Cauliflower Fusili Puttanesca

I can have pasta for any meal.This simple pasta dish was made by my DH.It was adapted from the recipe featured in Real Simple Magazine.

Ingredients:

Penne pasta - 3/4 pound We used tricolor fusili pasta

Chili flakes - 2tsp

Pepper powder - 2tsp

Garlic - 2tbsp minced

Capers - 2 tbsp

Kalamata olives(pitted) - 1/4 cup

Cauliflower - 1 medium separate into small florets

Tomato - 2 chopped

Parsley - 2 tbsp

Grated Parmesan - for sprinkling on the top(optional)

Kosher salt - as required

olive oil - 5tbsp

Method:

Boil pasta in sufficient amount of water till Al dente.

Heat oil in a pan.When hot,add the garlic and saute for 2 minutes.

Now add the cauliflower florets and saute till it gets cooked but still crunchy.

Then add the olives,capers and tomato and saute till tomato becomes mushy.

Now add the chili flakes,required amount of salt.

Finally add the pasta and cook for about 2 minutes.

Then add the parsley and grated Parmesan on the top.

Serve hot.

Omapodi

Omapodi is one savory which I don't make often at home because murukku/chakli is our favorite.

It was rainy outside and I so i wanted to make this simple omapodi to be served with coffee.Its so simple to make and it takes less time than any other savory item.

Ingredients:

Besan/Chick pea flour - 2 cups

Rice flour - 1cup

Omam/Ajwain/Carom seeds - 1 Tbsp

Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp

Chili powder - 2 tsp

Salt to taste

Hot oil - 2 tsp

Oil for deep frying

Thenkuzhal press with the disc which has tiny holes.

Method:

Heat oil in a deep pan.

Grind the ajwain seeds with 1/2 cup of water and filter it and reserve the water.

In a bowl mix the besan,rice flour,salt,chili powder,asafoetida,2tsp of hot oil,reserved water.

Add more water to make it into a pliable dough.In the thenkuzhal press add the dough.

When oil is hot,squeeze the handle of the press over the oil in concentric circle about 6 inches in diameter.When slightly cooked turn over to the other side ad let it cook till there is no more hissing sound of oil.

Note:Omapodi cooks fastly than murukku and it can get burnt easily.

Drain on an absorbent paper and store in airtight container.

Serve with hot tea/coffee

Carrot and Pineapple Loaf

I usually bake  on Friday evenings or Saturday afternoons.Iam really into healthy baking these days.This loaf has no butter and is loaded with healthy carrots,walnuts and the pineapple gives a tropical touch.

Recipe source:Adapted from Blissful Baker ,Sugar Duchess originally from the book"The taste of home baking".I tweaked the recipe to make it even more healthier by substituting a part of all purpose flour with wheat flour.

Ingredients:

All purpose flour - 3/4 cup

Wheat flour - 3/4 cup

Baking soda - 1/2 tsp

Salt-1/4 tsp

Sugar-2/3 cup

Freshly ground cinnamon -1/4 tsp(1/2 tsp in the original recipe)

Freshly ground cardamom- 1/2 tsp not in the original recipe

Corn oil or vegetable oil -1/2 cup

Whole Egg - 1

Egg white- 1(i omitted this)

Grated carrot - 2 medium

Crushed pineapple - 3/4 of 8 oz can drained (After tasting a slice I felt that shoud have added the whole can)

Vanilla essence - 1 tsp

toasted and chopped pecans - 1/2 cup(I substituted walnuts)

Method: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line  a 8×4 inch loaf pan with parchment paper,makes life lot more easier.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, cardamom and salt.

3. In a separate bowl, lightly beat the egg . Add carrots, oil, pineapple, and vanilla. Mix thoroughly.

4. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir until just combined. The batter will be very thick. Fold in walnuts.

5. Scrape batter into prepared loaf pan and bake in preheated oven for 50-60 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center of loaf comes out clean.Mine took almost 1 hour 10 minutes to bake.

Cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack, then remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack.