Dish 2: Pasta in creamy coconut sauce topped with pan fried chicken

One recipe and two dishes, your taste buds would dance with joy seeing this…

During every meal I think it would have been nice if I had variety of dishes lined in front of me to taste. But this happens only during special occasions or when I have guests over for a meal. On other days, convincing my mind to prepare even one dish is a bit difficult let alone two or more dishes And I terribly fail to fulfill my taste bud’s greedy desire for tasting many dishes.

For the last couple of days I found my taste buds to be acting unbelievably nice to me. In return, I decided to treat my taste buds with something special for today’s dinner. I entered my kitchen with the mind of making one dish and came out with two dishes instead. How kool is that? Oh ya, my taste buds are still dancing with joy that they got to taste two dishes in one sitting.

I tweaked the original recipe a bit. The original recipe called for fish, but I used chicken. Also, I used dried oregano and ground pepper to season the all-purpose flour which gave a good flavor to the pan fried chicken. The recipe involves two steps: pan frying the chicken and preparing a coconut sauce. The creamy coconut sauce is then poured over the pan fried chicken. The creamy coconut sauce has a mild flavor with all the spices added in it. For the second dish, I made pasta and poured the coconut sauce over it. Pasta tasted really good with the sauce.

Non-vegetarians could go with the chicken dish and the vegetarians with the pasta in creamy coconut sauce.

Pan Fried Chicken with Creamy Coconut Sauce:

Step 1: Pan Frying Chicken

Ingredients:

• Chicken fillets- 4
• All-purpose flour or Maida- 1/2 cup
• Dried Oregano- 1/2 tsp (optional)
• Ground pepper- 1/2 tsp
• Salt- to taste
• Butter- 1 tbsp
• Oil- 1tbsp

Preparation:

• Season the chicken fillets with salt.

• In a bowl, combine all-purpose flour or maida, dried oregano and ground pepper.

• Heat a non-stick wide pan over medium heat, add butter and oil to the hot pan.
• Coat the chicken fillets with the seasoned all-purpose flour, shake off the excess flour.

• Place the chicken fillets on the pan and pan fry the chicken until the chicken is cooked well and both the sides turn golden brown.

• Transfer the pan fried chicken to a platter.

Step 2: Preparing the Sauce

Ingredients:

• Oil- 1tbsp
• Cumin seeds- 1/2 tsp
• Ginger, minced- 1 tsp
• Garlic, minced- 1 tsp
• Onions, minced- 1/2 onion
• Celery, minced- 1 stalk
• Turmeric powder- 2 pinches
• Coriander powder- 1/2 tsp
• Ground pepper- 1/4 tsp
• Coconut milk- 3/4 cup
• Heavy cream or half -half- 3 tbsp
• Tomato, minced- 1
• Cilantro, minced- 1 tbsp
• Mild Cheddar cheese- 3tbsp (optional)
• Salt- to taste

Preparation:

• While the chicken is pan frying, make the sauce.
• Heat a sauce pan, add oil.
• Add cumin seeds to the hot oil and saute.
• Add ginger, garlic minced and saute till it starts to turn golden.

• Add onions and salt, saute till tender.
• Add celery and saute for 2 minutes.

• Add turmeric powder. coriander powder, ground pepper and combine well.
• To the mixture add little water to prevent the spices from burning.
• Pour the coconut milk and heavy cream and let it come to a bubble.

• Now, add the minced tomato, let it cook and get mashed.

• Cook till the sauce starts to thicken, add cheese if you want at this point and combine well.
• Garnish with cilantro.

Plating:

• Place the pan fried chicken on a plate, pour the prepared coconut sauce over the chicken.
• You could even serve plain rice or steamed vegetables on the side.
• I decorated the plate with my favorite Mandarin oranges and scallions.

Pasta with Creamy Coconut Sauce topped with pan fried chicken

• Prepare the creamy coconut sauce and keep aside.
• Cook your favorite kind of pasta according to the direction given on the pasta box.

• In a bowl, combine the pasta with the creamy coconut sauce.

• You could garnish the pasta with parsley leaves or cilantro.
• You could even place the pan fried chicken over the pasta and pour some coconut sauce over it.

Tips:

• You could use king fish fillet or tilapia fillet instead of chicken.
• Health freaks: Add light coconut milk, fat-free cream and fat-free cheese( or avoid adding cheese).

