Creamy Pasta in Vodka sauce

A creamy pasta , cooked in vodka sauce :)) and served with garlic bread!! This is a dish my daughter made for us and we just loved the flavor and smooth texture of pasta, that we make a point to remind her to make it often :))  
The recipe has simple ingredients with bold flavors, give it a try and you will want more!!
We just love this dish , hope you'll enjoy it too!!

Saute Onions and garlic

Add strained pasta to creamy  vodka sauce 

Creamy Pasta in Vodka Sauce 

Ingredients
1 box  pasta shells ( You can use penne, bow pasta )
1 can tomato sauce ( Roma tomatoes, but you can pick your choice )
2 cloves of garlic peeled and chopped finely
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tsp salt
1 tsp red chili flakes
1/2 cup vodka ( I prefer Grey goose but again take the vodka you would like to drink)
1/2 cup full cream
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese 
3 to 4 Fresh basil  leaves finely chopped
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Method 

1.Heat 2 cups of water , add 1 tsp salt and pasta shells, boil  for about 10 to 15 minutes. Check to see if cooked, ( should become soft, but not over cooked) strain and keep aside.
2.Heat a medium size skillet, Add unsalted butter and 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil, add in finely chopped onions. Saute for a minute or  two, as the appear translucent , add in garlic, continue stirring, for another minute. Remove from heat, and pour in the vodka, return skillet to burner, carefully allowing most of the vodka to evaporate. 3.Add in the tomatoes sauce , continue stirring. Add in salt, and red chili flakes, basil and lower heat and check for taste. Add in 1/2 tsp sugar if the tomatoes are too sour.
4.Next stir in the full cream, continue cooking, as the sauce starts to thicken, add in Parmesan cheese.
add the strained pasta and mix well. 
5.Served topped with some sprinkled Parmesan cheese and chopped basil leaves. 

Vegetable Jalfrezi

A Mughlai  style gravy, cooked with vegetables, that also looks like a  Indian stir fry, is usually served with Indian bread. Jalfrezi has a slightly sweet and sour flavor to it and is presentable at a party with its colorful vegetables.
A flavorful aromatic dish , served in almost all Indian restaurants. 
I like preparing this dish as I know by including these veggies, my family is getting the nutritional value of this dish.
The main work is cutting the veggies :))

Ingredients
100 gm carrots peeled and cut into 1 inch thick julienne style strips
100 gm green  beans , cut similar julienne style
1 small green and yellow bell pepper cut into julienne strips
50 gm green peas, optional 
100 gm florets of cauliflower chopped
100 gm cottage cheese (paneer ) cut into 1 inch strips


For gravy
1 medium Onion, cut lengthwise in thin strips
1 cup tomato purée
1tbsp fresh ginger garlic paste ( you can grate both ginger, garlic to get a paste)
3 to 4 green chilies chopped finely
Salt to taste
1 tsp red chili powder ( I prefer Kashmir chilies as they are not that spicy but do provide the much needed color to the gravy sauce )
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 tsp garam masala ( available at all Indian grocery stores) Again I prefer to use Everest brand but all are good and more or less similar.
1 bay leaf
1 small cinnamon stick
3 to 4 cloves 
2 to 3 big cardamom
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tbsp  butter
2 tsp kasoori methi (available in Indian stores) for garnish/ or freshly cut green coriander leaves.

1/4 cup chopped cashews for garnish

Chopped vegetables and browned onions

Brown sliced onions in 2 tsp vegetable oil

Add bay leave,cloves, cardamom, cinnamom

Add tomato puree

Add vegetables 

Cottage cheese saute 

Add paneer to vegetables 

Cook covered for another 5 to 6 minutes till it all blends into the curry ,check for seasonings

Vegetable Jalfrezi

Garnished with chopped cashews 

Method:

1. Wash all chopped vegetables and boil them  separately in a  cup of  water , with 1/4 tsp salt for about 5 minutes, drain water and keep aside .
2. Heat oil in a medium size pan, add cumin seeds, bay leaf, cinnamon stick , cloves . Allow to splutter , add onions , sauté till light golden , add in ginger garlic paste , green chilies.
Continue stirring. Add in tomato purée and taste for salt, add in red chili powder, turmeric, and garam masala. Cover to cook for about 5 minutes . This is the gravy sauce.
3. In a separate pan , heat butter add in drained pineapple cut into 1 inch . In a separate pan saute paneer (cottage cheese) cubes. Next add in the parboiled veggies and saute in tablespoon of oil.
4. Lastly  add these  vegetables along with paneer to the cooked gravy sauce . Cook covered further another 5 to 6 minutes, close burner. Garnish with kasoori methi/ freshly chopped coriander leaves. Garnish with chopped cashews or green chilies and serve vegetable jalfrezi hot with tandoori naan / or enjoy with Basmati rice.

