Pasta is our all time favorite recipe and you can make any variety of pasta for the dish – I like small shell pasta as it seems to have a very nice crunchy texture and also has more surface area to absorb the flavors of the sauce. It turned out to be such a wholesome, hearty and finger-licking-delicious dish and takes under 30 minutes to prepare. 

Shell Pasta with Vegetable in Tomato Sauce satisfies the craving for a sweet-spicy Italian style flavored pasta. This is an easy, delicious, and satisfying vegetarian pasta recipe. Pasta is my all time favourite for breakfast. It easy to whip up and filling for the morning & evening dose. Though I have tried different types of pastas. I am always trying new cuisines in my kitchen, I had tried to make this pasta recipe in "Italian cuisine” style. Me and my hubby loves all pasta savoury recipes
The ingredients were all familiar from the popular Italian dishes and I though it was good enough a substitute for me to get started with try to some Italian recipe. This turned out to be an awesome. Every time a recipe calls for basil or oregano or chili flakes, I just use some of this seasoning. 


If you are looking for similar recipes then do check veg macaroni-pasta in tomato sauce , pasta tomato sauce and homemade vegetable pizza recipe from scratch.

An easy recipe of shell pasta with veggies in tomato sauce. Let's start to make this easy and quick recipe with simple step-by-step process. 

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Serves: 4 – 6

Ingredients:

Shell Pasta (I used the small ones) – 2 cups
Finely chopped onions - 1 no
Garlic – 4 pods, minced
Cumin seeds / jeera - 1/2 tbsp
Tomatoes – 3 large, chopped
Capsicum, diced into bite size pieces – 1/2 cups (Any choice of vegetables)
Corns - 1/2 cup
Tomato puree - 1/2 cup
Tomato sauce - 3 to 4 tbsp
Italian seasoning – 1/2 tbsp or to taste
Pepper – 1/2 tsp
Cheese – 2 tbsp (any variety of your choice, I used Mozzarella),shredded
Butter – 3 tbsp
Salt to taste
Oil – 2 tbsp

Preparation Method:

Cooking the pasta:

It’s the same method for any pasta.

1. Heat water in a cooking pot and bring to a boil. Add salt & oil to season the pasta.

2. Add the pasta and let it cook it for 8-10 minutes (you can check it if you suspect it is done by taking one out with a fork – the pasta shells should be soft enough to pinch and cut open but not mushy or mash-able).

3. Turn off the heat & drain pasta well in a bowl. Place the drained pasta in the running cold water to stop the cooking process. You could add a few drops of oil and toss-up the pasta if you feel it might stick together.

Making the vegetables and tomato sauce :

1. While the pasta is cooking you can start working on the sauce.

2. Heat some butter in a heavy bottomed pan. On medium heat, add the jeera (I used cumin seeds to touch the Indian taste in Italian pasta, its optional) garlic and saute for 30 seconds until cooked, Once garlic will infuse its flavor then add the chopped onions & saute till translucent pink.

3. Add the vegetables, cook for 4-5 minutes on medium heat till crunchy. I used capsicum.


4. Add the corns, tomatoes, salt, chilli flakes, pepper & oregano. Mix well & cook covered for 5 mins. Tomatoes will turn slightly soft.

5. Add the tomatoes puree, Cover it with lid & cook it on for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. The liquid in the sauce would reduce down over time. 
Add the tomato sauce, check and add more salt if needed. Cook for another 3-5 minutes or until the vegetables are done but have a little bit crunch left in them and the liquid in the sauce has reduced to desired consistency.

Bringing it all together:

1. Add the cooked pasta shells, and mix it into the sauce, cooking for a couple of minutes and then turn off the heat.

2. Ladle the saucy pasta into serving dishes or bowls and add the shredded mozzarella cheese on top (about 1-2 tbsp per serving or to taste) for garnishing.

Happy Cooking & Enjoy :)

This is delicious, easy and healthy recipe for breakfast. Whole wheat flour or atta is easily available in every kitchen. It is an instant and easy recipe. This is famous among kids too, they love to have it. You can serve it with Dhaniya Chutney or tomato sauce. This is pure vegetarian recipe and healthy too. This is one of the most preferred food for those Fasting(vrat) days.

This is instant pancake recipe or you can have it anytime. In Bangalore, the weather is always pleasant and rain is falling anytime, for that time I am feeling to have it something like pakode's but for making pakode you need to spend more time, but I wanted to make any jhatpat recipe with tea and wanna to enjoy rain also. So, I made this salty whole wheat-flour pancake.  

This is a traditional recipe made from whole wheat flour, onion and with fresh herbs & spices. Serve with any green chutney and tomato sauce for a light dinner, or with tea or coffee.

You can make end number of pancake recipe like sweet cheela (punjabi meetha pooda) eggless chocolate pancake, potato pancake, veggie pancake and many more...
 