Am I breaking any rule by making Spaghetti and goat sauce instead of spaghetti and meat balls? If I am, you have all the right to hand cuff me. If not, join me and make this easy yet super delicious, meaty, saucy spaghetti with goat meat. I guess you guys are with me, I hear the applause By the way, who dare to resist this if served right in front of you, just screw the rule or whatever and gobble up the yummy spaghetti and goat sauce.

In India, goat is popular than lamb, but in the US it’s just the opposite. I for some reason prefer goat to lamb, may be because I grew up eating goat. Also, I am not a die hard fan of goat. I cook goat once in a while only, as I can’t stand the strong flavor from the goat meat. Last weekend, goat was my target and I wanted to make something different with it; other than the spicy goat curry that I used to make. Seeing spaghetti in my pantry, the idea of making spaghetti and goat sauce hit me vigorously.

Went with my idea and the next thing I witnessed was my husband sneaking into the kitchen and digging into the cooking pan. How greedy of him! Can’t blame him as this’s highly irresistible.

Like a tsunami I stopped him from emptying it as I was more concerned about plating the dish and taking few pictures of that. He hates when I do this. So, I had to hurry up and quickly clicked few pictures. I had to serve the entire pot to satisfy my hubby’s greed, which I did with all smiles

Spaghetti Center piece: Put a handful of spaghetti on a glass and place this on the dinner table, don’t have to rush for any flowers, this works just perfect.

Spaghetti and Goat sauce

Ingredients:

• Spaghetti- half pound
• Salt- for pasta water
• Goat meat, boneless or boned cubed – 1 pound
• Ground Pepper- 1/4 tsp
• Thyme- 2 sprigs
• Salt- to cook meat
• Onion, chopped- 2
• Garlic, minced- 1tsp
• Dry red pepper crushed- 1tsp
• Tomato paste- 1 cup or 8 ounces
• Worcestershire sauce- 1tbsp (optional)
• Parsley leaves or cilantro, chopped- 2 handful
• Olive oil- 2tbsp
• Parmesan cheese, grated- to sprinkle on the dish according to your needs

Preparation:

Cooking Spaghetti and Goat meat:

• Place a large pot of water on to a boil for spaghetti.
• When it boils, add salt and add pasta.

• Cook the pasta till it becomes tender, drain the water and keep aside.

• In a pressure cooker, combine goat meat, ground pepper, salt and thyme sprigs.

• Add enough water to the goat meat and pressure cook it until the meat is completely cooked and is tender.
• After the meat has cooked thoroughly, don’t strain the water left in the cooker along with the meat, we will be using this flavorful water while making the sauce.

Making the Goat Sauce:

• Heat a wide non-stick pan on medium heat, add olive oil.
• To the oil, add red pepper crushed, saute and immediately add chopped onions to it and saute till tender.
• Add garlic and saute for couple of minutes.
• Add tomato paste and cook until well combined.

• Now, add the cooked goat meat along with the water from the cooked meat and combine everything well.

• Add Worcestershire sauce and give it a stir.
• If there is too much water, simmer it and let the sauce thicken.
• Add the cooked spaghetti to the thickened sauce and toss the paste in the sauce.

• Garnish with fresh parsley leaves or cilantro, remove from the stove and keep it covered.

• If you wish you could even sprinkle parmesan cheese on top.
• Serve hot and dig in this irresistible spaghetti and goat sauce.

Tips:

• Goat meat takes more time to cook thoroughly, so add enough water to the meat and pressure cook it.
• Add the water from the cooked meat while making the sauce.
• You could use boneless or bone-in goat meat.
• If you want more sauce, add more of the tomato paste.

Healthy lasagna??? Are you kidding me? How could that be possible? Isn’t lasagna supposed to be layered with cheese and topped with extra grated cheese???

Aren’t these the questions that popped into your mind when you read the title, healthy lasagna? I warn you, don’t underestimate lasagna; it does have a different face that only few people might know, a healthy humble one. Most of us haven’t had the chance to meet with this healthy version. We always come across the extra cheesy, extra unhealthy version and these obviously make it extra delicious. Do you know the reason why you haven’t met with the healthy version? It’s simple; you haven’t yet made the effort to meet that one. If you did, you wouldn’t be still hanging out with the unhealthy version.

