Palate pleasures: Italy meets India

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Madras curry pasta (white) (Recipe by Chef Pavan Madras Cafe and Co)
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Ingredients

• 250 gm penne pasta
• 30 gm garlic
• 100 gm onion
• 1 pinch of curry leaves, chopped
• 500 ml milk
• 100 gm butter
• 50 gm green chilli
• 30 gm coriander chopped
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 2 tsp salt
• 100 gm parmesan cheese
• 2 tbsp madras curry powder
• 1 paratha
• 100 gm chicken boneless
• 50 gm all purpose flour

Method: Blanch the pasta and keep it aside. Saute the chicken until cooked and set aside. Meanwhile, make a mixture of 50 gm flour mixed with 50 gm butter over low heat, then add milk to it and make a thick white sauce. Take a pan and add the  leftover butter, chopped garlic, green chillies and onions, saute well. After the onions release water add the sauteed chicken and pasta to it. Then add  salt, turmeric, red chilli and Madras curry powder and mix well. To that add the white sauce and let it simmer for four to five minutes. To the pasta, you can add curry leaves and chopped coriander. While plating, grate parmesan cheese over the pasta and add a deep fried paratha to it. For a vegetarian recipe, you can do away with the chicken.

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Madras curry pasta (red)
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Ingredients

• 250 gm penne pasta
• 50 gm garlic
• 150 gm onions
• 1 pinch curry leaves,  chopped
• 150 gm tomatoes
• 100 gm carrots
• 100 gm butter
• 50 gm green chillies
• 30 gm coriander leaves
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 2 tsp salt  
• 100 gm parmesan cheese
• 2 tbsp Madras curry powder
• 1 paratha
• 100 gm chicken boneless

Method: Blanch the pasta and keep it aside. Saute the chicken until cooked and set aside. For the tomato sauce: In a pan, add butter, tomatoes, carrots, remaining garlic and onions. Saute well and make a fine puree and set aside. In a sauce pan add butter, leftover garlic and onions and green chillies. Saute well, once the onions release water add the chicken and pasta to it. Then add salt, turmeric, red chilli and Madras curry powder and mix well. After that, add the pureed tomato sauce to it and let it simmer for four to five minutes. Top with curry leaves and chopped coriander. While plating, grate parmesan cheese over the pasta and instead of bread, serve with a deep fried paratha piece. For a vegetarian recipe, you can do away with the chicken.

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Qubani Panna cotta

(Recipe by Chef Ajith Sahaya, Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre)
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Ingredients

• 800 gm fresh cream
• 200 ml milk
• 200 gm sugar
• 20 gm gelatine (Agar agar can be substituted)
• 100 gm dry apricot
• 2 vanilla beans
• 280 ml water

Method: Soak the apricot in water for six hours and deseed it. Boil the apricot with 100 gm of sugar and 200 ml of water. Allow to cool, make a puree. Soak the gelatine in 80 ml of water and keep it aside. Boil the cream, milk, vanilla beans and remaining sugar. Melt gelatine in a double boiler and add it to the cream mixture, while luke warm. Add the apricot paste in to the mixture. Pour it in a bowl and refrigerate till it sets well. Garnish with apricot and serve chilled.