CREAMY WHITE SAUCE PASTA

Hey all ! I am back with another interesting yet 
easy recipe.. "Creamy white sauce pasta":-)
The best part is this a low fat version.. I used 
2% organic milk, Corn starch & Olive oil 
instead of butter, all purpose flour & whole milk..
Lets enjoy yummy & creamy pasta :-)   

CREAMY WHITE SAUCE PASTA RECIPE:

Recipe cuisine: Continental / Recipe category: Main Course

 Prep time: 20 mins / cook time: 20 mins

INGREDIENTS:
Corn starch : 2 tblsp
Milk : 2 cups
Olive Oil : 4 tblsp
Salt : As needed
Black Pepper: As needed
Italian Seasoning : As needed
Elbow pasta : 200 gms
Water : As needed
Mix Veggie : 2 Cups*
METHOD:
Preheat oven to 350*F.
Pressure cook the pasta with water & olive oil for 1 whistle.
Turn off the stove. Keep the cooker aside. Let it cool down.
Use water double the quantity of the pasta. 

Slice the mix veggies evenly as shown below.

Heat the pan with oil, add the mix veggies.

Mix the veggies well. Add salt, pepper & Italian seasoning.

Mix the seasoning well & let it cook for 3 to 4 mins in low flame.
Pls make sure the veggies stay crunchy & not over cooked.
I cooked the veggies without covering it.

Now open the cooker, drain the water from pasta completely.
Keep it aside.

Now in another pan, add 2 tblsp olive oil & 2 tblsp corn starch.
Pls keep the flame medium to low. So the mixture will not be burnt.
Mix well without any lumps.

Now add 2 cups of milk. Mix well. Continue stirring the milk with the 
corn starch mixture till it dissolved completely. Pls keep the flame low.
Add salt & pepper as required.

Cook the milk mixture now for 3 to 5 mins in low flame.
The milk mixture will start to thicken as shown in the 
below pics.

Now in a square cake pan, place aluminium foil as shown below.
Take the sauce, mix veggies & pasta shells.

Arrange a layer of pasta, then mix veggie.

Add the sauce & arrange another layer of pasta & veggie.
Add more sauce for the last layer as shown below.
Reserve some veggies for garnish later.

Now bake the pasta for 12 to 15 mins at 350*F.
Please check around 10 mins as oven power may vary.

=

Now take out the pan. Garnish with remaining mix veggie & seasoning 
on top (Optional).

Enjoy yummy & creamy pasta with mix veggies :-)

NOTES:
* Mix veggies - I used green onions, green capsicum, carrots, broccoli & green peas.
Any mix veggie can be used as per our taste.
* Please make sure the veggies are crunchy & not over cooked.
*Please make sure to cook the sauce in low flame only.
If not the sauce will burn & form big lumps.
* Grated Cheese (any kind) can be added to the sauce. 
* Pressure cook the pasta exactly for one whistle & turn off flame.
If not pasta will be over cooked & mushy.
* This pasta can be made without veggies as well.

Please do try and give your feedback..

Your comments and feedback are really important to me:-)

Happy happy yummy yummy cooking..
See you all soon with more interesting recipes :-)

ARISIMAAVU KOZHUKATTAI (STEAMED RICE FLOUR MODHAK WITH VEGGIES)

Hey all ! I am back with another very easy &

interesting recipe.. Kozhukattai / Modhak is usually

made during Ganesh Chathurthi & festive 

occasions in India.. There are different types of 

Modhaks & I have made some changes as per my taste :-)

Typically veggies are not added in modhak, I did to 

give a twist & came out good.. Lets begin !!

RICE FLOUR MODHAK RECIPE:
Recipe Cuisine : Indain / Recipe category : Snack
Prep time : 15 mins / Cook time : 10 mins
INGREDIENTS:
Rice Flour : 1 cup
Water : 1 & 1/2 cup 
Salt : as required
Hing : 1 pinch
Mustard seeds : 1 tsp
Cumin seeds : 1 tsp
Urad dal & Channa dal : 1 tblsp
Ginger : 1 tblsp (grated)
Green chilly : 3 pcs (chopped)
Curry leaf : 2 tsp (chopped)
Carrot : 1 /4 cup (grated)
green peas : 1/4 cup (frozen)
Coriander leaf : 1/4 cup (chopped)
Coconut : 1/4 cup grated (Frozen)
Oil : As required 
METHOD:
1) Prepare the veggies by chopping & grating accordingly.
Heat oil in pan, once oil is hot add hing & then mustard.

2) Once mustard splutters, add cumin seeds & then urad dal-channa dal.
Let the dal change it to golden brown colour.

3) Now add grated ginger, green chilly & curry leaf & cook for 30 seconds.

4) Add the carrot, green peas & salt. Mix well. Cook for a min.

5) Now add 1 & 1/2 cup water to this mixture. Cover the pan
with lid & cook in medium to high flame.

6) Now prepare the chopped coriander leaf & grated coconut.
In another pan, boil hot water side by side.

7) Now measure 1 cup of rice flour & keep ready.
Check the veggie mixture, water should be boiling.

8) Now slowly add the rice flour to boiling water &
mix well without forming any lumps. Now if it is too
sticky add few tsps of rice flour or if it is too dry add
few tsps of  boiling water. I didnt add anything as the
consistency was fine.

9) Now turn off the stove & then add the chopped
coriander leaf & coconut. Mix well evenly.

10) Take a bowl & grease it with oil or butter.
I greased the modhak mould with oil as well.

11) Start filling the modhak mould as shown in the pics below.

12) After trimming the excess it will have a good shape.

13) Prepare the cooker with water for steaming.

14) We can shape the modhak using hands as well.

15) Arrange the modhak in the greased container.
Place it in the cooker.

16) Steam it without whistle for 10 mins.
The modhak would have increased in size after steaming.                                                    

                                                           
Enjoy Modhak with Chutney or spice powder :-)

NOTES:
* Adding veggies is optional. Onions & garlic can also be added.
* Pls adjust or avoid green chilly as per your taste.
* For 1 cup of rice flour 1 & 1/4 water can be used. I added 1 & 1/2 
because of the veggies.
* Always stand by boiling water & extra flour to adjust the consistency 
after adding mixture to water.
* Adding coconut & coriander leaf is optional as well.
* I used frozen coconut, fresh coconut can also be used.

Please do try and give your feedback..

Your comments and feedback are really important to me:-)

Happy happy yummy yummy cooking..
See you all soon with more interesting recipes :-)