Pasta with Veggies

I made this pasta for thanksgiving feast at school today. It came out pretty good and it was pretty easy to make. I used the rotini pasta from Safeway.  I used the whole box as it was for more than 30 kids and many parents brought something to eat so I felt one box will be enough.  Here goes the recipe I followed to make this pasta.

Aloo Kachori

When we were in Delhi, we had chance to travel to many places in North India. I came across different types of kachoris during those trips. Every time we stop for breakfast or for snack, one of us will buy this and share it.  I never had the confidence to try making it at home.  Last week, when I started preparing for making samosas, I got the idea of trying Kachoris.  Below is the recipe, I followed to make this kachori.  I am not sure whether this is an authentic recipe.  But my girls and family liked it a lot.

Green Apple Instant Pickle

I made this green apple pickle using super sour green apples from my back yard. We were literally wasting those apple as none of us like sour apple. Came across this recipe when one of my relative visited us and gave me the idea of making this pickle. Initially I tried with just two small apples as I was not sure whether my people will like it and surprisingly, they really liked it.  In fact my girls liked taking it as side dish along with curd rice to school.  Here goes the recipe.

Ingredients:

1. Green Apple -  2
2. Salt to taste
3. Red chilli powder - 2-3 tsp (acc to taste)
4. Hing - few generous pinches
5. Sesame Oil - 2 tbsp
6. Mustard Seeds- 1 1/2 tsp
7. Fenugreek/Methi seeds - 1 1/2 tsp

• Chop the apple into small pieces.  
• Sprinkle the required amount of salt, mix it well and keep it aside for an hour.   
• After an hour, heat the oil, crackle mustard seeds. 
• Add methi seeds and fry it until golden brown.  
• Mean time, add the required amount of chilli powder on top of the apple pieces along with few generous pinches of hing.  
• Pour the hot oil tempering on top of the chilli powder and mix every thing well.  
• Keep it aside for another half and hour and can be used after that.

Since this is an instant pickle, we can use the mustard seeds and methi seed as tempering.  If we are planning to make it in large quantity, it is better to dry roast mustard and methi seeds and grind it and use that ground powder.  It will definitely taste better. Above said quantity will last for two days with a family of five :)