Healthy Start

                                     Life is a combination of magic and pasta - Federico Fellini

Macaroni Chicken

This recipe has been my children's favourite for a very long time. Everyone at home loves pasta especially this particular one which I use to prepare during special occasions.However I do not disappoint the children when  they request for this dish  once in a while. I have been making this with beef for quite sometime .So this festive season ( Eid) I decided to  prepare this specialty using  chicken.My Children refer to this as 'Mama's Macaroni'

Ingredients 

A packet of macaroni (500 gm packet)

1 1/2 lbs chicken  (a little more or less will not make a difference)

2 large onions chopped

4-5 green chilies (remove seeds if you prefer less spicy)

A small pod of garlic

1 inch ginger (or a little more)

1-2 teaspoons of Cummin seeds

1-2 teaspoons of curry powder

1-2 teaspoons pepper or according to your palate

Salt to taste

1 Maggie cube (chicken flavor tastes good)

Ghee/butter

1 cup thick Coconut Milk

For garnishing;

Cheese

Coriander leaves

Direction

Boil the macaroni with a little salt (drain it and set aside). Wash & cut the chicken into medium sized pieces. Boil the chicken with 2-3 cups of water- with a little pepper & salt. Once done, remove the bones and  set aside (don’t throw the excess liquid).

Pound the ginger, garlic, green chilies & the cummin seeds (set aside).

In a large pan, heat 2-3 tablespoon of ghee/butter, stir in the chopped onions and when it begins to get soft & translucent, put in the rest of the pounded ingredients (garlic, ginger, green chilies & cummin seeds). Keep on stirring it you get that aroma (don’t let it brown).

Put in the curry powder and the pepper and give it a good stir. Add the boiled chicken  with the excess liquid into this sautéed mixture and cover the pan with a lid & cook for 10 minutes. Next add the boiled macaroni. Mix in the Maggie cube. Cover and cook for further 10-15 minutes. Pour in, the cup of coconut milk and add salt. (Remember the Maggie cube is already salty, so add salt only if it’s necessary)  Let it simmer for a while .

Then transfer this cooked pasta into a baking dish.Grate a small tin of cheese on top of the pasta and bake in a hot oven until the cheese begins to melt.Remove from oven & garnish with chopped coriander leaves (optional)

 (P.S. You can adjust the spices according to your taste bud.)

Serves about 6-8 persons

Savoury Noodles.

Everyone at home loves noodles.So I make them very often for dinner.I make them with whatever vegetables I  rummage through my refrigerator.Some days I make it plain with only a sauce.I try as much as possible  to minimize the amount of vegetables in the noodles.For garnishing  I use coriander leaves or parsley