Indian style Tadka Pasta Recipe | Fusion Pasta

This Indian style tadka pasta needs just a few ingredients to make and tastes absolutely delicious. This 30 minute meal is perfect for a quick meal or pack for lunch.

We are starting a new week of blogging marathon and my theme for this week is ‘Fusion at its best’. This is one of my favorite themes because I love combining flavors from different cuisines into dishes we are familiar or grew up with.

So for the first day, I made an Indian-italian fusion dish - Indian style tadka Pasta. It is quick and easy to make and needs just a few ingredients.

Tadka Pasta:

Many years ago, when I was still a newbie in the US, I visited one of my cousin and he made this interesting pasta. He gave an Indian twist to Italian dish with the Tadka aka tempering. He put in lots of curry leaves and it tasted so flavorful even though it was such a straightforward simple recipe.

I never made it at home though because kids love their pasta with sauce. But thanks to this week’s fusion dishes theme I was able to make this dish.

Ingredients for Indian Style Pasta:

Ghee is the key ingredient to this dish. It adds tons of flavor. If you don't have access to ghee (clarified butter), brown butter would be a perfect substitute in this recipe. Brown butter is easy to make - melt butter on low heat 10~15 minutes or until the milk solids start to brown and sink to the bottom.

Curry leaves add nice Indian flavor to this pasta. If you don't have access to curry leaves, then you can definitely skip them. Stir in chopped coriander at the very end for some herby goodness.

How to Customize the Pasta?

Customize the dish with your favorite veggies - I used spinach but any vegetable can be added. Add your choice of protein, i used chickpeas, but paneer, tofu, TVP or other beans will be equally good in this dish. Make this Indian style tadka pasta, I am sure you will love it.

Here are a few more fusion pasta dishes from the blog:

• Indian style Pasta with Curried Vegetable Sauce
• Mexican Style Pasta with Poblanos
• Jamaican style Rasta Pasta

Lets check out what my fellow marathoners have cooked today for BM# 97.

Indian style Tadka Pasta

This Indian style tadka pasta needs just a few ingredients to make and tastes absolutely delicious. This 30 minute meal is perfect for a quick meal or pack for lunch.

Author: Pavani

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Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 30 mins

Total Time: 40 mins

Course: Main Course, Main Dish, noodles pasta

Cuisine: fusion

Servings: 2 Servings

Ingredients

1x2x3x

• 1 cup Penne or Shortcut Pasta (I used veggie flavored pasta)
• 2 tsp Ghee or butter (coconut oil, if vegan)
• ½ tsp Mustard seeds
• ½ tsp Cumin seeds
• 1~2 Dry Red Chilies, broken
• 6~8 curry leaves
• 1 medium Onion, thinly sliced
• 2 Garlic cloves, finely minced
• 3 cups Spinach, chopped
• 1 cup Cooked Chickpeas
• ½ tsp Garam Masala, optional
• To taste salt

Instructions

• Cook pasta accordingly to package instructions. Drain the pasta and reserve the cooking liquid.
• In a pan, melt the ghee/ butter and add the mustard, cumin seeds, red chilies and curry leaves; once the seeds start pop, add the onions and garlic. Cook until fragrant and the onions are getting lightly browned around the edges.
• Add spinach and chickpeas; cook till spinach is wilted, about 3~4 minutes.
• Season with salt and add the pasta. Stir in the pasta cooking water to get the desired consistency. Serve hot and ENJOY!!

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