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Masala pasta
Spiced macaroni
Masala pasta: macaroni in an onion, tomato and capsicum masala, the Indian home-style kids' favourite
Masala pasta is how countless homes in Delhi, Mumbai and Ahmedabad cook pasta on a school night: macaroni tossed in a quick onion, tomato and capsicum masala with cumin, chilli and garam masala, often with a little ketchup for the children. It is tangy, mildly spiced and comforting, with the sauce clinging to every piece. The usual mistake is draining away all the pasta water, so the masala turns dry and sticky. Chef's tip: save a mug of the starchy cooking water and add a splash while tossing; it makes the masala silky and helps it coat the pasta. If you add cheese, many cheeses are made with animal rennet, so choose one labelled vegetarian.
- Total time
- 15 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 3
Ingredients
- 7 oz quick-cook macaroni or small fusilliabout 8 minutes' cooking
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp oil
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- 1 onionfinely chopped
- 2 cloves garlicfinely chopped
- ¾ cup tomato passata
- 1 green pepper (capsicum)diced
- ½ tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
- ½ tsp garam masala
- 1 tbsp tomato ketchup
- 1 tsp saltplus extra for the pasta water
- 2 tbsp fresh corianderchopped
- 1 oz grated vegetarian cheese (optional)made without animal rennet
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil (start from the kettle) and cook 7 oz quick-cook macaroni or small fusilli until just tender, about 8 minutes. Scoop out a mug of the cooking water before draining.
9 minStep 2: While the pasta cooks, heat 1 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp oil in a wide pan over a medium heat. Add ½ tsp cumin seeds and let it sizzle, then add 1 onion and 2 cloves garlic and fry until soft and turning golden.
4 minStep 3: Add 1 green pepper (capsicum), ½ tsp Kashmiri chilli powder and ½ tsp garam masala and stir for 30 seconds.
1 minStep 4: Pour in ¾ cup tomato passata with 1 tbsp tomato ketchup and 1 tsp salt and simmer until thickened and the oil starts to show at the edges.
4 minStep 5: Tip the drained pasta into the masala with 3–4 tbsp of the saved water and toss over a low heat until glossy and coated.
1 minStep 6: Scatter with 2 tbsp fresh coriander and 1 oz grated vegetarian cheese, if using, and serve hot.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 370 kcal
- Protein
- 10 g
- Carbs
- 60 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does masala pasta take?
- About 15 minutes in total: 4 minutes to prepare and 11 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 3 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
- What can I use instead of cumin seeds?
- Ground cumin, three quarters of the amount (add it with the other ground spices, not to hot oil first).
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