Marble Cake and An Ode to Casa Piccola

This might be very Bangalore centric but I’m sure anyone who’s seen one of their favorite/old eateries shut down, can connect to what I’m saying. Casa Piccola has be serving Bangalore fun and affordable European cuisine from 1979 and the Devtha Plaza location was definitely all the school and office goers favorite. If there was one place I remember frequenting as a kid for burgers and pizza’s and spaghetti – it was Casa’s. Many a date has been arranged here, with the friends sitting at the next table and sniggering away, while the poor boy was left wondering whether he did something wrong! If there is one restaurant that I’ve actually eaten every dish on the menu – it was at Casa’s. We even knew the waiters by name and some of them have worked in the establishment forever and a day. My favorite dish was Pasta Fungi – Pasta and mushrooms in a white sauce. (As a child with limited French vocabulary I was afraid to order it because I assumed Fungi = plural of Fungus!). My other top orders were the Sloppy Joe Burger (open face burger with ham and mushrooms covered with sauce), Epinard Ala Crème (A spinach bake covered with mashed potatoes) and Pasta Tetrazzini (Pasta in a cheesy red sauce)! The desserts were always fun and the Profiteroles and the Marble cake with ice cream :) topped the list!
The restaurant downed it shutters last month and I went there and tried and ate everything that my stomach could stomach! It was the only way a foodie can ever say goodbye to their favorite haunts. It’s sad to see commercialization gobbling up parts of Bangalore that we hold dear and Casa’s joins the elite list with India Coffee House, Victoria Hotel, Premier Book store and Airlines drive thru. But old Bangaloreans will remember… and this is my ode to you.

Marble Cake

Prep time: 20 mins

Baking time: 45 mins

Makes: one 8 inch round cake

What you need:

125 gms Unsalted Butter

¾ cup Caster sugar

2 Eggs, lightly beaten

1 tsp Vanilla essence

2 cups Flour

2 ½ tsp Baking Powder

A pinch of Salt

½ cup Milk

2 Tbsp Cocoa Powder + 1 Tbsp Milk

Red/Orange food coloring

What to do:

Preheat oven to 180°C. Brush a deep 8” cake tin with butter; line the base and sides with butter paper.

Using an electric beater, cream butter and sugar in a medium mixing bowl, till light and fluffy and pale. Add the eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. Add essence, beat until combined.

Using a metal spoon, fold in the sifted flour, baking powder and salt in three batches, alternating with the milk. Start and finish with the flour. Stir until just combined and smooth.

Divide the batter into three bowls. In the first, mix in the sifted cocoa and 1 Tbsp Milk, combine till smooth. Add enough food colouroing in the second batch to give it a nice pink/ orange flush. Leave the third bowl plain.

Now, drop spoonfuls of alternating colours into the prepared cake tin until all the mixture has been used up. Draw a skewer or knife through to swirl the colours. Bake for 45 mins or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Leave the cake in its tin for 10 mins before turning onto a wire rack to cool. Eat warm.

Say a little prayer for Casa Piccola before you tuck in with some Ice Cream!

Note: This is a Basic Butter Cake recipe. So if you don’t want a marble cake, just omit mixing the cocoa and coloring in. The rest of the process remains the same.

Grilled Chicken Souvlaki

It’s been a Greece obsessed month. Started with Tzatziki, then to the Cucumber Cooler and now to the famous Souvlaki. Maybe it has more to do with summer and the fact that Greek cuisine is so suited for hot balmy weather. When you scrutinize their cuisine, it’s filled with light and fresh recipes packed with flavor. Lemons are abundantly used, as are olives, yoghurt, herbs and cheese. Souvlaki is actually Greek fast food – Meat on a skewer. But unlike the fast food of the west (burgers and fries), this one is a lot more healthy, wholesome and delicious! Greeks generally use pork/ lamb for souvlaki but chicken is popular as well. The grilled skewers can be eaten as a starter or combined with Pita, tzatziki, lettuce and tomatoes to make a super sandwich! The most refreshingly light and filling lunch for a hot day! Now to complete the picture ….I’m on a Greek island overlooking the aquamarine ocean and have a gorgeous Greek God for company …. Sigh! (Yes, I remember I’m married already, but a girl can day dream can’t she?!)

Grilled Chicken Souvlaki

Prep Time: 10 mins

Marinade time: 30 mins

Cooking time: 15 mins

What you need:

500 gms Boneless Chicken breast

Olive Oil for basting

Marinade:

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 Lemon, Zest and Juice

2 tsp Oregano

1 tsp Thyme

1/2 tsp Chilli flakes

1 tsp Salt

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

2 Tbsp Yoghurt

1 Tbsp Cream

1 1/2 Tbsp Olive Oil

What to do:

Soak bamboo skewers. Mix the marinade ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Use thick yoghurt to ensure it is not too runny. Flatten the chicken breast and cut diagonally into strips of 1" width. (You should get about 4-5 strips per breast). Toss the chicken strips into the marinade and mix well. Marinate for 30 mins or longer in the fridge.

Preheat the grill for 10 mins or heat charcoals till red hot. (I used my oven - ran the grill function for 10 mins to get it to the desired heat, before putting my skewers in). Now skewer the chicken strips in a wave onto the bamboo sticks. (This allows for maximum area to be exposed to the grill.) Baste with olive oil. (I used a spary can. So much fun!) Place the skewers on a wire rack with a dripping pan below and grill for 15 mins, turning once in between to baste. Check for doneness. Take off the heat and serve with some warm Pita bread, Onion rings, tomatoes, lettuce and Tzatziki (Click here for recipe)!

Mango and Bocconcini Skewers

As it’s Mango season in India, I thought I’d pay homage to the king of fruits by featuring him in a simple recipe that lets his flavours shine through. Apparently the reason (which I found out only last week) the Mango is called the ‘King of Fruits’ is because kings in ancient India used to pride themselves on the possession of large mango gardens. They were also highly prized in Ayurvedic healing and cooking. They balance all the three doshas. A Mango is ready to eat when it is soft to touch and yields to gentle pressure. Green mangoes can be ripened at room temperature, however once ripe store them in the refrigerator and eat them within three days.

The best use of a mango is to savour it by itself or eat it with a dollop of fresh cream. (My favourite type is Alphonso and Begampalli). If you want to take it up a notch, then read on. This appetizer recipe is of a different kind - A no-cook but full of flavor one! It also contains a few of my favourite ingredients – Mangoes, Bocconcini and Balsamic Vinegar. The combination is insanely delicious! The sweetness of the mango, set off by the tartness of the balsamic and finally amalgamating both is the creaminess of the bocconcini…Divine!

Mango and Bocconcini Skewers

 

Prep time: 10 mins

Makes: 8 skewers

 

What you need:

1 ripe Alphonso Mango, skinned and cut into cubes

8 Bocconcini Balls (or Fresh Mozarella torn into bite sized chunks)

8 fresh Mint/ Basil leaves

3 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar, reduced by half

 

What to do:

Wash the Mango and cut into three parts, vertically and on either side of the stone. That leaves you with two fleshy halves. Now score the flesh upto the skin (but not cutting through) in a checkerboard pattern. Now put your fingers under the skin and push to turn the mango flesh up. It should look like a fruity porcupine! Now it’s super easy to cut away cubes without wasting any flesh.

Heat the balsamic vinegar in a saucepan on low heat and reduce the quantity by half.

Now skewer a piece of mango, followed by a ball of bocconcini, mango again and topped with a mint/ basil leaf.

Serve on a plate with balsamic drizzled on the side or on top. Simple, elegant and a dynamite of flavours in your mouth. Love!

Aqua De Pepino - Cucumber Cooler

Featured in Tastespotting.com on 14th June 2012.

No, the cooler does not taste vegetal. If anything, it’s brilliantly refreshing. And this was the recipe that I said, you could make side by side with the Tzatziki. (It’s such a waste to be throwing away fresh cucumber juice!). Or if you’re in no mood to grate, strain, squeeze and extract the juice of one cucumber – just use prepackaged cucumber juice. (Though I strongly recommend the fresh version – the colour is unbelievable!). You can either use vodka or a gin with this recipe, substituting one for the other brings no great change in taste. If you are a teetotaler or are making this for a younger audience, by all means skip the alcohol. It’s just as exciting to serve on a balmy summers eve.

 Aqua De Pepino – Cucumber Cooler

Prep time: 10 mins
Serves: 2

What you need:

400 ml Cucumber Juice (from 2 Cucumbers)
5 tsp Sugar Syrup
120 ml Vodka
2 Lemons (Juice of)
Lemon and Cucumber slices to garnish
Ice Cubes to serve

What to do:

Wash, peel and cut the cucumber in half. Scoop out the seeds. Now grate the cucumber coarsely and spoon into a strainer. (Do this to remove the water from the cucumber. Collect the cucumber juice and reserve. After you are fairly certain that you have pressed out as much water from the cucumber as possible – press into strainer again. Surprised? Yes there will still be some more cucumber juice you can extract. Reserve.

In a cocktail shaker add the vodka, lemon juice, sugar syrup and cucumber juice. Mix well. (Don’t shake it too much to avoid the cucumber juice from frothing). Now strain into a whisky glass filled with ice cubes. Toss in some cucmber and lemon slices for a fun cocktail. Enjoy.

Here's what was featured in Tastespotting.com

Zomato Restaurant Guide 2012 - A Review

The kind people of Zomato sent me the “Zomato Restaurant Guide 2012” (Bangalore) this week. Considering this is their first attempt at publishing a physical food guide and my first attempt at writing a book review - let’s hope the Gods will be kind.

I buy food guidebooks religiously every year - even though I place them on a bookshelf and use them as paperweights once I’ve read them cover to cover. (Yes, I do read a guidebook – just like a cookbook it can transport me to a food wonderland). The reason for ignoring them after aquring them (just like men and the chase!), is that - searching online for a restaurant is so much simpler. (brunch+indiranagar+continental >hit enter). The reason most guidebooks are cumbersome, is because they are not ready-answer-providers. They are directories, with tiny little lettering that one has to frown over with a microscope to get your pick. So has Zomato solved that riddle? Let’s find out.

First impressions – the book looks good. The paper quality is nice and glossy (compared to most other review books where the pages are so thin you can see through them - reminds me a lot about yellow pages!). Zomato is associated with Citibank for this book and it’s only obvious that a few pages will be dedicated to Citibank promotions and restaurants tied up with the same. (But who’s complaining when someone highlights discounts?).

After a quick note about Zomato.com (They claim it’s the largest electronic restaurant guide in the country serving more than 3 million users every month) and another one pager from the editor about how this book aims to “distill the best of the website in an innovative and user friendly form” – I was ready to dive right in.

When you are deciding on which restaurant to visit, the general areas of elimination and deduction are cuisine, price, location, Veg/Non-veg (just thought about my veggie friends) and if it serves alcohol. (Legally or illegally!) If you are leafing through a guide book, you would go to the index and then narrow down choices by cuisine and then keep flipping back and forth to figure out the rest of the details. This is where the Zomato folks have done a clever thing to differentiate themselves from the pack. The first few pages are like a ready reckoner of frequently asked questions when we start to look for a restaurant. They have 22 categories (Eg: Beer in a Bar, Catching Up, Sunday Brunch, Kid Friendly etc.) and restaurants tagged to those. Next to each restaurant name is a bunch of logos which will give you more details about the cost, whether they accept Credit Card (Citibank darlings!), whether they serve alcohol or they have home delivery. I might not readily agree with their choice of restaurants in most of their categories, but at least they are headed in the right direction!

