Chicken Pasta

Ingredients:
1 cup dry short-cut pasta
200 gm boneless skinless chicken cut into small pieces (to match size of pasta)
1 tbsp Italian seasoning (use a packet or 2 that come with pizza)
1 tsp red chili powder
1 tbsp garlic finely chopped
1 medium onion finely chopped
1 small red capsicum finely chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp maida
2 tbsp cream (optional)
2 tbsp grated cheese
Salt to taste

Method

1.  Bring a large pot filled with water to boil.
2.  While the water is boiling, add Italian seasoning, salt and red chili powder to the chicken pieces and rub well.
3.  Add salt to the boiling water and add pasta. Stir the pasta every couple of minutes to make sure it does not stick to the bottom of the pot. The water should be in a rolling boil all the time to keep the pasta separated.
4.  Heat olive oil in a thick bottom pan and add the marinated chicken. Saute the chicken till it gets some color and turns opaque.
5.  Now add onion, garlic and red capsicum.
6.  Saute for another couple of minutes.
7.  Now add the butter and mix it so it melts.
8.  Add maida and mix so it evenly coats the chicken, Cook for another minute.
9.  Now add 1 cup water from the boiling pasta and let the sauce simmer on low flame for 5-6 minutes. Check that the chicken is cooked.
10. Drain the pasta now and reserve some cooking water.
11. Mix cream and cheese to the chicken sauce and then add the drained pasta. Use a little cooking water to get the desired consistency.
12. Let it cook for another minute and then serve hot.

Fusion Chicken Pasta

Ingredients
Chicken pieces from Indian style chicken curry
1 cup macaroni
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp plain flour (maida)
1.5 cups milk
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp grated cheese (optional)

Method:
1.  Take a thick bottom vessel with 5 cup capacity. Add 4 cups of water to it.
2.  Bring it to boil. Add 1 tbsp salt to it and add the dry pasta. Mix well

3.  Cook pasta om medium heat for 8-10 minutes stirring it every 1-2 minutes to make sure it does not stick to the bottom.
4.  2-3 minutes after adding pasta, heat another thick bottom broad vessel and add butter.
5.  Once butter melts, add maida and fry for a minute on low heat.
6.  Warm the milk in microwave and add it to the maida mixture keeping it on low heat.
7.  Stir continuously to mix and remove any lumps. Add salt and pepper powder to taste. This is your basic white sauce.

8.  Shread the chicken pieces to remove any bones and add to the sauce.
9.  Drain cooked pasta and reserve some of the cooking water.
10. Add pasta to the sauce and mix. Add about half cup of the cooking water to adjust the consistency.
11. Add cheese now if using. Cook covered for a minute and serve hot.

 

Chicken Palak Risotto

Ingredients:
1 cup starchy short grain rice (preferably 'arborio' the italian rice), washed and drained
1 medium onion finely chopped
2 medium tomatoes finely chopped
2 tbsp of olive oil
1 tbsp of butter (optional)
2 cloves of garlic finely chopped or grated
400 gm of boneless chicken cut into thin strips
2 cups of finely chopped spinach
1 tsp of italian mixed herbs (or just oregano0
1 tsp of red chilli powder (can use flakes also)
3-4 tbsp grated cheese
salt to taste

Method:
1. Heat oil + butter in a non-stick sauce pan. Boil 3 cups of water in another vessel.
2. Add onion and garlic till translucent (3-4 mins). Add mixed herbs and mix well.
3. Add chicken and saute for 4-5 mins
4. Add spinach and tomatoes and mix. Cook covered for 4-5 mins
5. Add chilli powder and mix, cook for another 2-3 mins
6. Add rice and mix. Add 1 cup of hot water and let it come to simmer.
7. Cook covered till all water is absorbed.
8. Add one more cup of hot water, salt to taste and cook covered till all water is absorbed.
9. Add the last cup of hot water, salt to taste and cook covered till most water is absorbed.
10. Serve hot with grated cheese.

Spinach corn bake

Ingredients:
1 bunch of spinach finely chopped
1 large clove of garlic finely chopped
2 tbsp of olive oil
1 tbsp of butter
1 small onion finely chopped
2 tbsp of maida
2 cups of milk
1/2 cup of frozen sweet corn soaked in water
black pepper powder as per taste
5-6 tbsp of coarse grated cheese
Italian seasoning as per taste (Optional)
Finely chopped colored peppers (Optional)
salt as per taste

Method:
1. Heat olive oil in a thick bottom shallow pan.
2. Add garlic and fry for a min (Do not brown the garlic)
3. Add onions and fry for 2-3 mins
4. Add the spinach, mix well and cook covered for 5-6 mins till spinach is completely wilted and the raw smell goes away.
5. While the spinach is cooking, warm the milk.
6. Add maida to the spinach and mix well on the lowest flame, keep stirring for 1 min
7. Slowly add half the milk and mix well. Once mixed, add remaining milk and mix.
8. Add corn, italian seasoning, salt and pepper powder and mix well.
9. Cook covered for 3-4 mins. Check a couple of times to make sure the mixture does not dry. If it is drying, add little water or milk.
10. You can serve this hot with grated cheese and toasted bread at this stage.
11. If you are baking, greese a baking dish with some butter.
12. Add half the mixture to the dish and sprinkle with grated cheese. Add rest of the mixture and add cheese again.
13. Bake in microwave for 2-3 mins. Serve hot. (If baking in oven, bake at 180DegC for 5-7 mins)

With Rice.
Layer rice with this mixture and cheese and bake in microwave for 2-3 mins. Serve hot.

With Pasta:
Boil 150 gms of small pasta in water for 10-12 mins( as per package instructions). Drain and mix the pasta after step 9.

Pasta in red sauce

Ingredients: (for serving 4)
400 gms of pasta - delmonte pasta recommended
10 tomatoes blanched and skin removed
1 tsp of chilli pdr (or as per taste)
1 tbsp of italian spice mixture (or just 1 tbsp of oregano)
2 tbsp of olive oil + more for serving
2 tbsp of finely chopped garlic
1 medium onion finely chopped
1 cup of finely chopped colored capsicum(optional)
5-6 baby corn steamed and sliced (optional)
1 cup zucinni thin slices (optional)
grated cheese as per taste
salt to taste

Method:
1. Keep 2 lts of water for boiling. Once the water starts boiling add salt as per taste.
2. Add pasta, let the water come back to boil, after this keep stirring the pasta every 2-3 min so it does not stick. The pasta will take 15-20 mins to cook. Make sure the water is always above the pasta. If required, add some warm water.
3. The pasta should be cooked to 'al dante' that means it should be cooked but still have a bite
4. While the pasta is cooking, heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a non-stick pan
5. Add garlic and stir in for a min.
6. Add oinions and fry till they are translucent.
7. At this stage, add capsicum, zucinni and baby corn. Fry for a couple of mins
8. Add italian spice mix and mix it well with the veggies
9. Puree the tomoatoes but dont make a very fine paste. Add to the mixture and cook on low flame for 5-7 mins
10. Add salt and chilli pdr (you can also use chilli flakes instead)
11. Drain the pasta and keep some pasta water.
12. Add pasta to the sauce and mix. If the sauce is too thick, add some pasta water.
13. Serve hot with grated cheese

Baked pasta:
Greese a baking dish with some butter.
After step 12, add half the pasta to the dish and sprinkle with grated cheese
Add rest of the pasta and add cheese again
Bake in microwave for 2-3 mins. Serve hot
If baking in oven, bake for 5-7 mins

Non-veg pasta:
If adding boneless chicken (cut into small pieces) or prawns to the pasta, add it after step 7 (or instead of). stir and let it cook for 3-4 mins. Then follow the rest of the recipe.