TUNA & ORZO - INDIAN STYLE

Canned Tuna is one handy item when you need to make a fast and tasty dish. Be it cutlets, samosas, tuna in masala or sandwich. So here's my experiment with canned white tuna, malabari style...the pasta I used is very small...just a little bigger than rice grains....so the spices blend in properly to give you that great taste.

Ingredients: (serves 3 to 4)

Canned Tuna - 2 small or 1 large can

Orzo/ Pasta - 1 medium packet (quantity can be reduced if more spicy taste preferred)

Oil for cooking- 1 tablespoon

Onion- 2 or 3 medium sized finely chopped

Garlic- 1 pod

Ginger- 1 piece (2 to 3 inches)

Tomato- 1 large ripe chopped

Green chillies- 2 or 3

Coriander powder- 2 teaspoons

Cayenne pepper/ Chilli powder- 1 teaspoon

Turmeric powder- 1 teaspoon

Fennel seeds powder- ¼ teaspoon

Garam masala powder- 2 or 3 pinch
Soya sauce - 1 tablespoon

Coriander leaves for garnish- 2 strand finely chopped

Salt to taste

Method:

1.       Cook pasta in salt and water. Drain and keep aside. Check for instructions on cover for correct cooking time and method. Be careful not to over cook the pasta.

2.       Grind ginger and garlic into coarse paste and keep aside

3.       Heat oil in pan.

4.       Sauté onions till transparent. (TIP:  Add salt and keep lid tightly closed for onion to sauté faster.)

5.       Add ginger garlic paste and continue sautéing till the raw smell disappears.

6.       Then add coriander powder, chilli powder, turmeric powder and fennel powder. Mix well. Add small quantity water if too dry to stir. Let it cook for a while till raw smell of masala disappears.

7.       Add tomato and cook till it mixes in properly in masala.
9.       Add soya sauce

8.       Add salt to taste. Please note if tuna is in brine (salt water) then don’t add too much salt.

9.       Cook it till masala is evenly done, adding small quantity of water when ever necessary.

10.   Meanwhile drain water/oil from tuna and mash it with a spoon.

11.   Add tune to mixture and cook for few minutes.

12.   Then add pasta and mix well.

13.   Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

Tips n Tricks:

·         To reduce cooking time u can cook masala powder in a non stick pan at very low heat for a few mins till the raw smell of coriander powder is gone and a nice aroma lingers. But be careful not to burn the powders.

·         For vegetarians substitute tuna with vegetables of ur choice and increase cooking time in step 11.

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