 

 

The rest of the book is the standard fare of restaurants listed from A-Z and further details. This irks me because there is no grouping by area or cuisine. Even the index fails me here, because it’s just the exact list from the body of the book (minus details) with page numbers next to it! Huh??? The purpose of an index is to cross reference – so give me some intelligence in this area! Maybe the next edition will have a split by area (CBD, Kormangala, Bangalore North etc.) which will make it much simpler to navigate the 100 odd pages. What I would really like though is a split by area and then cuisine! I can hear the Zomato folks groaning here. Ok, ok I get it … I’ll hit the website for such detailed distillations!

Now that I battered them with the stick, its time to offer the carrot. Other guide books shy away from giving restaurant’s ratings or recommending the best dish there, in order to appear impartial. Zomato, I see, has no such qualms! That’s because they’ve used the user’s ratings from their website and this absolves them of all sin. The users are not the Big Bad Corporation, but people like you and me. Now, we can always go into a lengthy debate about sample size and quality, but at the end of the day - I like to gauge the general opinion of a place before heading out. Another helpful inclusion from Zomato is their ‘Don’t Miss’ box. It gives you a list of the must try/ most popular dishes at that restaurant. And now my favorite feature - I love the fact that they have a QR code next to every restaurant listed! What’s a QR code you ask? Well it’s a nifty little code that lets smart phone users scan it and view the restaurant’s menu on the Zomato portal. So geeky cool! *clap clap clap*

So would I pay 200 bucks to buy this off the shelf? For a comprehensive listing of every restaurant in every nook and corner in Bangalore – No. For a friendly nudge from a group of fellow foodies to try something that they have, and loved – Yes. And the QR code doesn’t hurt either!

To buy the book from Flipkart click here. Here's the link to their website http://www.zomato.com/

Tzatziki - Cucumber Yoghurt Dip from Greece

It’s pronounced zad-zi-ki, in case you were wondering. I do have a penchant for strange sounding names, they intrigue me and force me to delve deeper into them. And this dip is something that you want to dive deep into. Especially on a hot summer day! It’s really refreshing and cooling and goes fabulously with vegetable crudités or grilled meat. After making it, I served it with some olives and toasted pita for a mezze like feel. And announced with a flourish that the Tzatziki was served! Mom took a look at it and declared that it was not really that exotic or strange, actually it reminded her of the ubiquitous Indian raita or pachadi! Nothing like ‘experience’ to throw water on someone’s excitement! (hmph!). I of course brushed the comment aside with a cool wave of the hand and grumbled that she was closed to experimenting with new cuisines (all the while knowing that I had lost the battle!). So in essence, yes it does look and feel like pachadi and maybe the Greeks were our distant cousins and swapped recipes. (one global village huh?) But that doesn’t take away from the fact that its bloody delicious and makes for one fabulous dip!

Tzatziki

Prep time: 20 mins + refrigeration

Makes: 2 cups

What you need:

2 med Cucumbers

500 gms thick Yoghurt (I use Nestle set dahi)

4 cloves Garlic, crushed

1 tsp finely chopped Dill

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

Salt and Freshly ground Black Pepper

To serve:

Vegetable crudites

Olives

2 Pita Breads

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

What to do:

Wash, peel and cut the cucumber in half. Scoop out the seeds. Now grate the cucumber coarsely and spoon into a strainer. (Do this to remove the water from the cucumber. Collect the cucumber juice and reserve – I made a fabulous cocktail with it later. Recipe in next post). After you are fairly certain that you have pressed out as much water from the cucumber as possible – press into strainer again. Surprised? Yes there will still be some more cucumber juice you can extract. (I got 400ml of gorgeous green cucumber juice from 2 cucumbers). Now the grated cucumber is ready to go into the dip. (Note: You can also strain the yoghurt to make the dip creamier).

In a medium bowl add the cucumber, yoghurt, dill, garlic and olive oil and mix well. Cover and refrigerate till use. (Some people leave it overnight to develop the flavor). My impatience reduced overnight to till I toasted the pita bread …. The dip tasted fine!

