to pack my husband tiffin with something easy and freshly cooked. This recipe of Bhajji per eedu took 20 minutes to prepare. I got it done while he was reading his morning paper over a cup of tea.

Actually, the combination of vegetables with protein is the best option in a Parsi household. I used small methi (fenugreek). It is slightly bitter but very nutritious.

For Methi Par Eeda Recipe with two eggs

Ingredients 

2 cups Fenugreek (washed and cut)
2 eggs
1 bunch spring onions
1 tbsp oil
2 tomatoes
1 chopped green chilly
1/2 tsp ginger - garlic paste
1 tsp red chili powder
1/2  tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp white vinegar
A small piece of jaggery
1 tsp chopped coriander leaves
Salt to taste

Method

1 Wash and finely chop the methi leaves. Chop spring onions and tomatoes too.

2. Heat oil in a deep non-stick pan. Add onion bulbs and sauté till pinkish in color.  Add chopped chilies and ginger garlic paste. Stir for another  30 seconds.

3. Now add the methi leaves and spring onion greens and stir on low flame for 2 to 3 minutes

4. Now add the chopped tomato, salt, chili powder, cumin powder, and coriander powder, mix and cook for 1-2 minutes.

5  The fenugreek and tomatoes will leave the water and cook in itself. Cover and cook, it will take lesser time.

6  Gradually add the vinegar and jaggery and mix it well. Cover and cook on low heat till water dries 

7. Now transfer the mixture into a flat non-stick pan and it spread evenly. Place the pan on heat.

8. Break the eggs, one by one. See that the yolks don't split. Keep some distance between the two eggs

9. Place a lid on the pan. And add a little water on top of the lid.  Cover and cook 3-4 minutes.

10. Open the lid, sprinkle salt and chopped coriander leaves.

11. Cut a slice with the egg. Serve with hot chappatis and ketchup.

Note

If you feel the methi is burning at the bottom, add a little water before topping it with eggs

You can beat the eggs and add the layer of beaten eggs as an option. This gives a more even finish.

Add a tablespoon of ketchup while cooking the fenugreek leaves if you enjoy a sweet taste to your dish.

You can also check wafer par eedu recipe here

Chicken in apple sauce - Christmas recipe

Merry Christmas Friends!!

Every Christmas Season I try to stir up something new and interesting. It was Christmas eve so how could I not do a chicken recipe.

With abundance of apples in the market against the steep rising prices of onions, I asked a few of my Instagram friends for recipes with apples. A foodie friend suggested Apple Chicken but a crumb fried version. I took his suggestion seriously however I did another simpler version of Chicken in apple sauce.

The sweetness of apples while combined with spice of green chilly did the trick with flavors. Cream and cashew adds to the richness of the dish, afterall it is a happy occasion of Christmas and a little indulgence is permitted.

Ingredients

1 tbsp cooking oil
500 gms Chicken pieces
2 apples
Handful of cashew nuts
1 tsp ginger - garlic paste
2 green chillies
1 tbsp fresh cream
1 tbsp barbecue sauce
Salt/ pepper to taste.

Method

1. Wash the chicken and apply ginger garlic paste, barbecue sauce and keep aside.

2. Coarsely chop the apples, remove seeds and skin.

3. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add the cashew nuts, green chilies  and chopped apples. Saute on medium heat for 2 -3 minutes.

4. Now switch off the gas and grind the apple and cashews to make a paste.

5. Brown the chicken in the same pan and cook for five minutes turning on both sides.

6. Stir in the apple puree, pepper and salt.

7. Cover and cook  the mixture till chicken is done.

8. Keep the frame and low, and add the fresh cream to the chicken. 

9. Let the gravy thicken. Garnish with parsley.

10. Serve this with buttered pav or herbed rice.

Note

Add more chillies if you want more spice.
Any kind of apples can be used in this dish
You can use onions instead of cashews to make it less in calorie count.
Using boneless chicken  cooks the dish faster.

