Bethica's Kitchen Flavours: Pasta Biryani

This easy and quick one pot meal is yummy and can be made replacing rice with pasta. I have added some veggies like assorted bell peppers, capsicum, green peas and beans. You may add any other veggies of your choice. This is a kid friendly dish and goes best with some raita and fryums / papad.

It is an ideal after school snack or a lunch box meal. Adults may relish it as breakfast / brunch or as a lunch box meal too. For a vegetarian version, omit the omelette and you are done with a healthy no-frills meal in no time. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

1 cup pasta, boiled al dente
2 tbsp. ghee
2 bay leaves
1" cinnamon stick
2 green cardamoms
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
1 onion, sliced
1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
1-2 green chilies, slit
salt to taste
1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
1-2 tsp. biryani masala
1 cup colored bell peppers and capsicum, sliced
2 tbsp. chopped beans, blanched
2 tbsp. frozen green peas
2 tbsp. mixed dry fruits, chopped
1 egg, well beaten with a pinch of salt and pepper powder
1 tsp. oil
1 tbsp. mint & coriander leaves, chopped

Heat 1 tsp. oil in a pan and make an omelette with the beaten egg. When done, cut into small pieces and keep aside.

Heat ghee and temper with cumin seeds, bay leaves, cinnamon and cardamoms. Sauté for a few seconds.

Add the onion and sauté till transparent. Add ginger-garlic paste and turmeric powder. Stir fry for few more seconds.

Add the veggies and biryani masala. Sauté for 1-2 minutes or till it turns soft. Now add the boiled paste, nuts, green chilies and salt. Mix everything well and stir fry for 2 minutes.

Switch off the flame and add the coriander-mint leaves and the omelette pieces. Give it a toss and serve with raita and fryums / papad.