Spicy Veg Macaroni

I love those days when my Neha has her exams going on. Firstly because she reaches home by 12:30-12:45 pm and we both get to have our lunch together. And secondly, I too get hot lunch and that too something different and yummy. Generally she tells me the menu before hand and I just have to follow it. She plans different cuisines and

suggests all her favourite dishes for that one week or so.

This time I had planned to post a series mentioning each day’s food. But unfortunately, she fell ill with fever and cold on the fifth day and I couldn’t execute it the way we had planned. Nevertheless, this was the Exam Day I menu. A spicy Macaroni with lots of veggies and cheese. Now some of you might wonder why do I give her such junk food during exams? Let me clarify, this is not loaded with cheese and plus it contains lots of vegetables and most importantly, Neha is a very disciplined eater. She never overeats.

So coming to this dish, basically it’s like any pasta dish. I have tried to use less oil, no butter, less cheese plus loads of veggies. It has a nice smooth and creamy texture. You can add any vegetables of your choice. I prefer to use all her favourite vegetables. I buy whole corn from the market, steam it and then separate out the kernels. These taste much better than the ready made corn kernels that are available in the market and it lasts longer too. I have experienced that the ready made kernels turn sour in 2-3 days. These whole corns last in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. You just have to steam it for 15 minutes or so. Cool it and slowly separate out the kernels. I know it’s a tedious job, but then it’s worth it.

You can add coloured bell peppers, zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower florets, mushroom too. Choose your favourite herbs and use it. If some of you are interested to see some other simple pasta recipes, please click here and here. 

Ingredients:

• Elbow macaroni 200 gm
• Salt to taste
• Red chili flakes 1 tsp
• Pepper powder 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
• Onion 1
• Boiled corn 1/2 cup
• Capsicum 1 small
• Tomato 1 big
• Paneer cubes 1/4 cup
• Carrot 1
• Beans 10-12
• Garlic cloves 2-3
• Milk 1 cup
• Grated cheese 2-3 tbsp
• Oregano to taste
• Tomato sauce 2-3 tbsp
• Maida/wheat flour 2 tsp
• Olive oil 1 tbsp

Method:

• Chop all the vegetables into small pieces.

• Peel and steam the whole corn for 10-15 minutes. Remove the kernels and keep them aside.

• Boil 4-5 cups of water with some salt in a big pan and add the macaroni to it.
• Cook for 7-8 minutes or till it’s almost cooked (al dante).
• Drain the water and sprinkle a teaspoon of oil on it to avoid sticking onto each other.
• Heat oil in a big pan and add the garlic cloves.
• Now add the remaining vegetables and corn and stir for 3-4 minutes. Add turmeric powder and mix.

• Now add the flour and cook for 2-3 minutes. I have added wheat flour.
• Now add the paneer pieces and red chili flakes and mix.
• Now add the cooked macaroni and milk and bring to a boil.

• Add the grated cheese and tomato sauce and mix well.

• Now add salt, oregano and pepper powder.

• Your yummy spicy Macaroni pasta is ready. Serve it warm with some fresh salad or toasted garlic bread.