What a perfect Christmas dinner for two this was.

 

Instant Maharashtrian Thalipeeth Recipe

Thalipeeth is a savory flatbread, a very common Maharashtrian dish. It is part of the Marathi cuisine for a long time. It is generally served at breakfast and also eaten as a snack. The dough is prepared from a flour called bhajanee. Several flours are mixed together with greens and other spices. Slow roasted in ghee or butter and served with ghee, butter, curd, chutney or mango pickle.

 

Did you know?🤔Thalipeeth is an age-old Maharashtrian traditional recipe that is extremely healthy, nutritious and filling. Women back then made Thalipeeth when she had small qualities of various flours. It is also commonly called Pitla. I was first introduced to Thalipeeth by my Maharashtrian maid in Childhood. One is never enough, you always crave for a second piping hot Pitla on your Thaat(plate)

Ingredients

1 cup Fenugreek Leaves(Methi)/
Or
Palak leaves
1 Finely Chopped onion
2 Green Chillies
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup Jowar Flour (Sorghum)
1/2 cup Ragi Flour (Finger Millet)
1/2 cup Gram flour (besan)
1 teaspoon Red chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon Turmeric powder
1/4 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 cup yogurt
1/4 tsp asafoetida (hing)
Salt to taste
Oil / ghee for smearing

Method

1)Wash and roughly chop up the fenugreek leaves and keep this aside in a bowl.

2)Take a  mixing bowl, add the whole wheat flour, jowar flour, ragi flour, besan, turmeric, red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, salt and mix well with a spoon.

3)Now add in the chopped fenugreek, green chili and onions.

4)Now make a firm Thalipeeth dough using curd and lukewarm water. By adding water slowly bit by bit, you can assure that all the ingredients are mixed well together.

5) Divide the dough into equal parts, press each ball down on a wet surface to make a round roti with your fingers. Let it not be too thin. If you wish you can cut it into a perfect circle with the help of a round plate. Make small slits or cuts in Thalipeeth so it cools evenly.

6)Now preheat the pan or skillet on medium heat.

7)Transfer the patted thalipeeth on the preheated skillet carefully so that it doesn't break.

8) Pour a teaspoon of oil or butter around and let the Thalipeeth cook on the base for about 4 minutes.

9)Flip over the thalipeeth and cook on the other side. Cook on slow so that it cooks evenly and crisps on the outside.

10) Prepare the rest of the Thalipeeths in the same way.

11) Serve it piping hot with the accompaniment of your choice.

Instant Maharashtrian Thalipeeth Recipe

Note

1. You can use grated cucumber or bottle gourd instead of methi or palak leaves.
2. Grate a small amount of ginger during winter months for that added heat and deliciousness. 

Want a Change?
Welcome, Morya foods. It's an instant mix of your favorite Thalipeeth. Four delicious prepared Thalipeeth in one packet. You need to keep it frozen and heat and eat. Authentic flavors and very easy to prepare

Morya foods are available on big basket and you can also check Moryafoods for their range of products.

Benefits of eating figs and two fresh fig recipes

Figs are a fleshy fruit with multiple seeds and very delicate skin. It is a member of the Mulberry family. Figs are sweetish and pulpy to taste that is why it can be crushed to make juices and smoothies. Figs are also dried preserved and eaten like candy. This is because of its high sugar content.  In India, figs are called anjeer and are also considered as a superfood. 

Let us first learn more about this superfood and then learn two easy recipes to enjoy it better 

The benefit of Fresh Figs

1. A fig is a good source of dietary fiber that will make you feel satiated. So, besides being a great option for healthy eating options, it will make you lose weight too.

2. Also known for its beauty-enhancing properties skin, figs can make you glow like a glowworm. Mash two ripened figs and apply the mix on your face for 15 minutes. It also helps to reduce blemishes and acne.

3. Figs are high in alkaline content, so it can control acid levels in the body. Scientific studies show that figs lower triglyceride levels too. 