This is one easiest pancake which are having less ingredients and time also. For prepared this recipe, we need to be prepared batter first. Let's start to make this easy and quick recipe with simple step-by-step process.

Ingredients :

Whole wheat flour (atta) - 1 cup
Roughly chopped Onion  - 1 no
Green chilli chopped - 1 no
Jeera (cumin seeds) - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Red chilli powder - 1/4 tsp
Fresh Chopped coriander leaves - 2 tbsp
Water as required

Preparation Method :

1.  In a bowl combine together whole wheat flour, green chillies, salt, red chilli powder, chopped onions, chopped coriander leaves
and add sufficient water to make a thick but pouring consistency batter.
 
2. Heat a non stick pan or normal tawa on a medium heat with little bit oil. Pour a ladle full of batter on a tawa drizzle some oil and fry till golden brown on both the sides.
 
3. Cook in a low flame, once the one side is cooked. You can changed the other side of cheela with the help of Spatula and cook it well, you can see it in below picture. 

4. Once both the sides of the cheela or pancake has been browned, I lifted off them the tawa or pan and placed them on a plate.

5. Serve hot Atta cheela with green chutney or tomato sauce.



Happy Cooking & Enjoy :)

Namak Pare is very easy snack recipe. Namak Pare is also called mathri in North-India. It is a crunchy savoury snack. It is an easy recipe to make and excellent tea time snacks and are also made during festive occasions.

I gave a new name as "Crispy Salty Crackers" because they are crispy in taste and salty also and when we bite it, their sound is also cracking in mouth :D :)

It is fried savoury snacks that can be made up of all-purpose flour, suji and other ingredients. I saw so many of them, they used baking soda in namak pare, for fluffiness, I didn't use baking soda... always trying to avoid soda in cooking, as cooking soda is not good for our health.

I am eating namak pare from since my childhood time and I like it very much and a very good tea time snacks also. It is very famous snack prepared during festival time also.

You can make namak para in bulk and store them in air tight container and enjoy them with tea for next few weeks. You can make end number of namkeen's recipe at home then do check Poha chivda, Gujarati ghathia , besan sev and many more..

Let's start to make this easy and quick recipe with simple step-by-step process.

Ingredients :

All-purpose flour (maida) - 1 cup
Thin Sooji (Rava/ semolina) - 2 tbsp
Ajwain (Thymol seeds) - 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Oil - 2 tbsp
Warm water to stiff the dough

Preparation Method :

1. Take all purpose flour, coarse sooji, salt and carom seeds in a bowl. Mix well.

2. Add oil and rub it with flour mixture and it will resemble crumbly texture. Now add little warm  water at a time and knead into a stiff dough. Keep the dough aside for 15 minutes. 
3. Shape the dough into a ball and Roll it out into approx 1/4 -inch thick circle having about 7-8 inch diameter. Now, cut it vertically into 1-inch wide strips with knife. Cut them into halves by cutting it horizontally from the middle. ( Make multiple small sized long pricks using knife)

4. Heat oil in a kadai over medium flame. When oil is medium hot (make sure it is not smoking hot), deep fry over low flame until light golden brown and crispy from both sides. Flip once in between to fry both the sides evenly.

5. Drain them with slotted spoon and transfer over paper napkin in a plate. Repeat the process for remaining strips. Cool them to a room temperature and store in an airtight container. Consume them within 2-weeks.

6. Enjoy crispy namak para with tea or sweets of choice or by itself.

Happy Cooking & Enjoy :)

Palak dal is easy and nutritious dal recipe. This is one of the popular dal recipe as it combines the goodness of the arhar dal as well as palak (spinach) leaves. I have adapted this palak dal recipe from my Mother-in-law, who has been making this way for many years and make sumptuous south-indian food. I am lucky that I learn't from two cuisine from my mom and mom-in-law. I am Punjabi daughter cum south indian bahu :D

I can prepares this in two ways - with tomato-onion-palak tadka or plain palak tadka, but my husband love to eat this way which I am sharing with you with onion-tomato-palak tadka. It's easy, tasty and easy to prepare and flexibility in choosing locally grown lentils, it has become popular vegetarian dish in all parts of India with even at my home.

As we know, spinach has a high nutritional value and is extremely rich in antioxidants, iron, calcium, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E and vitamin K. Spinach and lentil goes very well together. 

Serve the dal palak with roti, parathas or plain steamed basmati rice. It will go well with jeera rice too.

If you are looking for more dal recipes then do check dal fry, punjabi dal makhani, dal amritsari, tangy sambar (toor) dal recipe.


Let's start to make this easy and quick recipe with simple step-by-step process.
 