Preheat oven to 180°C. Cut through the center of the pita bread. Brush the rough sides with olive oil. Now cut each circle into 8 wedges. Bake bread on ungreased tray for 10-15 mins or until crisp. Serve with olives and tzatziki!

Thai Fish Cakes with Coriander, Lime Mayo

I love fish cakes. Especially the ones made with Sear fish. Sear fish is a delicacy in South India and Sri Lanka and is generally the costliest fish in the market after Pomfret. In Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu it’s called “Vanjaram” and in Kerala its christened “Neimeen”. Some people also refer to them as king mackerels. I am partial to the seer, because a. it’s an ocean fish, b. it cooks beautifully in a curry or a fry, c. It’s isn’t riddled with too many bones, d. It’s so tasty! My mom-in-law makes the best fish cutlets (south Indian style with loads of masala!) and the co-resident can’t stop eating them. Since I can’t compete with the mother recipe, I din’t try to replicate it. Instead I found one that uses thai red curry paste to give a fantastic spin to the basic fishcake recipe. It’s really simple to make. You can even make the cakes in advance and refrigerate them, just pull out and fry before serving. Now isn’t that what we all strive to do? – reduce time in the kitchen and increase time actually savoring the dish! Though I guarantee this will get over the minute it hits the plate from the frying pan. Kŏr hâi jà-rern aa-hăan! (That’s Bon Appétit in Thai :P)

Thai Fish Cakes

Prep time: 10 mins

Cooling time: 30 mins

Cooking time: 10 mins

Makes: 8

What you need:

100 gms Sear fish fillet (poached)/ 100gms can of flaked Tuna

2 Tbsp Thai red Curry paste (I used Real Thai)

1 tsp Vegetable Oil

¾ cup chopped Spring Onion

2 Medium Potatoes (skinned, boiled and mashed)

1 cup fresh Breadcrumbs

Oil for deep frying

To serve:

½ cup Mayo

Juice of 1 lemon

¼ cup finely chopped cilantro

Salt and pepper

What to do:

Poaching the fish: Place the sear fish in a saucepan and pour just enough water to cover the fish.  Season with salt and pepper. Bring liquid to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer 7-8 minutes or until center is opaque and fish flakes easily when tested with fork. Remove fish with slotted spatula. Keep aside. (If you are using a can of tuna, then you can omit this step).

Remove bones from fillet. (there is generally just one big bone). Flake the fish into a big bowl. Fry the thai red curry paste in a teaspoon of oil for 3 mins. Add the paste, spring onions, potatoes and bread crumbs to the fish. Combine gently to bring the ingredients together. Divide into 8 portions and shape into flat, round cakes. Chill for 30 mins.

Meanwhile combine the mayo, cilantro and lime. Season with salt and a dash of black pepper. Chill in the refrigerator.

Now fry the fish cakes in oil, over a medium heat until crisp and golden. (Medium heat is important otherwise the outside will burn while the inside remains uncooked). Drain on a paper towel. Serve the hot fish cakes with the cool lime and coriander mayo. Fantastic!

Fluffy Sponge Cake and a Trifle Pudding

Sponge cakes are so called because they are as fluffy as a sea sponge. The air incorporated into the batter lifts the cake to make it light and irresistible. Since it is used as a base for many other desserts it’s one of the first cake recipes that I wrote down in my little black book of Baking! (Yes, I have one – though the color is more navy blue than black). There are many variations to turn out a perfect sponge. I use the method which involves creaming the eggs and sugar and adding the melted fat in the end. Some people use oil instead of butter, but I always think butter makes everything better, so you know my leanings! You can eat the sponge cake like a Victorian Sandwich – jam and whipped double cream or use it for a rolled cake like a Swiss Roll. (The flexibility of a sponge cake allows us to roll it without breaking).  I have used it as a base for the popular English Trifle. Now the Trifle is nothing but a combination of layers of cake, custard, fruit and cream. But it is an impressive looking dessert to turn out! I use ready mix custard and jelly which saves me time. You can also go ahead and use a ready cake as the base of the trifle. (I won’t tell anyone!) But it’s so cost effective and easy to make at home, that I desist buying some from the bakery. Once you have all the ingredients, a trifle pudding is just assembly – though you have to wait a trifle between steps. Like George Savile said, “A man who is a master of Patience is a master of everything else”. (I don’t think he had a wife…’master of everything else’ ….hmph!) J

