Pasta – Desi style

This dish is one of Mom’s weekend dinner special. She knows we love this dish and prepares it at least 2 hours ahead of our dinner time – so that we could snack on it before sitting for dinner. Now that I have been in the US for about 2 years… it feels funny to have Pasta made at home in a very non italian way. But all the pasta set aside…nothing taste better than My Moms homemade Pasta. This is my Mom’s macaroni recipe – I had shelled pasta and used the same for this recipe.

This is what you need:
2 cups shell pasta – boiled
1 medium onion – finely chopped
2 medium tomatoes – finely chopped
1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
2-3 dry red chillies
2 teaspoon – coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon – dry mango powder
1/2 teaspoon – red chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon – turmeric powder
1/4 cup – shredded carrot (optional)
1/4 cup – bell pepper strips (optional)
2-3 tablespoons cilantro
1/2 cup hot water
salt to taste
2 tablespoons oil

This is how you make:
Step 1 – take a non-stick sauce pan. On medium flame – heat oil, add cumin seeds, red chilli and onion. saute onion for about a minute and add salt. Add ginger garlic paste and saute for another minute. Now add tomatoes – coriander powder, chilli powder, turmeric powder, dry mango powder, shredded carrot and bell peppers. Let them all cook together till tomatoes become pulpy.
Step 2 – Once the tomatoes are pulpy – increase the heat and stir for about a minute or so mixing all the ingredients together. Now add hot water and bring it to a boil (Adding hot water will only quicken the cooking process…adding cold water or water at room temperature – slows cooking time.)
Step 3 – Bring it back to medium heat – Now add the pasta and gently stir – mixing it will the all the ingredients in the pan. Add cilantro – cover and let it cook for 5 mins. Taste and check for doneness. Adjust spices accordingly and serve.

All of us in the family had our own way of eating – we used to eat it with rice OR with Dal, Chawal (rice) OR with roti.

I was the early snacker and this is how I ate – 😀

I am sending this recipe to Lisa’s Kitchen – http://foodandspice.blogspot.com/2012/02/celebration-of-indian-food-and-giveaway.html – Come join and celebrate! 🙂