WHITE SAUCE PASTA RECIPE

👋Hi everyone..

After a really longtime...I am back with another recipe..

WHITE SAUCE PASTA RECIPE....this is my favourite recipe ( do I use that often..ha..ha..ha.. I have lots of favourite foods..cant help it 😊 )..

okay back to the recipe.. this is again I would say as an one pot recipe... its a quite simple recipe which can be done in the mornings for kids lunch box.. I will also share the tip to keep the pasta tasty even after 4 hrs in the lunch box... that trick works like a magic for me every time..never failed me..so my kids love this in their dabba...

Don't forget to check the notes at the end of the recipe.
you can add corn,capsicum,or even cooked chicken to this pasta.. prawn also makes the pasta yummy..so do try all your favourite vegetables and make this even more healthier for the kids..

Lets rock and roll...

INGREDIENTS:

penne pasta( or any pasta of your choice )                   -  1 cup
water  ( to cook pasta )                                                 -   4 cups
salt ( as required for boiling the pasta and white sauce) - as required
oil                                                                                    - 2 tbsp
butter                                                                             -  3 tbsp.
whole wheat flour/corn flour/maida                             -   2 tbsp.
cut vegetables ( peas,corn,capsicum etc )                     -  1 cup
spring green onions                                                       - 7-8 nos
ginger garlic paste( optional)                                        - 1 tbsp
full cream milk                                                              -  2 cups
black pepper ( optional )                                                - 1 tbsp. ( crushed )
grated cheese ( optional)                                                - 1/4 cup

RECIPE:

COOKING THE PASTA..

first cook the pasta according to the instructions given in the packet.

boil 4 cups of water with a pinch of salt and 2 tbsp. of oil.
when the water come to boiling point ,add the pasta to the boiling water.

 

.keep the flame in medium and cook until the pasta turns soft.. to be particular to an al dente texture..(meaning just the right texture)
meaning don't over cook it..then the pasta will become soggy on the white sauce..

I cooked for 8 mins.. then strain the pasta in a strainer

now wash the pasta with a cup of cold water, so that it doesn't stick to each other until we cook the white sauce..

MAKING OF WHITE SAUCE

before making the white sauce chop the capsicum ,tomato and any other vegetables which you want to add to the pasta.

first lets saute the vegetables in the same pan before preparing the white sauce

add 1 tbsp. of butter and saute the vegetables

add ginger garlic paste, required amount of salt and saute until the vegetables are cooked.

now after 5-6 minutes or wen the vegetables are cooked, remove the sauted vegetables  from the pan and lets make white sauce in the same pan..

Add butter to the pan , remember to keep the flame in low all the time or the sauce might get burned..
once the butter starts to melt add 2 tbsp. of wholewheat flour, you can also use corn flour or maida..but wholewheat flour also gives the same thickness as corn flour . so I feel its better to use whole wheat flour rather than refined flour.. you wont even find any difference in the taste also..

 

 

saute the raw flour in very low flame for 2-3 minutes until a nice aroma comes from the flour mixture, there should not be any raw smell of the flour.. this will take about 3-4 minute.

once the flour is nicely cooked, in a low flame add warm milk to the mixture while continuously stirring the mixture..so the flour is nicely mixed with milk..keep  stirring while adding milk

once the entire amount of milk is added... stir continuously for 3-4 minutes so that no lumps are formed in the mixture..

now let it boil for 5-6 minutes and then add the sauted vegetables to this mixture..

now let the mixture boil for another 5-7 minutes in medium flame, so the sauce will thicken.

after another 5 minutes the sauce thickens more.. the final stage is confirmed when the sauce coves the entire spoon, that's the desired consistency..

Now add the cooked pasta to the white sauce in a medium flame..
you can add crushed pepper at this stage if  you want the pasta to be a bit spicy.. also after adding pasta you can add the herbs if you need..

mix the entire contents in medium flame for another 5 mins...until the pasta is coated with white sauce.

Now after 5 mins in medium flame the pasta will thicken a bit more.. don't cook until the pasta turns dry.. switch off the flame when the pasta is still a bit saucy...

yummy and tasty white sauce pasta is ready...

you can add spring onions to garnish ,while serving.. I haven't added them as my kids are not very fond of spring onion..

now if you want to pack this pasta for kids lunch box, take the required quantity in a small bowl. let it come to room temperature..then add 10 - 12 tbsp. of warm milk to the pasta.. just the quantity should be very little just to make the pasta little saucy..since we are adding it to the pasta in room temperature, even after 4 hrs the pasta will be fresh in the tiffin box...so even after 4 hrs the pasta will not become dry.. but remember to add the milk only when the pasta is in room temperature..

NOTES:

1. always cook the pasta according to the time given in the packet.dont overcook the pasta ,because its going to be cooked in white sauce also for 5 - 10 minutes.
2.while making white sauce, keep the flame in low flame while melting butter.
also add the flour in low flame and keep stirring continuously. else lumps will be formed in the flour.
there is a trick which I use.. once the butter is melted,switch off the flame then add the flour, mix it nicely without lumps.then switch on the stove in low flame. this way you can avoid the lumps.. only after adding the milk and mixing properly increase the flame to medium.
3. crushed pepper can be added if you want a little bit spicy pasta.add freshly grounded pepper.
4.italian seasoning, and chilli flakes can be added according to your taste..
5.grated cheese can be added just after switching off the flame before serving, again its optional..if you want more cheesy pasta you can go for it.

guess I have covered all the points.. this yummy white sauce pasta is a very easy dish for kids lunch box.. also you can add any vegetables of your kids taste..it will take 30minutes to 45 minutes to prepare this dish..
so do give it a try..let me know if you have any queries..i am sure it will be your favourite too..
soon will be back with another interesting recipe...
until then happy cooking.. be back soon..👋

 

NATTU KOZHI KULAMBU/ COUNTRY CHICKEN GRAVY

👋Hi  friends..

