Spaghetti in Bechamel Sauce

Ingredients:

For the Bechamel Sauce:
Butter- 1/2 cup
All purpose flour- 1/2 cup
Milk- 2 cups
Freshly ground nutmeg- a pinch
White pepper powder- 1/2 tsp
Salt- as needed

For Spaghetti:
Uncooked Spaghetti: 200 gms
Spinach- 1 bunch chopped
Uncooked boneless chicken- 100 gms cut into thin strips
Mushrooms- 4 nos sliced
Onion- 1/2 chopped
Garlic salt- 1/4 tsp
Oil-1 tbsp
Salt and white pepper- as needed
Freshly grated Parmesan- 2tbsp (optional)

Method:

• Fill a large pot with water. Bring it to a boil. Add salt generously and cook the spaghetti according to package instructions. Drain and keep it aside

• Take a sauce pan and on low heat, melt the butter .Take care not to burn the butter. Once the butter is almost melted, add the flour into it and make make it into a smooth mix.
• Cook this mix for a couple of minutes, stirring continuously. Do not let the mix change colour.
• Once this is done remove from heat and add the milk in installments. Keep stirring when adding the milk so as to avoid any lumps in the sauce. Once the milk is mixed well and there are no lumps, return to the stove and cook on low heat. Keep stirring.
• Cook, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon or a heat proof spatula for 5 to 10 minutes or until the sauce comes to a boil, thicken and coats the back of a spoon
• Now add the nutmeg, salt and pepper.

• In another pan with high sides, heat oil and add chopped onions into it.
• Once the onions turn transparent add the mushrooms, chicken, white pepper powder, garlic salt and table salt into the pan and saute it till the chicken is completely cooked.
• Once the chicken is cooked add the chopped up spinach into it and cook till it is completely wilted.
• Now add half of the prepared Bechamel sauce and mix well.
• Add the cooked spaghetti into the above mixture and mix well
• Sprinkle grated Parmesan on top and mix. Check for seasoning.
• Serve it warm

Note: If you don't have garlic salt,add 2 finely chopped cloves of garlic along with onions and saute it. Then add salt accordingly.

Beef Stroganoff

Ingredients:

1. Vegetable oil- 1 tbsp
2. Beef- 900 gm cut into strips
3. Salt and pepper- to taste
4. Butter- 1 tbsp
5. Onion- 1/2 sliced
6. Mushrooms- 225 gm sliced
7. Garlic- 2 cloves chopped finely
8. Flour- 1 and 1/2 tbsp
9. White wine- 1/2 cup
10. Unsalted beef broth- 2 cups (can be reduced salt also)
11. Sour cream- 1/2 to 1 cup
12. Coriander leaves- 1 tbsp chopped

Method:

• Take the strips of beef in a bowl and season it generously with salt and pepper.
• Heat oil in a skillet on high flame and throw in the strips of meat. Let it cook in its own juices.
• Once they are browned on all sides, keep it aside. Reduce the flame.
• To the same pan, add butter. Once the butter is melted, add the mushrooms, onion, a pinch of salt and saute them until slightly browned.
• Next, add the chopped garlic and stir fry it for 30 seconds after which you can add the flour. Stir that and cook it for another minute or two.
• Add the white wine and beef broth to this. Stir well and try to get the brown bits off from the bottom of the pan.
• Add the beef strips to this and when the mix starts to simmer, cover and cook it for another 1 hr on low heat. Stir it every 15- 20 minutes. Make sure that the stroganoff doesn't dry off. Add more broth if needed.
• Once the meat is done, add 1/2 cup of sour cream and stir well. If you want it saucier, you can add more sour cream. The mix can also be reduced until you get the right consistency.
• Stir in the freshly chopped coriander leaves. Taste for salt and pepper
• Serve it over egg noodles or pasta with a dollop of sour cream on top.

Recipe Courtesy: Foodwishes