PENNE WITH ROASTED RED BELL PEPPER SAUCE

     PENNE WITH ROASTED RED BELL

                   PEPPER SAUCE

                                                               (Serves 1)

Charred flavor of roasted red bell pepper gives unique taste to this pasta. Sauce made with roasted red bell pepper, onion and garlic and seasoned with Italian herbs.

INGREDIENTS:

·      ¾ cup Penne Pasta, uncooked

·      1-2 tsp. Olive Oil

·      Water for boiling pasta

·      Salt to add in water (Pasta cooked in salted water gives batter taste to the dish)

·      1 Big Dark Red Bell Pepper

·      1 ½ T Butter

·      ¼ cup Onion, finely chopped

·      1 tsp. or 1 Big Garlic Clove, minces, press through garlic press

·      Salt as per taste

·      ¼ tsp. Red Chili Flakes (OPTIONAL)

·      2 T Parmesan Cheese (OPTIONAL)

·      ¼ tsp. Paprika

·      ¼ tsp. Black Pepper Powder as per taste

·      Pinch Italian Herbs from McCormick Italian Herb Grinder

·      ¼ to ½ cup Pasta Water or as needed for desire sauce consistency

·      Parmesan Cheese to sprinkle on top (OPTIONAL)

·      Mint Leaves for garnishing

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LET’S ROAST RED BELL PEPPER AND COOK PASTA:

Measure ¾ cup uncooked penne pasta and boil as per package direction.

Drain pasta and add 1-2 tsp. Olive Oil and mix well. Keep aside.

Wash and dry red bell pepper and roast on open flame until dark blisters appears all over the bell pepper.

Place roasted red bell pepper in glass bowl and cover the bowl air tight with saran wrap/cling wrap and let pepper sweat for 7-10 minutes for easy peeling of skin.

Scrap off dark blistered skin from pepper and chop roasted red bell pepper into few big pieces and remove ribs and seeds from it.

Allow cooling pepper then blending into a smooth puree.

Heat butter in pan on medium heat.

Add chopped onions, sprinkle some salt and stir-fry onions until light brown in color.

Add chopped garlic and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes or until garlic is well roasted.

Add roasted red bell pepper puree and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes.

Add pasta water as needed and cook bell pepper puree on medium heat for 3-4 minutes or until sauce reaches desire thickness.

Season sauce with salt, paprika, black pepper powder and Italian herbs and cook for 1 minute.

Add boiled pasta and combine with sauce and cook for 30 to 45 seconds.

Transfer in a serving bowl; add Parmesan cheese on top if you are adding.

Garnish with mint leaves.

Serve Pasta with Garlic Bread.

Enjoy…

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MANGO AND WATERMELON JUICE

    MANGO AND WATERMELON JUICE

                                                (Yield 2 cups, Serves 2)

Mango and Watermelon Rooh Afza Rose Sharbat Juice is a cooling refreshing drink of summer.

Mango and Watermelon together develops unique flavor and taste.

STEP 1:

INGREDIENTS FOR MANGO JUICE:

·      2 cups Cold Ripe Mango Chunks, peeled, deseeded and chopped

·      1 T Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice

·      1-2 T Sugar or as per taste (Sugar amount will depend on sweetness of the ripe mango)

·      Water (OPTIONAL: Add water if needed to dilute thick mango puree)

·      Few Ice cubes (OPTIONA: Add ice cubes if you use room temperature mango)

Wash and peel mango and remove pit and cut into big chunks.

Refrigerate for few hours before using.

Add cold mango chunks with rest of all ingredients and blend until smooth puree.

Add water if mango puree is thick. Keep aside.

OR

USE 1 CUP CANNED MANGO PULP---COLD

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STEP 2:

INGREDIENTS FOR WATERMELON JUICE:

·      2 cups Cold Watermelon Pieces (You will get 1 cup Watermelon Juice)

·      1 T Rooh Afza Rose Syrup or as per taste

·      1 T Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice

·      1/8 tsp. Chat Masala

·      1 Pinch Salt

·      1 Pinch Black Pepper Powder

·      Few Ice cubes (OPTIONAL: Add ice cubes if you use room temperature watermelon)

·      Mint Leaves for garnishing

LET’S BLEND:

Wash watermelon and cut into two halves.

Remove seeds from watermelon.

Chop watermelon into big cubes and refrigerate for 2-3 hours or until cool.

Add cold watermelon cubes in blender with rest of all ingredients and blend until smooth. Strain the juice (OPTIONAL).

LET’S MAKE MANGO AND WATERMELON JUICE:

Pour ½ cup mango juice in serving glass.