Mughlai Mutton Curry

This Mutton curry dish is basic , yet very full on taste and so much of my type of curry dish.
Mutton should be marinated well , so then it cooks better and retain good moisture to keep it soft.You can  use lamb meat for this recipe , though I like the goat taste too:)) 
This is a wholesome non vegetarian dish and I'm sure when you try to make it, you will keep making it often.


Ingredients
2 pounds mutton leg cut into 2 inch cubes ( with or without the bones) wash and cleaned
1 inch ginger freshly grated
1 clove garlic grated 
1/4 cup  plain yogurt
salt to taste
1 tsp Everest meat masala
1 tsp chopped green chilies 
1/2 fresh lemon juice
For Gravy
2 medium sized onions peeled and chopped fine
1/2 cup  tomatoes pureed'
1 tbsp freshly grated ginger garlic paste
1 tsp red chili powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
4 to 5 small cardamons
1/4 cup Vegetable oil 

Mutton Curry!!

Method:
For marinate
Wash the mutton pieces, and marinate in a medium size bowl, add in curd, lemon juice, salt, ginger garlic paste, meat masala (available in Indian grocery) . Mix all together and keep aside for about an hour.
For gravy
1. Heat 1/4 cup oil in a pressure cooker (faster way to cook) add cumin seeds, small cardamon, bay leaf, cinnamon stick,Add in the onions, continue to cook the onions on medium heat till they appear light golden in color. Add in the marinated mutton, keep stirring and cooking for approximately 10 minutes, till oil separates on the sides.Add in red chili powder, turmeric, and check for salt, add little more if required.
2. Add in pureed tomatoes, stir in 1 cup water and close the pressure cooker to cook further on medium heat for 2 whistles.Turnoff burner and the lid of the cooker closed for another 10 minutes.Pour the ready curry into a serving dish and garnish with freshly cut coriander leaves.
Serve hot with rotis/naan or rice.

Spicy Veg Pulao

Pulao is a rice dish ,  prepared by using vegetables, cooked with curry sauce as the base. This dish makes a complete meal and the spices used to prepare the curry add to its rich flavor.S
It's an Indian dish and is perfect for vegetarians and also great for packing as lunches for office.
There are many different varieties of Pulao ,with each region specializing in their own different way.
Today the one I am making is more from the Northern parts of India.

Vegetables Pulao

Ingredients:
3 cups Basmati rice
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup frozen corn
1 cup mixed veggies ,chopped small (carrots, French beans,cauliflower)
For the curry 
1 medium onion
1 medium tomato
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
3 to 4 green chilies
1/2 cup yogurt
1/2 lemon juice
1 inch cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp garam masla powder (available in Indian store)

Method

1. Wash and soak rice in 2 cups water. Later boil rice in 2 cups of water over medium heat for about 10 minutes , till it appears semi cooked ,drain and keep aside.
2. Peel, and chop  onions, tomatoes , fresh coriander leaves, ginger , garlic , and green chilies,grind in a blender to form a paste. 
3. Heat 4 tbsp oil in a medium size pan , add cinnamon stick, bay leaf, cumin seeds, next add in pureed  onions mixture .
4. Stir and cook covered for about 10 to 15 minutes,  till they appear light golden and oil separates to the sides of the pan . 5.Lower heat ,add in salt, red chili powder, garam  masala.
Add in veggies and stir in yogurt.  Cook on medium heat for another 5 to 6 minutes covered. Add 1/4 cup water and continue cooking another 5 minutes.
4. For  assembling together, I  prefer using a baking dish , that I can put in the oven , and use for serving too.
5. For layering add 1 tsp ghee(clarified butter) to the bottom of the pan,  then  add the cooked rice layer, next on that you spread  a layer of cooked veggies with gravy, repeat with another layer of rice on top , followed by veggies and continue.. Cover with silver foil and bake in a pre - heated oven for about 10 to 15 minutes, at 300 degrees F and its hot and ready to serve.Enjoy warm veggie pulao with cool yogurt.