We are a family of Italian food lovers. While V almost always takes angel hair pasta when we are at any Italian restaurant, I have tried most of the different options available. I love different cheese stuffed pastas/lasagnas, but I feel really guilty about eating them. I wanted to find out a good alternative to all the cheese, without changing the taste. Then last week, I watched a cooking show where Laura used tofu in the stuffing. I was not paying attention, so I don’t remember if she used only tofu or mixed something else with it. I loved her idea of using tofu. Now, I can make these stuffed shells/lasagnas without feeling too guilty about eating so much cheese. I am still not ready to move completely to tofu filling – I still love the cheese, so I am going to continue mixing both as of now.
Instead of plain tomato sauce, I use my vegetable-tomato sauce – I use a little tomato paste to make it thick. We loved it, so I am going to make this once in a while.
Ingredients: 15 jumbo pasta shells 4 oz (approx) ricotta cheese 4 oz (approx) soft tofu 2 tbl spn + 1/4 cup parmesan cheese 1 cup spinach 1/4 cup onions 1/2 tea spn dried basil (optional) Olive oil Salt 1 and 1/2 cups (approx) pasta sauce – I use homemade sauce
Method: Cook the pasta shells according to instructions on the packet. Heat olive oil and add onions and salt. When they become translucent, switch off heat and add chopped spinach. Cover and leave for few minutes. Then mix it well. Let it cool. Now in a bowl, crumble tofu, ricotta cheese. Add 2 tbl spn parmesan cheese, spinach mixture, basil, salt and mix well. Stuff the pasta shells with the mixture. Preheat oven at 350F for about 10 mins. In a oven safe dish, spread half of the pasta sauce. Line the stuffed shells on top. Then spread another layer of remaining sauce. Spread parmesan cheese on top. Cover the dish with aluminum foil. Bake at 350F for 30mins. Then remove the aluminum foil and bake for another 10 mins. Serve hot.
Serves :3 Preparation time : 20 mins + baking time
Last December when Shilpa visited us, we were trying to remember if there were any recipes that my mother prepared, which we have not posted on this site. While discussing this with my brother, he suggested this shrimp pickle. My aayi was a vegetarian, but she cooked nonveg for us. But they basically started making nonveg dishes at home after my marriage. I had heard my brother and father mentioning about this shrimp pickle many times. I had never tasted this before. I got the recipe from her and wrote it down in my diary. I have prepared this a couple of times. My brother has very fond memories of this pickle prepared by my aayi.
This pickle is made with small shrimp. They are fried on a very low heat till they become hard and almost crispy. The pickle has basic pickle masala. It remains good for few days if you take care to fry the shrimp properly. Eat it like any other pickle in small quantities, it tastes great with rice.
Ingredients: 1 cup small shrimp 1 tea spn mustard seeds 1/4 tea spn methi seeds A pinch of turmeric powder A big pinch of asafoetida (use the best available) 1 tea spn chilli powder Oil Juice from small lime sized ball of tamarind or 1/2 tea spn thick tamarind extract Salt
Method: Heat oil and fry mustard, methi and asafoetida. Take them out in a mortar and powder them. Keep aside. Heat oil and add shrimp. Let them fry on a low heat. Take care to make sure they don’t get burned and they get cooked through and almost become crispy. Now add chilli powder, turmeric, mustard-methi-asafoetida powder and tamarind. Add salt, a little bit more than you would add to any dish – salt acts as preservative. Cook on a medium heat till all the water from tamarind is well absorbed. Cool to room temperature and store in air tight container.
Preparation time : 45mins
