Veg- PENNE PASTA

I cannot believe that I tried Pasta @ home. I know its easy with so many blogs to follow and is very simple in preparation!!! But, I had not expected the real pasta kind taste in home made one. This was my 1st try and came out very well. The reason behind 1st time try was, even though modernization has influenced India, majority of people still like our traditional food and western food- very rare and occasional. I like pasta for some reasons like, the complete vegetable and tomato flavors in it and aroma of herbs they add in Italian foods. My husband never comes with me for any restaurant where delicious pasta is served. Yesterday, I took a challenge of making my husband to enjoy Pasta. He had already come up with a disclaimer of eating only if its good Pasta. I thought let me try Indianized Pasta 1st than forcing him for Italian food. He liked Pastas. I can visit many restaurants now onwards (happy) !
OK!!! here it is. Please try and let me know. One of my friend who worked @ Italian restaurant shared this recipe with me.

INGREDIENTS

Penne Pasta (If other shaped pasta is available other than penne pasta, you can also use it)- 1 cup (or 200 grams).
Vegetables- Carrot, bell pepper/ capsicum, Onions, Spianch, Mushrooms, spring onions, peas - all in equal amount, say 1/2 cup each. ( if in case you have beans, zucchini, cauliflower, you can use them)
Tomato paste-
Tomato - 2 chopped
Garlic cloves- 5-8 chopped
Green chilli- 1 or 2 chopped (retain bigger size)
Cilantro/coriander- few leaves
Tomato puree (Optional)- 4-5 tb sp. (if not available add one more tomato)
Corn starch- 2 tb sp.
Coconut cream- 2 tb sp.
Red chilli flakes- 2 tb sp.
Basil leaf flakes- 2 tb sp.
Pepper powder- 1 tb sp.
Oil/butter- 3-4 tb sp. ( I prefer vegetable oil than butter)
Salt to taste

COOKING

1. Part-1: 

Take penne pastas and boil it in water along with 1 tb sp. oil and a bit salt for 10 minutes or until it is cooked to smooth texture. Do not over cook or else it becomes sticky. Cooked pasta can also be fried in red chilli flakes and salt for a minute.
2. Part -2:
In a pan, heat oil and cook all chopped vegetables for 8-10 minutes. Make sure you add spinach and mushrooms later as they are soft, they might become over cooked if cooked for longer time. Keep aside
3. Part-3:
Heat Oil in a pan, add chopped tomatoes, green chilli, basil, pepper powder, garlic and saute for 4-5 minutes and then once tomatoes are cooked nicely, add tomato puree and coconut milk, followed by corn starch (dissolved in water). Also add coriander. Basil herb gives superb aroma and taste together with red chilli flakes.
4. Now mix cooked vegetable and stir for 2 more minutes. This 2 minutes allows vegetables to mix with tomato sauce.
5. Add cooked penne pasta over it and gently mix.
6. We may add cheese ( I avoided adding cheese) which makes pasta it even more soft.
7. Hmm! pasta is ready to eat. You can serve with garlic bread.
8. Serves- 4 people. Preparation and cooking time- 25 minutes.

HAPPY COOKING :)