Vegetable Curry Noodles - A healthy dish

Ever since Mansi of Fun and Food announced her Healthy Cooking Event, I have been going nuts thinking of an apt recipe for it. Let's face it, my blog is not that health conscious and I didn't want it to be left out or feel awkward among all the ultra-fit blogs out there. So I was determined to give my baby something to be proud of!

This is the most tiring post on my blog, because it took me a full two days to research on this dish and then another half an hour just to make the picture look presentable. The house we are in has just one are where there is natural light and the walls there are blue! Not even a baby blue but bright sea blue!! Which means all my pics will have a solid blue background and I really prefer white. So it took a while to find the cardboard piece to act as the backdrop and to position a small table near the window so there is enough light. TH hates having that table there but of course I won the argument and so it stays!

Image Source

Now, moving on to the dish. When we think healthy, we mostly think of salads or maybe steamed dishes to avoid the oil and the frying. But that's boring. Healthy, but boring. So while I was making a packet of Maggi noodles a couple of weekends back, I was wondering how I can make this dish healthier, without altering the taste (much). Little else has occupied my mind since then when I went shopping after that.

The first step was purchasing a packet of whole wheat flat noodles that was 100% vegetarian. Considering I am in a predominantly noodle-loving country, it wasn't difficult to get exactly what I wanted.

Then it got easier. To balance the carbs, I needed more vitamins, proteins and calcium. Easy answer - vegetables!


Preparation time - 15 mins
Cooking time - 20 mins
Serves - 4

What I Used:

Whole wheat flat noodles - 100 grams

Diced onions - 1/2 cup
Chopped carrots - 1/2 cup
Thinly sliced snap beans - 1/2 cup
Chopped cabbage - 1/2 cup
Diced capsicum - 1/2 cup
Chopped tomato - 1, medium
Spring onions - to garnish (optional)

Eggs - 2 (optional)

Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Curry masala - 2 tbsp
Red chilli powder - 2 tsp

Olive oil - 2 tbsp

How I Made It:

1. Cook the noodles as per the instructions on the packet. I added 2 cups water and a little salt, and cooked it covered. Running cold water and draining it is recommended but I simply drained it and kept aside since it was not too soft.

2. Heat oil in a thick bottomed pan. Add the onions and saute till translucent. Then add the ginger garlic paste, curry masala and red chilli powder and fry for 2 minutes.

3. Add all the chopped vegetables with half cup water and cook covered for about 5 minutes. Let the vegetables be a bit crunchy and not completely cooked.

4. Add the cooked noodles to the semi-cooked vegetables and mix well, adding a little water if necessary. Cook keeping the vessel open till the masala has blended well. Adjust salt. Remove from fire.

5. Scramble the eggs in a non-stick pan and add on in the end.

6. Garnish with chopped spring onions and serve hot with ketchup.

This is a great one-dish meal that supplements your daily requirement of all necessary nutrients. The vegetables complement the carbs in the noodles and the eggs provide the protein and calcium part of the diet. If you feel egg = cholesterol, then use only egg whites.

This goes to Mansi's Healthy Cooking Event and also to the One Dish Meal Event hosted by Archana.

Related posts:

Chicken Noodle Broth
Stir Fried Chilli Noodles

Easy Tomato Spaghetti with Shredded Chicken

Any kind of pasta is always a welcome dinner for me, simple because it is hassle-free and doesn't demand a side dish or gravy. Isn't that a perfect meal for one? (Oh!! How I hate cooking just for myself!) I prefer the tomato based paste to the cheese base, though I crave for the latter occasionally. This is an as-simple-as-it-gets kind of recipe to make some yummy spaghetti. Vegetarians, just avoid the chicken and add mushrooms instead, if you like them, or just go plain!

What I Used:

Spaghetti - one packet
Shredded cooked chicken - 1/2 cup
Pureed tomatoes - 4
Capsicum/bell pepper - half
Spinach (optional) - 3 to 4 stalks
Crushed garlic - 6 pods
Oregano - 2 tsp
Pepper - 3 tsp
Salt - to taste
Olive oil - 1 tbsp

How I Made It:

1. Cook the spaghetti in boiling water till done. Add some salt and a little oil the water to enhance flavour and prevent it from sticking together once done.