Ingredients :Tuvar or arhar dal/pigeon pea lentils 
Chopped spinach/palak - 1 cup
Chopped Onion - 1 no
Chopped Tomato - 1 no
Chopped green chili/hari mirch -1 no
Chopped ginger/adrak - 1 inch
Garlic cloves - 3-4 nos finely chopped
Cumin seeds/shahi jeera - 1tsp
Asafoetida/hing - 1/4 tsp
Turmeric powder/haldi - 1/2 tsp
Red chili powder/lal mirch powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala - 1/4 to 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Water for pressure cooking the dals - 2 cups
Water to be added into dal - 3/4 cup
Oil - 3 tbsp

Preparation Method :

1. Clean and wash the lentils. Soak the dal for 10-15 minutes. Take the lentils in a pressure cooker with turmeric powder, add 2 cups of water and pressure cook for 3-4 minutes or till the dals become soft and mushy. Mash the dal with spoon and keep it aside.


2. For Tempering / Tadka
Step by step process : 

(2) In a pressure cooker, add desi ghee (or you take oil but Desi-ghee gives you the full desi aroma of dal ) and add jeera (3) add chopped onions, green chillies, ginger and garlic, cook it about 2 minutes till onion becomes transparent and soft, Add the chopped tomatoes, salt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, heeng, coriander powder and saute for another 2 minutes, fry till the tomatoes become soft and mushy, (4) Add chopped palak, saute for 7-8 minute till the spinach becomes soft and stops releasing water on a medium flame. (5) your tadka is ready, as shown in below picture
 
 
3. Mix the lentils with the spinach, add water around ½ cup to 1 cup depending on how thick or thin you want the dal to be.

4. Finally add salt, check the seasoning and simmer the palak dal for 6-7 minutes. Add garam masala.

5. Serve palak dal with hot paratha and a side vegetable dish or salad or raita.

Happy Cooking & Enjoy :)

Lassi is another cooling and refreshing drink to have in summers. Sweet lassi is quite popular in Punjab and North-India. This is best cool and refreshing rich drink for summers. This creamy drink makes your day perfect. This is purely delicious. This lassi is famous all-over India and you can get these lassi in restaurants also. You can drink this Sweet Lassi any time like in breakfast, lunch or evening time also. 
 
Lassi is specially relished in hot summers because of its cooling properties. Few other variations of making lassi are mango lassi, black-grape lassi and cucumber lassi.

We often make lassi during hot summers in our afternoon meal, using a wooden hand blender (called as madani, in punjabi language), I have not added any cream in lassi, this is already creamy in texture, I have just blend curd with water.

Lets start the step by step punjabi sweet lassi recipe

Ingredients :

Chilled fresh curd/dahi or yogurt - 2 cups
Chilled water or milk - 1 to 1.5 cups
Sugar - 10 to 12 tbsp or add as per taste
Ice cubes
Mint leaves - few (for garnishing)

Preparation Method : 

1. In a bowl or pan, take 2 cups fresh chilled yogurt. I used homemade curd.

2. Add 10 to 12 tbsp sugar or as required in dahi, now with the help of madani 
[ Madani is made of a long stick with a circular or star-shaped flat wooden disc at one end, used in back years] or blender or wired whisk just mix the curd till it become smooth.


3. Keep on churning till the sugar dissolves and you see a nice frothy layer on top.

4. The curd should be smooth, then add 1.5 cups chilled water.

Note : You can also add 2 cups chilled milk, instead of water. the consistency of this lassi is neither thin nor thick. if you want a thick lassi, then add 1 to 1.5 cups water.

5. Now churn the madani in the lassi mixture. Keep this lassi in a fridge to chilled before serving lassi don't add ice cubes.

6. Serve sweet punjabi lassi immediately, adding ice cubes. Garnish with mint leaves.
if you are looking for more cooling drinks then do check chaas/buttermilk, beetroot squash, watermelon smoothie and recipe.

Tip :
1. After adding chilled water in curd, don't add sugar because it takes lots of time to dissolve.
2. Don't consume water after having lassi, it's not good for health.

Happy Cooking & Enjoy :)

Dal Makhani, also known as 'Maa ki Dal' is an exotic Punjabi delicacy, which is prepared by cooking whole Urad dal and Rajma bean on a low flame for a long time, is a perfect accompaniment with Butter Naan , paratha or chapati also.

The process of slow cooking of dal lends it a unique flavor together with the Makhani (butter/cream) added at the end. However, by using a Pressure cooker, cooking time is significantly reduced to less than an hour, yet this recipe yields just as rich and yummy Dal Mahkani as the traditional one. 

It is a flavorful and creamy staple food every Punjabi grew up. In this restaurant style recipe, no soaking required for dal and rajma are cooked in pressure cooker until soft and then they are tempered with spices and mixed with fresh cream. The calcium and protein rich whole urad dal, rajma, butter, fresh cream and spices makes it wholesome, nutritious and simply irresistible. 

