Roasted Peppers Pasta (with Sambar masala)

This is my second entry for the Indusladies Kid's Lunchbox event. Most kids love pasta given that it is paired with the right kind of sauce. A sweet, tangy one with a hint of chili works well with the little ones. Red peppers (especially roasted ones) have a natural sweetness to them and are a popular choice for making pasta sauce. Roasted peppers with herbs and cheese, roasted peppers with balsamic vinegar, roasted peppers with tomatoes, roasted peppers with red wine. These are just a few of the varieties that one can find over the internet. While I have tried some of them, my son's current favorite (and mine too!!) happens to be one with sambar masala. Yeah, it might sound strange but it is a real good combination. But in case you are skeptical about it, leave out the sambar masala and add some good old processed cheese in it's place.

Read on for the recipe -

Sending this as a contribution to the Indusladies event 100 Kids Lunch Box Recipes. Check out more details here - http://www.indusladies.com/food/kids-lunch-box-recipes/

Preparation Time - 20 mins

Ingredients -

• 1 cup pasta 
• 1 big red bell pepper
• 1 medium sized tomato
• 1 medium onion
• 1/4 tsp coriander powder
• 1/5 tsp red chili powder
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp sambar masala
• 2 tsp rice bran oil
• salt

Preparation - Roast the pepper on a low flame till the outer skin turns black.

Keep aside till it cools down to a bearable temperature. Peel/remove the blackened skin and chop up the flesh. Discard the seeds.

Finely chop the onions and tomato and keep aside.

Cooking - Bring water to boil in a large saucepan. When the bubbles start to form, add the salt.

Once it gets to a rolling boil, add pasta. Cook till al-dente and another minute extra ( do give a stir 2-3 times in between so that the pasta does not catch at the bottom) on a medium flame. Drain the water ( while preserving 1 cup for the sauce ) and keep aside.

Add 2 tsp oil to a skillet. Add the onions. Fry till they turn translucent. Add the chili powder and coriander powder. Fry for 20-30 secs.

Add the chopped tomato to the skillet and cook till it softens up. Transfer the roasted and chopped pepper to a food processor/mixer jar. Buzz it to get a smooth paste.  Add this paste along with the sambar masala to the skillet. Cook for 2 mins.

Add the pasta. Cook for another 2-3 mins till the sauce thickens and coats the pasta. ( Add a few teaspoons more of the pasta water if the sauce feels too dry )

Serve hot or cold.

Note - While pasta is supposed to be cooked al-dente, it makes sense to make it a little softer for the younger kids who are reluctant to chew their food.

Chifferi Rigate in Roasted Pepper sauce (Indian Masala Style)

Last week they celebrated 'Red Day' at my son's kindergarten school. The kids were to be decked up in red and the contents of the tiffin box were to be something red as per the school's circular. Pack something like apples, cherries or strawberries advised their class teacher. However since my kid prefers something more filling than mere fruits, i had to cook something palatable but without using any red food coloring.

Thankfully I had bought red and yellow peppers over the weekend. And they looked quite inviting everytime I opened the fridge prompting me to incorporate them into some more than just a mere salad or a quick stir fried mixed vegetable side. Though I had read a few roasted bell pepper pasta recipes, this was the first time I tried it. I decided to roast a tomato along with the pepper and add it to the Indian masala kind of gravy that I had in mind.

It turned out to be fabulous and my kid wanted more even after finishing his box. I made it again for dinner after two days and even my husband loved it. Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 20 mins

Ingredients -

• 1 cup chifferi rigate pasta ( )
• 1 big red bell pepper
• 1 medium sized tomato
• 1 medium onion
• 1/3 tsp GG paste
• 1/4 tsp coriander powder
• 2 pinch cumin powder
• 1/5 tsp red chili powder
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 pinch garam masala
• 5 tbsp grated processed cheese (I used Amul)
• 2 tsp rice bran oil
• a small cube of butter (optional)
• salt

Preparation - Roast the pepper and the tomato on a low flame till the outer skin turns black.

Keep aside till it cools down to a bearable temperature. Peel/remove the blackened skin and chop up the flesh.

Roughly chop the onions and keep aside.

Cooking - Bring water to boil in a large saucepan. When the bubbles start to form, add the salt.

Once it gets to a rolling boil, add pasta. Cook till al-dente ( do give a stir 2-3 times in between so that the pasta does not catch at the bottom) on a medium flame. Drain the water ( while preserving 1 cup for the sauce ) and keep aside.

Add 1 tsp oil to a skillet. Add the onions and fry on high for 30 secs. Add the GG paste and reduce the flame. Fry till the onions turn translucent. Add the chili powder, coriander, cumin and garam masala. Fry for 20-30 secs.

Remove the contents of the skillet and transfer to a food processor . Add the roasted pepper and tomato as well. Buzz it to get a smooth paste.

Heat the remaining oil and butter in the same wok. Add the pepper-tomato sauce along with 1/3 cup of the pasta water and fry for 2-3 mins on a medium flame. Add the sugar and the grated cheese. Adjust the salt.

Add the pasta. Cook for another 2-3 mins till the sauce thickens and coats the pasta. ( Add a few teaspoons more of the pasta water if the sauce feels too dry )

Serve hot or cold.

Note - Skip the cheese if you want to keep it vegan.

This is my entry for the event Pasta Please~Peppers hosted by Nayna ( blog ) and Jacqueline ( blog). Do check out their page for more details!!

Red Pepper Boats

'Aloo Chop' or Bonda as it is called in the Southern parts of India, is a very popular snack in Odisha. One can easily spot a shop selling these at every nook and corner of the state. Balls of slightly spiced boiled potato dipped in a batter of Bengal gram batter and deep fried, these can hardly be considered as a gourmet's delight.

As part of my new year resolution, I intend to give a makeover to some of the most common oriya dishes. This is the first in line. Cutting out the deep frying part, I stuffed the potato filling into these lovely red bell peppers and roasted them on a non-stick pan with a only a few drops of oil. The firm (read Al dente) peppers not just make for great holders but also add a fresh flavor to a popular snack. I had originally planned to add Kaffir lime leaves to the potato mixture but could not find it anywhere in Bangalore. Read on for the recipe:

Preparation Time - 20 mins

Ingredients - 2 medium sized red bell peppers, 2-3 medium sized potatoes ( boiled and peeled ), 1 tsp grated garlic, 1 tsp grated ginger, 1 medium sized onion ( finely chopped ), 1/4 tsp mustard seeds, 1/4 tsp cumin seeds, 1/2 tsp chilli powder, 1/5 tsp turmeric, 2-3 tsp chopped coriander leaves, 2 tbs fried peanuts, 4 tsp oil, salt to taste.

Preparation - Wash and cut each bell pepper into two. Remove any pith/seeds from within. Brush all over (both insides and outside) with oil and a bit of salt.

Cooking: Heat 3 tsp oil in a wok. Add mustard-cumin seeds when the oil starts smoking. Follow with chopped onion and the grated ginger and garlic. Fry for 4-5 mins till the raw smell goes away.

Add the mashed potato along with chilli powder, salt and turmeric. Fry for 2-3 mins. Now add the fried peanuts and chopped coriander. Fry for 1-2 mins. Remove from heat and keep aside till it is bearable to touch.

Stuff the potato mixture into the bell peppers.

Heat a non-stick frying pan. Drizzle with remaining oil. Add the stuffed peppers and cook on each side for 3-4 mins. They should be cooked but still firm.

Serve hot as starters/snacks.

Sending this to Cook With Red Event at Shweta's blog Merry Tummy.