4. High in the potassium content, figs help regulate blood pressure and hypertension.

5. Dried figs have high levels of phenol antioxidants, which aid and fight against the damage caused by free radicals.  The calcium in figs makes bones stronger.

6. People suffering from iron deficiency must have figs daily. It is an excellent source of antioxidants that help build g red blood cells, which carry oxygen throughout the body.

I love chomping on figs; however, this time I made two interesting recipes with them. One was a low cal healthy dessert and the second was my post-workout energy smoothie. Note the ingredients and recipes below. 

Honey Fried Figs with Walnuts

 Ingredients

4 ripe figs
1 tsp butter
1 tbsp honey
handful of walnuts
dash of wine

Method


1. Slice the figs with the skin.


2. Add butter in the pan, let it melt and then switch off-gas. Add the walnuts and honey and wine and stir till walnuts get coated with honey.


3. In the same pan, place the sliced figs and place over a slow flame for 30 seconds, turn and cook again for 30 seconds. Over cooking them makes it mushy.

4. Now in a dish, place the figs, top it with walnuts and drizzle a little more honey over it. 

5. Cool it in the refrigerator before serving.

6. You can add some cream cheese over the fig as an option too.

Makes a delicious appetizer/dessert. 

Fig Almond Smoothie

Ingredients


2 figs
1 cup milk/ curd
1 tbsp honey
A sprinkle of cinnamon
3 almonds
1 scoop protein powder (optional)

Method

1. Grind the almond, figs and protein powder together. 

2. Add the milk and honey and blend all the ingredients together.

3. Chill and serve.

4. You can add dates instead of honey. Even combine a banana with figs, it tastes delicious.

KITCHEN TIPS FOR EVERY WOMAN!!

How often do we face problems in the kitchen? 
Cooking for the first time? 
Trying out a new recipe? 
Or just not familiar with a recipe? 
In that case, do you refer to Google, use your intuition or call your mother up for advice. 
Well, I have listed out some really helpful Kitchen tips for every woman.  

 KITCHEN TIPS FOR EVERY WOMAN!!

1. If ever you happen to over-salt a pot of soup, just drop in a piece of potato. The potato will absorb the extra salt.

2. When you boil eggs in a pan, add a spot of salt to keep the shells from splitting and breaking.

3. Never put citrus fruits(Oranges, Lemons, limes, and so forth) or tomatoes in the refrigerator. The low temperatures corrupt the smell and kind of these fruits. (That's the reason our tomatoes don't last in the ice chest)

4. To clean an iron tawa, don't utilize cleansers. Simply scour them with salt and a spotless, dry paper towel.

5.  Keep curry leaves fresher and for a longer time by keeping them with fenugreek seeds in an airtight box. If you land up with excess curry leaves, remove from the stem, pop them in a microwave oven for 1 minute. They will dry up. Later grind them in a mixer to make curry powder to use later.

6. In the event that you are making gravy and it gets burnt at the bottom. Do not panic, transfer the rest to a new dish. Include a little sugar and keep stirring. The sugar will absorb the burnt flavors and the gravy tastes good too.

7. For quick dinner ideas, soak beans like rajma and chole and strain to refrigerate it.  Later use it for a quick salad or gravy to save time.

8. To check the age of eggs, place them in a bowl of water. Eggs that stay on the base are new. In the event that just one comes up, the egg is less new and ought to be utilized soon. In the event that it floats immediately, it could be spoilt.

9. To get rid of ants from the kitchen, discover where they are coming in and spread the gap with oil jelly(Vaseline). Ants won't trek through the jam. In the event that they are going under an entryway, draw a line on the floor with chalk. The little bugs moreover won't cross a line of chalk.

10. Try not to store your bananas in a bunch. Separate your bananas and place each in an alternate area. Bananas discharge gases which cause natural products (counting different bananas) to age rapidly. Isolating them will keep them crisp longer.

11. To keep potatoes from sprouting, put an apple in with them. This is proven with experimenting, that potatoes last longer.

12. Store green chilies wrapped in a tissue paper to make it last longer.

13. After boiling pasta or potatoes, strain the water and keep aside.  Cool the water, what's more, use it to water your home plants. The water contains supplements that will make your plants bloom

14. While defrosting meat from the cooler, pour some vinegar over it. In addition to the fact that it tenderizes the meat; it will likewise cut down the solidifying temperature of the meat and cause it to defrost speedier. Note,  every lady ought to have vinegar in her kitchen.

15. Do you cry while stripping off onions, at that point attempt this? In the wake of stripping off your onions, refrigerate the onions for at least 5minutes, at that point dice it. You will be happy you did.

16. For aluminum dishes that are looking dull, just heat up some apple strips in them. This will light up up the aluminum and make your home smell yummy.

17. When your salt gathers moisture and looks lumpy, put a couple grains of rice in with it to absorb the extra dampness.

18.  keep an aloe vera plant by your kitchen window. It's significant when you accidentally cut your hand. Simply scrape the leaf and rub the gel from where you have got hurt.

19. When making a soup, sauce, that is extra oily or greasy on the top, just drop an ice cube. The ice will draw in the fat, which you would then be able to scoop out. This does something amazing

20. If you wish to reuse cooking oil for frying but want to remove the previous taste it has developed,  cook a 1/4″ bit of ginger in the oil. It will expel any remaining flavors and smells.

 21.When tomatoes are cheap, purree them and store in it ice cubes. Later take a few frozen pieces as and when required for cooking.

22. Skip recipes that have onions as a base, onions are frightfully expensive plus take a long time to cook in a recipe. Stir fry veggies or sprout salads with don't require onions is a good option for a 20-minute prep and serve the meal.

23. And my last tip to all my fellow Indian multi-tasking ladies is to use the pressure cooker to your advantage. It cooks faster, uses less gas and retains food flavors. A real asset in the kitchen. Invest in a really good quality brand. 

Caramelized Rice Kheer - Rice Payasam

Decided to do something different from the regular this time. Plain rice kheer was too simple and plain, so made a caramelized Rice kheer this Diwali. This delicious and quick kheer is easy and you can stir it under 30 minutes. It has a delightful caramel flavor and I promise you cannot stop at one spoonful.

Note the simple ingredients easily found in the kitchen,  stir it up for your family and guests this Diwali. This Rice Payasam cn be savoured hot or cold. You can make it with cooked rice to ease out the procedure. Sweetannu believes in easy methods to simplify cooking and save time in the kitchen.

Fruitss and nuts add flavour to kheer

Ingredients

1 liter  Milk

2 Cups Cooked Basmati Rice
5 tbsp Sugar
1/4 tsp  cardamom powder
1 tsp  chopped cashew nuts
1 tsp almonds
1 tbsp Raisins and fruit peels

Method

1.  Wash the rice and cook thoroughly strain and keep aside for using during kheer preparation.

2. Heat a heavy-bottomed pan. Once it is hot, add half the sugar. Let it melt and caramelize until golden brown in color. Keep stirring so it doesn't burn or brown.

3. Add the milk and sugar slowly to this. See that it doesn't splatter. Mix well and let it boil.

4. Mash the cooked rice with a back of a spoon. Now add this to the boiling milk.

5. Add the rest of the sugar and cardamom powder. Cook until the rice blends and cools over medium heat. Stir periodically.

6. Keep stirring on slow flame until the rice is cooked well and the caramelized kheer is slightly thick.

7. Mix half of the nuts and raisins while cooking. Now remove from fire.

8. Garnish with the rest of nuts and now your Caramelized Kheer is ready to be served.

9. You can serve it warm or chilled. Both ways it's very enjoyable and perfect for the festive season of Diwali.

Check out the recipe for Healthy Butter Cookies