It is easy to prepare and flexibility in choosing locally grown lentils, it has become popular vegetarian dish in all parts of India with even at my home it's also called "Maa-Rajma ki Dal".

This is very popular Punjabi dal in India, very easy and tasty recipe too. If you are looking for more dal recipes then do check dal fry, punjabi Maa Chole Di Dal, punjabi Moong-masoor di dal and tangy sambar (toor) dal.

All pictures are taken by myself only, click these pics a long time back so that time, I am using my name "Jolly Naidu" for copyright, now my copyright sign has changed so picture is updated with new copyrighted sign only.

Let's start to make this dal makhani recipe with simple step-by-step process with pictures.

Ingredients:

Whole Black Urad Dal (black lentils) - 1/2 cup
Rajma (red kidney beans) - 3 tbsp
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Finely Chopped Onion - 1 large
Finely chopped Tomato - 1 medium
Grated Ginger - 1 tsp
Finely Chopped Garlic - 1 tsp
Finely chopped Green chilies - 1-2 nos (optional)
Coriander Powder
Turmeric powder
Red chilli powder
Malai (fresh cream) - 1 tbsp
Butter - 1 tbsp
Finely chopped Coriander Leaves for garnishing
Salt
Oil - 2 tbsp
Water

Preparation Method :

1. First clean rajma and urad dal, clean and wash it properly, no need to soaking.
Add black urad dal and rajma, water and salt in pressure cooker. Close the lid and pressure cook them over full flame until 8-10 whistle in a full flame

2. Turn off flame and let it sit idle and pressure release naturally, approx. 6-8 minutes. The dals and rajma should have turned softer now. 



3. Now add more water in cooked dal, add grated ginger, chopped garlic and chopped green chilli and all little bit dry masales turmeric powder and red chilli powder..again Close the lid and pressure cook them over to 35 to 45 min.

For Tempering / Tadka
Step by step process : 

(1) In a pressure cooker, add desi ghee (or you take oil but Desi-ghee gives you the full desi aroma of dal ) and add jeera (2) add chopped onions, cook it about 2 minutes till onion becomes transparent and soft. (3) Add the chopped tomatoes, (4) salt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder and saute for another 2 minutes, fry till the tomatoes become soft and mushy, (5) your tadka is ready, as shown in below picture
 
4. Add the above tadka in cooked dal, salt (only if required). Let it cook over medium flame for 4-5 minutes or until you get the desired consistency.
5. Add butter, mix well and cook for 2-minutes. Add fresh cream, mix well and cook for a minute.

*Tip - Do not cook for long time after adding cream otherwise it may curdle.



7. Serve dal makhani with naan or lachha paratha or steamed rice also.

Happy Cooking & Enjoy :)

Curd Rice is truly comfort food from South India origin. It is very easy and healthy recipe. It always surprised me how the simple ingredients makes a flavorful meal. Curd rice is also known as "Yogurt Rice". While it is most easily prepared by simply mixing boiled rice and yogurt, more elaborate methods can be used when needed. You can prepare this with your leftover rice. 

Curd Rice is an instant recipe even kids will love them. I never had this type of curd rice before my marriage, because in North-India people usually eat curd-rice mixing rice with curd only, not adding tadka in it. But when I tasted this curd rice, I am fan of it. So I just tried making on my own twist and I ended up in a much better way. 

You can make end number of rice like lemon rice, Tomato pulao, sweet rice pudding and famous tawa pulao

Let's start to make this easy and quick recipe with simple step-by-step process.  
 
Preparation Time: 10 mins
Cooking Time: 5 mins

Ingredients :

Raw Rice - 1/2 cup
Thick curd - 1 cup
Salt - to taste
Finely chopped Coriander leaves for garnishing - 1 tbsp
Tutti-Frutti - 1/2 tbsp

To temper/tadka:

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Urad dal - 3/4 tsp
Finely chopped Green chillies - 1 no
Hing - a pinch
Curry leaves - 6 to 8

Preparation Method :

1. Rinse rice twice and boil or pressure cook rice with 2 cups of water. Keep it aside to chill.

2. Combine rice along with curd together in a bowl and keep it aside. Sprinkle little milk if you prefer.

3. Then heat oil in a kadai , add the mustard seeds, when the seeds crackle, add the urad dal, curry leaves and green chillies and saute on a medium flame for 1 minute, while stirring continuously.

4. Add the tempered/ tadka into the curd rice mixture, add required salt and give a quick stir.

5. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and I used tutti-frutti. Serve warm or chilled as per as preference.
Note :

1. Make sure to cool down the rice before you add curd.
2. You can mash the rice also before adding curd.
3. you can add seasonal fruits like grapes and pomegranate.


Enjoy and Happy Cooking :)