Comfort food = Soul Food

Today I was musing about what are my comfort foods: Foods you crave for when you are low, or tired or ill and by eating them, you instantly feel better. Some people call these soul foods.

Most of our comfort foods come from our childhood memories of Mama whipping up these delicious foods for us. Interestingly, my experience is most comfort foods are from the carbohydrate families. There must be a scientific explanation for that which I must look up some time.

For me, comfort foods start with all the delicious rice dishes: Tamarind rice (Puliodorai), Curd Rice, Lemon Rice & my relatively recent addition BBB or Bisi Beli Bath. I actually discovered BBB only 4 years ago on a trip to Bangalore where I had it twice and now its a fave. all the others I have grown up eating. Tomato rice is nice but not as high a favourite as the others.

I would also add Aloo Parathas with curds and pickle to the list.

In Italian cuisine, it would be Pesto Pasta (again only started eating it over the last 8 years but just love it) & an occasional aglio olio or white sauce baked dish macaroni.

Warm freshly baked bread always qualifies and I miss my breadmaker which used to make my house spell like a bakery every week.

Maggi Noodles also qualifies for hostel memories of waiting patiently in the saucepan queque for the single hot plate to be free.

The rare hot mushroom capuccino soup, the strawberry and fresh cream, a good cheesecake are all instant mood uppers and GJs (gulab jamuns) and ice cream sometimes is nice.

The moment you eat your comfort food, the world rights itself, all things are in perspective and I am happy again:-)

How do your comfort foods impact you? and what are they? Share them here.

My favourite Pesto Pasta unveiled

Those following my blog or FB updates would know that I absolutely adore Pesto Pasta and have actually eaten it thrice this week - once on Monday at Spagghetti Kitchen, Powai with my colleagues, second in Phoenix again at Spagghetti kitchen and today when I made it at home.

Its a really simple pasta to whip up in 20 minutes or so as long as you have the ingredients at hand. I learnt from an Italian cookbook i picked up some years ago at a Crossword sale and ever since its been one of my signature dishes.

Ingredients

Fresh Basil - I use a whole packet
Pinenuts  - 1 tbsp (available at Patel's Bandra)
Garlic paste or whole - 1 tbsp
Olive Oil - 1 tsp
Mushrooms
Onions
Pasta: Penne or Macaroni
Garnish with oregano, chilli flakes, jalapenos

Prep
Wash the basil leaves well and drain out all water. Place basil leaves, pinenuts,garlic paste and olive oil in the mixie and whip till you get a fine green paste. If you use fresh garlic, then please add salt. 

Boil the pasta (add salt in the hot water and then add the pasta) till al dente (firm to the bite). Drain and keep aside (toss with a little olive oil so it doesnt stick together)

In a kadai, please add olive oil and onions with a garnish of oregano and chilli flakes, until onions start to turn a deeper pink. Then add mushrooms and saute it for a couple of minutes. The drained pasta can be added as well as the pesto paste. Saute for about 3-5 minutes till done.

Add fresh Jalapenos or any garnishes and serve.

Its absolutely delicious, not as bad for your diet as white sauce pasta and an easy dish to whip up for your friends. Do try it out for yourself.