Spaghetti in Mung (green gram) sauce

2 cups Mung, soaked overnight
3 small onions, chopped
3 tbsp crushed garlic
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 cup milk
2 bay leaves
100 gm cottage cheese (optional)
salt, pepper, mixed herbs, as per taste
Olive oil to cook
300 gm spaghetti, boiled

In a pressure cooker boil the mung with one onion, tsp garlic, and some salt till 4 whistles. Once cool, blend it into a paste.

Heat oil in a non- stick pan. Add the bay leaves, and rest of the garlic and onions. Saute till the onions turn white. Add in the tomatoes and cook till soft. Add salt, pepper, mixed herbs, followed by the mung paste.

Mixed in the crumbled cottage cheese. On a high flame, keep adding the milk (cream can also be used) till a smooth paste.
Mix in the pasta, serve with some olive oil and cheese.

Some hacks to modify the recipe.
1. Mushroom / boiled chicken strips can be cooked in garlic butter and tossed in the sauce before adding the spaghetti.
2. Any other pasta can also be used.
3. To make it spicy, chopped dry Kashmiri chili can be added in the seasoning.

Cheaters creamy mushroom & roasted peppers pasta

6-7 garlic pods, crushed

2 onions, chopped

3 tomatoes, blended

1 can cream of mushroom soup. Used Campbell here

1 yellow, 1 red pepper

Salt, paprika, mixed herbs, as per taste

2 cubes grated cheese. Used Amul cheese here

Parsley for garnish

250 gm pasta. Used Penne here. Boil till El Dante.

Half cup milk

Olive oil

Roast peppers on high flame gas. Cool in water, remove skin, chop & keep aside.

In a pan, heat oil, sauté the garlic & onions till the onions are white. Add tomato purée. Cook on medium heat till the tomatoes are thick & red. Add the dry seasoning & cook for another minute. Stir in the can of mushroom soup. Add the cheese & roasted peppers. Add the pasta. Mix adding the milk little by little. Garnish with parley & serve warm with bread.