I am back with another chicken gravy recipe.. this is like a chettinad chicken gravy.
now a days we are buying only country chicken/nattu kozhi.. so  last weekend I tried this nattu kozhi kulambu. I made it a bit spicy with black pepper, usually my gravies are a bit less spicy( ofcourse my sister feels they are zero spicy😂)..my husband and kids don't like spicy foods..so usually all my gravies will be less spicy.. but since I wanted to add pepper and chicken masala this one turned out to be a bit more spicy..but this is an excellent side dish for chappathi and also plain white rice..
country chicken will require little more time to cook unlike the broiler chicken. so if you are using broiler chicken reduce the cooking time to half..
Regarding the spices, I have grinded my own spices and also added Everest chicken masala also. so if  you feel  you want more spicy, be free to add more black pepper while grinding..
I am grinding coriander leaves/kothumalli while grinding the masala so the grinded masala would look little green.. also the gravy is little brown colour because of that.. you can totally skip that part if you want a reddish gravy.. no harm...
Ok lets get to work..

 

 

 

INGREDIENTS

• country chicken / nattu kozhi                   -    1/2 kg or 500 gms
• oil  ( gingely oil)                                      -     10-12 tbsp.
• onion                                                        -     1 large for grinding and 1 large for gravy
• tomato                                                      -     2 medium size
• ginger garlic paste                                    -     3 tbsp.
• coriander leaves                                       -      1 cup tightly packed
• curry leaves                                              -      10-12 nos
• salt                                                           -       as per taste
• chilli powder                                           -       1/2 tsp for marination
• coriander powder                                    -       2 tbsp.
• turmeric powder                                      -      1 tbsp.
• whole pepper/black pepper                     -      1 tbsp.
• coriander seeds/dhaniya                          -      1 tbsp
• cumin seeds                                             -      1 tbsp.
• fennel seeds                                             -      1 tbsp.
• cloves                                                       -      4-5 nos
• cinnamon                                                 -      1 small stick
• coconut                                                    -      1/4 cup

PROCEDURE:

first marinate the chicken pieces with 1tbsp of ginger garlic paste, 1/2 tsp of chilli powder, 1 tbsp. of coriander powder,1/2 tbsp. of turmeric powder and salt to taste. let the chicken  be in marination by the time we grind the masala..

Now we have to roast the ingredients for masala..add 2 tbsp. of oil in a kadai and roast cloves,cinnamon,black pepper, coriander seeds,jeera/cumin, fennel seeds one by one..roast them in low flame don't burn them..

Now once the ingredients are roasted add 1 chopped onion . and fry until the onion becomes slighty brown colour.

once the onion turns into slight brown colour add  1 chopped tomato.

add 1 tbsp. of ginger garlic paste also to it. now once the tomato turns mushy add 3/4 cup of coriander leaves to it.. just reserve little for garnish and add the remaining coriander leaves to it.. saute them in low flame for a minute..

 

 

 

saute in a low flame so the colour of coriander doesn't change..
Now switch of the flame and add coconut to it..

Now once the ingredients are warm, grind them into a fine paste..

Keep this aside, now lets start with the main part.. the gravy..

I prefer to make it in pressure cooker as we are gonna cook the chicken with the masala.
if its a broiler chicken you can make it in kadai and the chicken will get cooked in 15-20 minuts in kadai..but country chicken needs atleast 10-12 minutes in pressure cooker..

Heat oil in a pressure cooker, add mustard seeds,fennel seeds and curry leaf..

now add 1 large onion ,finely chopped to it.once the onion turns into slight brown colour add the tomato to them.. once the tomato turns mushy add the ginger garlic paste to it..

once the raw smell goes away add coriander powder,turmeric powder and Everest chicken masala .

now at this stage if you feel the oil is less, add 2-3 tbsp. of oil..as we have to fry the masala in oil so the raw smell goes away..

fry until oil starts to separate from the masala..

once the oil starts to separate add the grinded paste to it..

now don't add water at this stage , let this masala be in low flame and fry for 10 mins in low flame..

after 10 mins add the marinated chicken to this masala..

mix the chicken nicely with the masala, so the chicken is nicely coated with the masal.. fry in low flame for 5-7 mins..

after 5-7 mins.. add 2-3 cups of water .. the amount of water depends on how much thick the gravy you want..

 

 

after adding the water , pressure cook the gravy for 4-5 whistle or after the first whistle , keep the flame in sim for another 10 mins..

 

Now after 15 mins ,switch off the flame and open the cooker once the steam settles..

 

I found the gravy a bit watery so boiled it with out the lid for another 5 mins until the gravy thickens.

 

Now once the desired consistency is reached switch off the flame and transfer the contents to a serving bowl and garnish with coriander leaves..

you can entirely skip the coriander while grinding the paste. in that case the gravy will be a bit reddish colour.. also if you feel the gravy is less spicy for you, increase the pepper to 2 tbsp.

this yummy country chicken/nattu kozhi kulambu  goes well with chapathi, rice and idly..

so do try this yummy recipe soon and let me know how it turned out for you..
This is an easy recipe even a beginner can make it without difficulty..
I will be back soon with another recipe soon.. until then happy cooking..

Do check out my facebook page for more recipes.. see you guys soon.. until then tata👋