I’ve had lasagna in restaurants – just a couple of times though! Both the times, one thing I’ve done while eating lasagna is removing most of the cheese from the lasagna and trying to cut down fat. When I am done, a heap of cheese was found on my plate. Now, you may ask: “Did you really do that?” and my answer: “Yes, I had to do that”.

When I was almost successful in removing most of the cheese from the lasagna, there came the waiter and asked me politely: ‘Madam, would you like some grated parmesan cheese sprinkled on your lasagna?’ I wasn’t surprised a bit to hear this, as my dear hubby sitting on the other side of the table enjoying his lasagna without any guilt.

I know, those of you reading this, especially lasagna lovers may have started throwing tomatoes on me or may have left this page by saying: ‘screw you and your healthy lasagna’: P Thanks for the tomatoes, I would be making tomato soup tomorrow, lol.

No offense meant to lasagna and lasagna lovers. I had been trying to figure out why I give so much disrespect to lasagna. Am I ignorant on eating lasagna by not enjoying all the cheese? May be! Honestly it’s just that I can’t handle that much cheese. If I force myself to eat all the cheese, I get dizzy and there would be a fair chance that I would act insane after that. So lasagna lovers, please pardon me for not enjoying the lasagna in its proper way, pretty please?

I’ve always thought that lasagna can only be made with layers of cheese on it and in the unhealthiest way. Hence, I never cared to go through the trouble of getting different kinds of cheese and making it in my kitchen.

It was on January 19th, 7.35 PM I realized all these years I had misinterpreted lasagna. When I finally met with the healthy version of lasagna, I literally froze. It tasted extremely delicious and guess what? This time I didn’t worry about removing the cheese. I enjoyed it like everyone else.

How did I come up with the idea of healthy lasagna?

Jan 19th, Time: 5.30 PM:

While flipping through the TV channels, I landed on a channel that discussed about lasagna. After watching that program, my mind was full of lasagna. I felt that, being a food enthusiast if I don’t make lasagna in my kitchen at least once, it’s a big shame and an embarrassment. I made up my mind and I started whipping up lasagna my way. When it was ready, it turned out to be a healthy, nutritious and delicious lasagna with the goodness of spinach, kale and tofu in every bite. Not much cheese to worry about.

Now that I’ve met with the healthy version lasagna, there is no going back to the greasy version.

Healthy Lasagna with Spinach, Kale and Tofu

Ingredients:

For making the sauce:

• Onion, minced- 1
• Garlic, minced- 2 tsp
• Tomato sauce, no salt added, 8 oz can- 3
• Oregano, dried- 2tsp
• Basil leaves- 3
• Olive oil- 1 tbsp

Preparation:

• Heat a sauce pan over medium heat, add the olive oil, add onions and cook it for about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender.
• Add garlic, oregano, basil leaves and saute them for 1 minute.
• Now, add the tomato sauce and simmer for 10 minutes.
• When it starts to boil, remove from the flame and keep aside.

For layering:

• Tofu, firm, drained- 8 oz
• Spinach, fresh or frozen- 1/2 packet
• Kale, fresh or frozen chopped- 2 fresh leaves or 1/2 packet frozen
• Uncooked lasagna noodles- 6
• Parmesan cheese, grated- 1/4 cup + to sprinkle at the end, 2 -3tbsp

Preparation:

• Preheat the oven to 350F.
• Drain the water from the tofu and crumble it in a large bowl.
• Stir in 1/4 cup parmesan cheese until well combined.

• In a wide pan, cook spinach and kale by adding little water to it  until they are tender. Cool and squeeze out excess water and set aside.

How to assemble:

• To assemble lasagna, cover bottom of a 13×9-inch baking dish with half of the prepared tomato sauce.

• Arrange 2 sheets of noodles on the sauce.
• Layer pasta with half the cooked spinach and kale.
• With the back of a spoon, gently spread half of the tofu-parmesan mixture on the spinach-kale.

 

• Top with 2 layers of lasagna noodles, remaining spinach-kale and tofu-parmesan mixture.
• Layer remaining 2 sheets on top.
• Spread remaining tomato sauce on top.

• Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil.

• Bake at 350F for 1 hour.
• Uncover and evenly sprinkle 2-3 tbsp grated parmesan cheese.

• Bake about 15 minutes, until cheese is melted.
• Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.
• Here is the healthy, nutritious, easy on cheese lasagna. When you have a bite of this you will realize that this tastes almost like the estaurant style.

Tips:

You could make as many layers as you want, increase the amount of the ingredients accordingly.