Fluffy Sponge Cake

Prep time: 20 mins

Cooking time: 25 mins

Serves: 4 (makes one 8X8 inch cake or two 20cm round cakes)

What you need:

4 eggs

¾ cup (165 gms) Caster Sugar

1 cup (150 gms) Flour

1 ½ tsp Baking Powder

½ tsp Salt

1 tablespoon Cornflour

10 gms (2 teaspoons) Butter, melted and cooled

1/3 cup (80 ml) Hot Water

What to do:

Pre-heat oven to 180°C for a normal oven or 160°C for a fan-forced oven. Grease one 8x8 inch square cake pans, and line the base with baking paper. (Baking paper makes it easy to remove the sponge cake – other be prepared to lose large chunks to the pan).

Beat eggs in a bowl, using an electric mixer, for about 10 minutes, until thick and creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until dissolved. Triple-sift flour, baking powder, salt and corn flour together and fold it into the egg mixture gently.  (Folding in flour and other ingredients can be tricky when you use a spoon or spatula, but you can use your fingers to pull the dry ingredients up and through the egg mixture).

Combine the melted butter and the water, pour it down the side of bowl and fold through gently

but thoroughly. Pour mixture into the pan and bake for about 25 minutes. Immediately turn out the sponges to cool, top-side up, onto a wire rack covered with baking paper. Cool and use as you please.  

Basic Trifle Pudding

What you need:

4 cups Vanilla Custard (Prepared from 500ml milk and 3-4 tbsp Custard packet mix)

2 cups Jelly (prepared from 1 packet – I used Rex)

2 cups fresh Cream whipped with 3 Tbsp Sugar

1 Sponge Cake Base

2 cups of mixed Fruit (strawberries, cherries, pineapples, apples, grapes)

What to do:

In a big glass bowl, layer the sponge cake at the base. Put the jelly in as the next layer. Now top with fruits. Pour custard over. (It's better if the custard is thick rather than runny...helps hold the trifle's shape better). Now lightly top with whipped cream. Decorate with fruit slices/ sprinkles. Ready to serve!

Note: You can also make individual portions of trifle, much easier to serve!

Green Goddess Frittata (Spinach, Broccoli and Mushroom)

Frittata is a variation of an omelette and is derived from the Italian word fritto meaning to fry. The difference between an omelette and frittata are four fold. (A) Ingredients are combined with the beaten egg mixture before cooking, unlike an omelette where its tossed on top before the omelette is fully cooked. (B) The mixture is cooked over a very low heat, but for a longer period of time (10-15 mins) compared to an omelette (4-5 mins). (C) The frittata is not folded over like an omelette, but grilled briefly to set the top (D) and finally a frittata is for sharing, unlike an omelette which is a one person dish. So after getting all technical on you, I’d like to conclude by saying – it tastes just like a fat, fancy omelette or a baseless quiche. Both of which are fully acceptable and appreciated with gusto in my home. I would serve the frittata cold with some toasted baguettes for a fuss free lunch. It’s also a great option to lug around for a picnic. I call this one Green Goddess – with Spinach, broccoli and mushroom, how could I have not?

Spinach, Mushroom and Broccoli Frittata

Prep time: 10 mins

Cooking time: 20 mins

Serves: 2-3

What you need:

3 Tbsp Olive Oil

80 gms Broccoli florets, chopped

200 gms Button Mushrooms, sliced

2 cups Spinach leaves, coarsely chopped

6 eggs

A splash of soy sauce

Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper

2 Tbsp grated Parmesan Cheese

What to do:

Heat the oil in a large non stick frying pan. Add the mushrooms and broccoli and cook over a high heat s, stirring, for about 7 mins. Add the spinach and sauté for 1-2 mins. Lower the heat, do not let the spinach wilt.

