Welcome to My Kitchen

I started cooking 20 years ago, and every day has been a new experience. You might not believe it but i was a person who could not fry an egg...but 20 years on..i feel i can take on any challenge.

I'm constantly trying out new recipes and looking for innovative ways to improvise my dishes and make it more easier. The easier the cooking gets and the less time it takes the more time for me to relax with my loved one.
But easy and quick does not mean compromise on taste or the way a dish is presented. I take great pride in decorating my dishes as i am a firm believer of ' The first impression counts'.

I decided to start this blog to help others like me discover that cooking a feast does not require slogging for hours in the kitchen all it requires is the right ingredients, tools and a creative mind and voila! you will have your family and guests begging for second helpings....

My inspiration for cooking has always been my husband...he loves his food..and like the saying goes 'A way to a man's heart is through his stomach'..i can confidently say it's true and it works wonders for a happy relationship...but he is also my best critic and competition.

I've got two little girls both who love to eat, and my eldest always enjoys helping me in the kitchen. I will try to post more kid friendly recipes that can be fun to eat and make together.

Hope you enjoy this blog and find it useful...please do feel free to leave any feedback or comments...remember there's always room for improvement!!!

Tuesday 9 March 2021

Pasta Alla Norma (Aubergine Pasta)


I was looking for a meat free pasta recipe and came across this Sicilian Recipe which combines aubergine and tomatoes to create a lovely pasta dish.

 As this was a midweek meal and I wanted to use what I had in my food cupboard I improvised a bit.. it turned out really delicious and the kids even asked for seconds. So this is another great meat free dish to get them eating their vegetables.  To keep it exciting for the kids I used different shaped pasta. 





Ingredients


250 - 300g mixed pasta, boiled al dente

2 garlic pods chopped finely

1 shallot, chopped finely 

1 large aubergine, cut into thick strips or cubes

6-8 button mushrooms chopped

1 large vine tomato chopped

1 tbsp tomato purée 

Olive oil

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp basil

1 tsp chilli flakes

1 tsp garlic powder

Freshly crushed pepper & salt 


Method:


  1. Mix the oregano, basil, chilli flakes and garlic powder with drizzle of olive oil and marinate the aubergine. Leave for 10 mins.
  2. Heat a pan, drizzle little olive oil and fry the aubergine until lightly golden. Ensure it’s cooked and lightly caramelised. Season well. Keep aside.
  3. Add some more olive oil to the pan, add chopped garlic and shallots. Fry until lightly golden. Mix in the mushrooms and cook until softened.
  4. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook on low flame, once softened stir in the purée , season well. If it’s too thick add little water.
  5. Mix in the fried aubergine. Give it a good stir and season. 
  6. When ready to serve, mix the pasta and sauce. Garnish with freshly chopped basil and sprinkle some mozzarella or Parmesan depending on preference. 

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