Add ½ cup watermelon juice on back of spoon over mango juice layer.

Garnish with mint leaves.

Mix before drinking.

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PINEAPPLE BARFI

                  PINEAPPLE BARFI

                                                      (Yield: 6 Big Pieces)

This is a fresh, delicious, unique sweet made from Pineapple. It is quick and very easy to make.

INGREDIENTS:

·      ½ cup Pineapple, canned or fresh, crushed (I used Dole Brand Crushed Pineapple Can)

·      ½ cup Paneer/Chenna

·      ½ cup Milk Mawa Powder (I use Joy Brand Milk Mawa Powder purchased from Indian Grocery Store)

·      1/8 cup Heavy Cream

·      1/3 to ½ cup Sugar or as per taste

·      2-3 drops of Pineapple Essence, 2 to 3 drops adds lot of flavor, so do not add more

·      ¼ tsp. Freshly Ground Cardamom Powder

·      1 tsp. Almond, shredded for garnishing

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LET’S COOK:

Drain crushed pineapple from can and coarsely crush in blender jar leaving some small chunks. DO NOT CRUSH INTO FINE PASTE.

Heat heavy bottom non stick pan on medium heat and stir cook-crushed pineapple until water evaporated and gets cooked and looses crunchiness, roughly about 7-8 minutes. Time may vary.

Add paneer, mawa powder, heavy cream and sugar and stir cook mixture until it comes together and thickens.

Switch off the heat.

Add cardamom powder, pineapple essence and mix well. Do not cook after adding cardamom powder and essence.

Transfer in a greased square-baking pan.

Spread evenly with spatula.

Sprinkle shredded almonds on Barfi and with the spatula press lightly on top.

Let Barfi set for 30 minutes at room temperature.

Place Barfi in fridge for 1 hour.

Cut into desire shape. Keep it at room temperature.

It should stay good for 2-3 days at room temperature.

Store in refrigerator for longer shelf life.

Before serving Pineapple Barfi bring it out from the fridge and let it sit for a while at room temperature as Barfi taste better if served at room temperature.

Enjoy…

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COUSCOUS CHICKPEA SALAD

        COUSCOUS CHICKPEA SALAD

                                        (Yield: 3-½ cup Couscous Salad)

Couscous is very easy to cook. Couscous is precooked durum wheat semolina. Couscous available in super market is instant couscous. It is all ready steamed and dried so all you need to do is to add in boiling water and let it sit for 7-8 minutes and it gets cooked. Couscous can be cooked with various methods. It can be cooked as savory dish or as sweet dish too. This one is savory dish.

INGREDIENTS FOR COOKING COUSCOUS:

·      1 T Oil

·      ¼ tsp. Mustard Seeds

·      6-8 Curry leaves

·      1-2 Green Chilies or as per taste, chopped

·      1 cup Water

·      2 T Golden Raisins

·      Salt for couscous only, as per taste

·      ¾ cup Couscous (You will get slightly more than 1 ½ cup cooked couscous)

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INGREDIENTS FOR SALAD:

·      1 ½ cup mix vegetables (¼ cup Purple Sweet Onion, ¼ cup Tomato, ¼ cup Pomegranate Seeds, ¼ cup Red Bell Pepper, ¼ cup Green Bell pepper, ¼ cup Boiled Chickpeas)

OR

USE ANY VEGETABLES OF YOUR CHOICE

·      ¼ cup Coriander Leaves, chopped

·      Salt for vegetables only, as per taste

·      1/8 tsp. Black Pepper Powder

·      1 to 1 ½ tsp. Sugar or as per taste

·      1 ½ T Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice

·      1 T Olive Oil (Add more it tastes good)

·      Sriracha Hot Sauce for drizzling on top as per taste (OPTIONAL)

·      1-2 T Pomegranate Seeds for garnishing

LET’S COOK:

Heat oil in a pan.

Once oil is hot add mustard seeds and let them pop.

Add curry leaves, green chilies and stir-fry for few seconds.

Add water, salt (enough for couscous only) and raisins and cover the pot and bring water up to a boil.

Once water boils, stir in couscous and cover.

Switch off the heat.

Remove from heat and let stand for 7-8 minutes.

Fluff couscous with a fork.

Add chopped vegetables, coriander leaves, salt enough for vegetables only, black pepper powder and sugar and toss to combine well.

Add olive oil and lemon juice on top and mix well.  

Transfer in a serving plate.

Drizzle sriracha hot sauce on top if you are adding and garnish with pomegranate seeds and serve.

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