Break the eggs into a bowl, season with salt, pepper and soy and beat well. Pour over the veggie mix in the pan and cook over medium heat for 10 mins. As the eggs set, lift the frittata with a spatula and tilt the pan so that the uncooked egg runs underneath. Repeat till the whole frittata looks set.

When the eggs are set sprinkle with grated parmesan and place the pan under the grill. (about 4 inches from the heat). Cook for 1-2 mins or until the top is golden brown and firm when pressed. Cut into quarters and serve with freshly toasted and buttered baguettes and a nice glass of wine.

Note 1 : Use a frying pan that can be placed in the oven as well. Or else you need to transfer the frittata into an oven proof dish to grill the top.

Note 2: Non Veggie Option: Reduce the olive oil to 1 Tbsp and add 60 gms of diced bacon and sauté the veggies in the bacon fat. Omit the soy sauce, as the bacon will provide the requisite saltiness.

Summer Pasta Salad - a la Infinitea

I’m more of a summer person than a winter person. Or so I thought, till I got baked in the sun the past couple of days. The heat has been unbearable. I have the fan on full speed at home and there’s still no respite. Being Bangalorean, I always think I don’t need an AC in our pleasant city. Boy, am I wrong! The only time I’m happy these days, is when I’m in the car and I have the AC on full blast in my face or when am under a cold shower! Which leads me to change my earlier notion of what weather person I am - I am an opti-weather person. I don’t like it too hot or too cold, too dry or too rainy, too windy or too still! I’m not fussy, but that’s the weather I would like. If wishes were horses, right? But I still concede that when it comes to satisfying my weather requirement, no other city in the world gets it as close to perfect as Bangalore. It’s almost like my genes have adapted to the city of my birth and the thermostat has been set to ‘comfortable’. Speaking of comfortable, I went to my old hangout Infinitea last week. Lazing around on their sofa’s, ordering a pomegranate ice tea and summer pasta salad and chatting with the girls. Can’t get more comfortable than that! I adore their version of the summer pasta salad (which is more of a main course in my opinion) and tried to replicate it at home. Results? A very comfortable match!

Summer Pasta Salad

Prep time: 30 mins

Cooking time: 15 mins

Serves: 4

What you need:

350 gms Penne

3 Peppers (1 red, 1 yellow, 1 green), finely chopped

1 small Onion, finely chopped

6 cloves of garlic, minced

3/4 cup Corn Kernals

100 gms Mushrooms, finely chopped

1 Tbsp chopped Jalapenos

1 Tbsp chopped Sun dried tomatoes in oil

2 Tbsp chopped Green and Black Olives

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 Tbsp Butter

200 ml Cream

Salt and freshly ground black Pepper

To garnish:

Grated Cheddar Cheese

Mixed Herbs

What to do:

Julienne the peppers and then chop them up into tiny pieces. Ensure that the onions and mushrooms are also chopped to roughly the same size. Try to cut up the olives, jalapenoes and sun dried tomatoes to the same size as well. In the meantime, boil the corn and set aside.(I used the microwave).

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil and toss in the butter. When the butter sizzles, lower the heat and add the onions. Saute for 2 mins till it gets soft. Raise the heat. Then add the garlic and the mushrooms and saute for another minute. Toss in the peppers, saute for 3 mins. Finally add the corn, stir to combine.

Now lower the heat and add the cream. Cook for a minute and toss in the jalapenoes, sun dried tomatoes and olives. Season with salt and pepper. Mix to combine and Turn off the heat.

Spoon the pasta into a serving dish. (it helps if its microwave friendly). Now toss the grated cheese on top and heat for 30 secs in the microwave till the cheese is melty. Season with mixed herbs and serve!

P.S. You could add in the juice of 1 lemon in the final stage of seasoning to make it more tangy.