2. Heat the oil and fry the garlic for 30 seconds. Add the diced spinach and capsicum, pureed tomatoes and the chicken and fry for another minute.

3. Add the spaghetti and mix well. Season with the oregano and pepper while still on the stove and mix well. Adjust salt and remove from fire.

Serve hot.

This One-Dish Dinner goes to Meeta's Monthly Mingle.

Chicken Noodle Broth

I spent 10 mins trying out different names for this post. Chicken soup, Chicken noodle soup, Chicken soup for the soul (yeah, I know!), Noodle chicken broth, etc etc. Finally settled on Chicken Noodle Broth.

If you check recipes of chicken noodle broth online, you will invariably find chicken pieces added to it or atleast shredded ones. What I have here is just plain chicken broth with noodles in it, spiced up with some pepper and salt.

Wikipedia says that Chicken broth is the liquid part of chicken soup. Broth can be served as is, or used as stock, or served as soup with noodles. Broth can be milder than stock, does not need to be boiled as long, and can be made with meatier chicken parts.

Its great to have when you have a cold or a bad throat. As the weather is cold these days, its great to have a hot cup of chicken broth to curl your fingers around and watch some TV.

Chicken Noodle Broth



What I Used:

Maggi Chicken Stock Packets - 2 (150 gm)
Noodles - 100gm
Water - 4 cups
Pepper powder - 3 tbsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp (optional)
Cornflour - 1 tsp (if you want thicker consistency)
Salt - to taste

How I Made It:

1. Boil the noodles in little water, until cooked.

2. Add the water, bring to boil and then add the chicken stock powder. Mix well before it forms lumps. Add the coriander powder and cornflour also, at this stage.

3. When the raw smell of the stock powder leaves the broth, mix in the pepper, adjust salt (stock powder has added salt, so be careful!) and remove from fire.



Serve hot with bread sticks.

Stir Fried Chilly Noodles

I belong to the class of people who believe that Maggi Noodles is one of the best of human creations. During many weeknights I have found solace in that one bowl of quick-fix dinner, often reminding myself of how my mom would disapprove of the preserves and other stuff added in their masala. Recently, I found plain noodles in the stores, called Chinese Egg Hakka Noodles. I bought two packets and made quick and light noodles for dinner one night. Came out so well that I photographed it immediately :D


Stir Fried Chilly Noodles




What I Used:

Plain noodles - 1 packet
Crushed garlic - 4 cloves
Coarsely ground red chillies - 4
Garam Masala - 1.5 tsp
Turmeric - one pinch
Coriander leaves - for garnishing
Salt - to taste

How I Made It:

1. Cook the noodles in sufficient water with added salt. Adding a little oil to this makes the noodles not stick together. One done, drain the water and keep aside.

2. Heat 1 tbsp oil. Lightly fry the garlic, chilly, masala and turmeric and then add the noodles. Adjust oil and let the noodles fry for a while. Remove from fire, garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot.



How do you make your noodles quick and flavourful?

Easy Tomato Pasta

I know I have been away for way too long. I do have a reason (aka excuse), of course. Err.. Work! Anyway, I am back with yet another dish which I have been wanting to make for a long time. Pasta!! I think this can pass off as one of the easiest things I made and came out great though it was a first attempt.
What I Used:

Pasta (boiled with little salt) - 1 cup
Tomatoes - 2 medium
Onions - 1, finely diced
Crushed garlic - 6 cloves
Crushed red chillies - 3
Pepper powder - 1 tsp
Capsicum - half
Oil - 1 tbsp

How I Made It:

1. Saute onions and garlic in oil till golden brown.

2. Add pepper and crushed chillies and fry for a min.

3. Make a puree out of the tomatoes and add to the above mixture, along with the capsicum. Boil for 3 mins.

4. Add the boiled pasta and keep on fire for another 2-3 mins. Add salt to taste.

It was slightly bland, but it was great for dinner. If you have any suggestions in making pasta dishes more flavourful, do let me know. Adding cheese would be a last option, since its not too healthy (though I love cheese!).

Sending this over to Presto Pasta Night. Thank you KayKat for reminding me of this wonderful event where I can share my recipe :)