Pasta Salad

My friend, Mrs.Chitra Laxman, made this salad for our pot luck lunch and it was 'sold-out'!

And as usual, she was very embarassed to tell me the recipe, saying instead, 'it is just a mix of everything continental, no particular recipe'.

I share here her recipe of Pasta salad. 

I have not given any measurements for the codiments, add them in by the teaspoon and taste as you go along.

Ingredients:

Pasta - 2 cups, boiled and cooled

Onion - 1 large, chopped fine

Tomato - 2, chopped fine

Capsicum / bell pepper - 1, chopped fine

Olives - handful, chopped

Baby tomato - 200 gms, halved

Olive oil - 4 tbsp

Jalapenos - 2 tbsp (optional)

Below mentioned ingredients were mixed without any particular ratio!

Salt (very less as the dressing is salty)

Pepper 

Chilly flakes

Dried basil 

Dried thyme

Dried Oregano

Store bought Italian dressing

Method:

Mix together the cut vegetables and add in the pasta.

Now add the condiments and go by your taste buds till you hit the spot!

Lady in Red is the pasta salad maker (Chitra) and behind her is the kitchen's mistress (Vani)

Chundakka Vathal / Preserving Pea Eggplant / Drying Turkey berry

Solanum Torvum / Thai pea eggplant / Turkey berry / Chundakka

Dried and preserved

This preserve is typical of Tamil Nadu. 

Chundakka is supposed to be high in Iron and is consumed when one is low in iron.

Chundakka is used to as a main ingredient in some curries and as a condiment in some. Example: Vathakozhambu and Kadamba rice.

Preserving these berries is quite easy if you have the help of Surya Bhagavan or the Sun God. It is first soaked and dried under the sun and then fried and used whenever necessary. Just like thayir milagai / curd chillies.

Ingredients:

Fresh Chundakka - 2 cups, stem and stalk removed

Curd - 1 cup

Salt - 1 tbsp

Chilly powder - 1 tbsp

Turmeric powder / manjal - 1 tsp

Uluva / methi / fenugreek seed powder - 1 tsp 

Method:

Wash and drain the Chundakka.

Then using a stone, break each chundakka open. ALL chundakkai must be broken open.

Now wash this open chundakka till almost all seeds are removed.

(about 6-8 washes).

Now dry this on a clean cloth till all water evaporates.

Mix together the curd, salt, turmeric powder, chilly powder and Methi powder.

Add this curd mixture to the chundakka.

Mix it well and keep aside for 1 hour, covered.

Mix again and start drying it under the hot sun in a clean vessel. Try to spread it in 1 layer.

At night, keep covered with a clean white cloth. Do not place a tight lid, as this might cause fungal growth.

In about 2- 3 days all the curd will dry and the chundakka will sound crispy when moved around.

Transfer into an airtight container and use as required.

Before using, deep fry in hot oil, till it blackens. Add it to your curry or enjoy with hot rice topped with ghee.