Bhutanese Styled Pasta

One of the fore most things I have learned to cook a different meal was Pasta since departing from my home country, Bhutan. I learned to stay independent and slowly began to cook other different meals. It all started when my old mate, Kezang served us Pasta as our lunch meal and sometimes as a dinner during my first year of university. I liked pasta more than any other meal. It is easy and fast to cook. Pasta increases calories in our body. It is nutritious and healthy.

Everyone knows s that Pasta is an Italian food and they take sauce as an additional taste. Italian Pasta is dry and less spicy. Since I don’t like sauce and sour taste in the meal, I cook in a Bhutanese method to suit my flavour. This means, I like to cook Pasta with soup, hot spices and cheese to make it gravy and tasty. So, I prefer my Bhutanese styled Pasta cooked at home rather than buying it from the restaurant.

I got so much attached with Pasta that I would take Pasta as my breakfast, lunch and dinner and then continue for weeks and months. Basically, I was not cooking rice or noodles. My friends were surprised and even told me, “Yeshi, aren’t you fed up eating the same meal?” and I answered, “NO, I am not” Pasta became my favourite meal. Fortunately or unfortunately, I even got a name, ‘Pasta Choden’ from one of my guy friend. The funniest part is, when my friend visits me, I cook Pasta for them. I am a Pasta icon (This is funnier) because I taught my other friends to cook my way of preparing Pasta.

Here are the tips to cook my style of Pasta

You will need:
A packet of Pasta
1 Chopped and sliced onions
2 round sliced potatoes and your other preferred green vegetables like peas and broccoli
1 chopped and sliced tomatoes
Oil, Salt, Cheese, Chilli (Raw and powdered)
Corriander/Lemon (Optional)

1. Put Pasta in a pan with hot boiled water (warm water is fine too)
2. Pour oil, salt and chilli powder (It creates colour to Pasta)
3. Then add potatoes and the spices
4. Keep it to cook for 15 to 20 minutes and stir
5. When it is cooked, keep the pan away from heat and add cheese and stir again
6. Put coriander for additional aroma
7. Lastly, serve it hot with lemon (optional)

I guarantee that you will enjoy eating Pasta as an occasional meal. In Bhutan, Pasta is usually given to kids as a change in their diet. I hope, everyone reading this post enjoys cooking Pasta and finds it delicious as much as I did and I STILL DO. Eat Pasta, stay healthy and live happily!!!