Veggie Pasta

This is a an easy and quick recipe that is loved at our home. I use the bow-tie pasta as my daughter likes that shape but you can use any type of pasta for this recipe. I generally dont use any cheese as the white sauce gives a creamy taste but if you do like to have a cheesy pasta, then in the end add some grated rennet free cheese just before serving.

Ingredients

For Cooking Pasta

• 1 cup Pasta
• 1 tbsp Olive Oil
• Water (to cover the Pasta)

For Pasta Sauce

• 1 tbsp Butter
• 1 tbsp All Purpose Flour (Maida)
• 1/4 cup Milk
• 1 tbsp Tomato Paste (or 1 Tomato pureed)
• 1/4 tsp Oregano 
• 1/4 tsp Turmeric
• 1/4 tsp Red Chilly Powder (Adjust to taste)
• 1/2 tsp Salt (Adjust to taste)

Additional

• 1 cup chopped Vegetables (Cauliflower, Carrots, Peas, Beans, Corn)

Set Dosa (Sponge Dosa)

This is a popular dish of Karnataka. This dosa comes out so soft like a sponge that it is also called sponge dosa and it tastes great even when it is not hot.

Ingredients

• 4 Raw rice
• 1 cup Avil (Poha or beaten rice)
• 1/2 cup Urad dal
• 2 tsp Methi seeds
• 1 tsp Salt (Adjust to taste)

Paneer Butter Masala

This does not require any introduction as this is the most popular side dish for Rotis/Chappatis/Naan.
I wanted to retain the awesome taste of this dish and keep it nutritous as well, so I have replaced the heavy cream with sweet potatoes and skipped the red coloring that is generally added in the Indian restaurants.

Ingredients

• 4 medium Tomatoes
• 1 small Sweet Potato
• 1 medium Carrot
• 1 tsp Butter
• 2 Cardamom
• 1" piece Cinamon
• 4 Cloves
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 1 tsp Kasuri Methi
• 1/4 tsp Turmeric
• 1/4 tsp Red Chilly Powder (Adjust to Taste)
• 1/4 tsp Asafoetida
• 1/4 cup Cashews
• 1" piece Ginger
• 1 Green Chilly (Adjust to taste)
• 1/2 tsp Salt (Adjust to Taste)
• 1 cup Paneer cut into cubes

Method

1. Wash and peel the carrot and sweet potato and cook them in a pressure cooker along with tomatoes, ginger, green chilly and cashews for 3 whistles.
2. While this is getting cooked, boil the paneer cubes in water with a pinch of turmeric till they become soft. (Alternately you may deep fry the paneer pieces)
3. Once the veggies are cooked, blend that mixture in a blender along with cardamom, cinnamon, cloves.
4. Heat a deep pan and add the butter, asafoetida  and bay leaf. Then add the blended mixture to the pan along with turmeric, red chilly powder, salt and kasuri methi, Heat on a low flame for a few minutes so that the tastes blend in. Add the paneer pieces and allow it to simmer for a few more minutes and serve hot with Roti/Chappathi/Naan.

Rava Dosa

Rava Dosa is an instant variety of dosa that does not require any soaking/fermenting time and it is also very easy, crispy and quick to make. 

Ingredients

• 1 cup Rava (Semolina)
• 1/4 cup Rice flour
• 2 green chillies finely chopped
• 1 tsp Ginger finely chopped
• 2 tbsp chopped Coriander
• 1/2 tsp Salt (Adjust to taste)
• 1 tsp Jeera
• 1/4 tsp Asafoetida

Method

1. Mix all the above ingredients with water so that the batter has a runny consistency.
2. Heat the tawa on high and pour a laddle on the tawa. You cannot spread this batter like a normal dosa. You have to pour it around. If you are unable to pour the batter freely or if the dosa comes out too thick, then add more water to the batter.
3. Decrease the heat to medium and flip the dosa over when it is completely cooked on the down side.
4. Once the other side is also cooked, remove it from the tawa and serve it hot. 
5. Repeat the above process for the remaining batter to make yummy hot instant Rava dosas!

Pav Bhaji

Pav Bhaji is a favorite dish among Indians. Pav is a type of bun and Bhaji is a spicy dish of mixed vegetables. You may add any vegetable of your liking in the Bhaji and if you don't eat Potatoes, you may swap it with Raw Bananas. If you add beetroot your bhaji will have a red colour as below so don't be intimidated by the colour!!

Ingredients:

• 2 Potatoes peeled and diced
• 1 cup Cauliflower florets
• 1 cup cut Mixed Vegetables (Carrots, beans, green peas, corn, sweet potato, beetroot)
• 2 tbsp Butter
• 2 Green Chilies 
• 1 tbsp finely chopped Ginger
• 2 Tomatoes chopped
• 1/2 tsp Red chili powder
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
• 2 Cardamom
• 6 Cloves
• 1 tsp Jeera
• 1/4 tsp Asafoetida
• 2" pieces of Cinnamon
• 1 Bay leaf
• 1 tsp Kasuri Methi
• 1 tbsp Saunf
• 2 tsp Salt (Adjust to taste)
• 1 tsp Sambar Powder
• 1 tbsp lemon juice (Adjust to taste)
• 1/4 cup chopped Coriander leaves
• Pav Buns (As required)

Method:

1. Pressure cook the mixed vegetables along with the cauliflower and potato for 3-4 whistles.
2. Heat a pan and add the butter, asafoetida, bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and Jeera. When the jeera starts to crackle, add the ginger, green chillies and tomatoes and saute the tomatoes till it is cooked nicely to a pulp.
3. Add the cooked vegetables, turmeric, red chilly powder, saunf, kasuri methi, salt and sambar powder and mix well. Mash the vegetables as you stir and adjust the consistency of the gravy by adding water if required (This bhaji should be thick so don't add too much water) Cover the pan and simmer for 5 minutes so that the tastes blend in well.
4. Switch off the stove and add the lemon juice and coriander and server hot with pav buns toasted with butter.