Monday, July 11, 2011

Is it Italian-Is it Indian ? - Fusilli Marries Sambhar !!

Trust Hubby Dearest to cook up a storm (literally !) :D . Not in the mood for anything elaborate, I made a hasty lunch on Sunday which was to be a quickie rice n sambhar. Hubby had his own plans of making the sombre affair into something devilishly good! He spotted fusilli in the pantry and the sambhar that I had cooked for lunch and guess what makeover it got - yup Italy meets Chennai in my hearth and what a jolly good encounter it was! 






In hubby's hand the fusilli happily gels with all n sundry items in the fridge - on its way to yum city it embraces charred onions & amp; pepper, fried mushrooms & cottage cheese before finally blending with sambhar mixed white sauce. 


Verdict:- It had something for everybody - mushrooms & olives kept my daughter hooked while my son was happy with cottage cheese in it. As for me, the whole dish got me all  =p~ and :) . Hubby "Chef" Take a Bow ! rock on!
For the un-initiated Sambhar is a tangy gravy of lentils with veggies spiked with Sambhar Powder that is a fuse of various spices like coriander seeds,red chillis etc and is usually paired with rice or tiffins like dosa/idlis /uthappams.

Sambhar & Sambhar Powder (Spice Mix)


So what's in it :- (adjust quantity as required)

  • Fusilli Tricolure  - 200gms -approx - use any pasta you like
  • Podi Sambhar - 150 ml or as required
  • Sambhar Powder - 1 tbsp -(I used store bought)
  • Butter - 50 gms
  • Al Purpose Flour - 50 gms
  • Milk- 500 ml - boiled
  • Cottage Cheese - 100 gms - cubed & fried
  • Mushrooms - 100 gms - sliced & fried
  • Onion - 1 or 2 large - sliced & grilled
  • Green pepper - 1 char grilled
  • Olives - a few
  • Salt - to taste
  • Pepper - 5 gms
  • Nutmeg Powder - 5 gms

How:-


First take equal amounts of the butter and flour. Mix well after melting the butter - this mix called as roux. Add the boiled milk into the roux and mix it well to avoid any lumps. Thicken it on a low flame to a sauce like consistency. This is the basic white sauce of french cooking also known as Bechamel Sauce. To this add the Sambhar powder. Take it off the flame and add about 150 ml of sambhar, a pinch of salt (if needed), about 5 gms of pepper and 5 gms of nutmeg powder, to get an Indo-Italian Sauce.




Keep the other ingredients ready. Cook the fusilli as per instructions on the pack and set aside. On a skewer add the onion slices  & pepper and char it directly on stove top. The cottage cheese & mushroom pieces are deep fried for a few seconds and put on the absorbent paper.

Charred Veggies/Fried Mushrooms & Cottage Cheese



Finally mixing time :-
In a big wok , add the pasta and olives. To it add the charred veggies & fried mushrooms & paneer. Toss it well. Finally add the sauce and mix it well with a fork.




Serve hot & Enjoy !




Sending the dish to Fusion Food : Pasta happening @ Ramya's Recipes





Linking it to Vardhini's Dish it Out - Mushrooms & Onions, guest hosted by Kalyani@Momchef

42 comments:

  1. அருமை,ரொம்ப நல்லா டிபரெண்டா இருக்கு..

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  2. Looks so colorful, creamy, saucy and yummy dear... Great one...

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  3. Very interesting, am sure it must have tasted yum ....

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  4. Creamy and delicious looks colorful..

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  5. OMG there is nothing more innovative tan this Awesome!!!

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  6. very interesting....have to try this!!

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  7. looks creamy and delicious..great fusion dish!!

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  8. Looks colorful, creamy, bookmarked this.

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  9. Good one Priya - that's a happy marriage :)

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  10. nice priya! and the pics are gooooooood! super like :)

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  11. Now thats wat i call a good fusion cusine.......love the melting pot that this dish is!!!

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  12. What a great idea!! It looks delicious!

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  13. that seems like a fun combination..
    thanks for dropping by my blog!
    Richa @ http://hobbyandmore.blogspot.com/

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  14. very interesting n innovative..looks great!!

    Ongoing Event at Good Food:
    COOK IT HEALTHY:PROTEINicious

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  15. Very creative.. Loved ur first pic..

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  16. Yum, what a wonderful fusion dish :) Lovely creation Priya.
    US Masala

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  17. This is so innovative and sounds delicious.I have done my share of Indo Itallian fusion but not to this level.

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  18. Awesome creation, sambhar powder can be added any savory dishes, they blend very well.

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  19. Scrummy! I love fusion food.
    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  20. Woww!! Great fusion Priya. Hats off to your husband. Never thought of such an idea. Thanks for sharing. :-)

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  21. thats an amazing version.. never seen in any blog :0

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  22. What a fusion idea...Sambar with fusilli...Should try it!!

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  23. Wow, what a lovely fusion! Looks flavorful & fantastic!

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  24. Fantastic mix of cultures in food :) Love the idea. Looks damn delicious too :)

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  25. Sounds like something up my street! Thought I wont get such enthu response! Love this.

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  26. What a great fusion dish! Props to your hubby!

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  27. very intriguing...sounds lke must try...well done dear..:)
    Tasty Appetite

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  28. Innovative recipe..Looks yum!

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  29. Yooohooo! loved your fusion pasta! I made sambar yesterday that is a sign that I should try :-)

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  30. That's a great fusion kick you gave here :)
    www.sunshineandsmile.com

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  31. Thats a unique combo. Thanks for sending it to my event.

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  32. Please have a look at Fusion Food: Pasta event and accept Proud Participant Award as a token of appreciation.

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