Lasagne Love. Love Lasagne. Live to eat Lasagne

I LOVE Lasagne. I cannot get enough of Lasagne. I would eat Lasagne everyday, all the time if I could. Unfortunately, the husband is not a fan of such foods (read : Pasta, continental fancy stuff. He's an Andhra meals kinda guy).

I am going to share my mom's recipe for Lasagne (with some modifications) so that all of you can make some and then invite me over to eat it. Because I LOVE Lasagne. I love it so much that this time around when I made it, I made it with blood, sweat and tears (literally).

The entire process takes around 3-4 hours to make. It can go up to 5 if you decide to make the Lasagne sheets from scratch. Because it is so time consuming, I make enough to last me at least 5-6 meals. Else, what's the point, right ?

Okay, there are 4 main meta-ingredients that you put into your Lasagne. White sauce, Red sauce, Vegetables and Layers. I'll explain how to make each one in detail.

Veggies :
Basically, you take all the vegetables you would want in your Lasagne. Cut them into 1" cubes and cook with salt and paprika (or Kashmiri mirch. You want the colour and not too much spice).
Veggies I use are
1. Zucchini green and yellow : 1 each
2. Bell peppers - all 3 colours : 1 each
3. Baby corn : 3-4 kernels
4. Mushrooms : 1 packet
5. Cauliflower : half a big floret
6. Broccoli : half a floret
7. Potatoes : 3
8. Carrots : 1
9. 1-2 green chillies for spice
10. As much garlic as you want

Don't put stuff like bhindi, kundru, pumpkin etc. If you notice, I do not use onion in the veggies portion as I use it in the Red sauce.
(You might notice how I capitalise the 4 meta ingredients ? Well, it is Lasagne - it deserves the respect).

Process :
1. Cut everything into one inch cubes except garlic which you cut fine).
2. Put the garlic into the cooking pot with oil and roast it until it becomes aromatic. Do not make it brown - or you can. Choice is yours
3. Put all veggies into the cooking pot and add salt and paprika.
4. Mix well and let it cook. I usually keep it on low flame and cover the pot for a while (15 odd min)

You will notice that there is a lot of water in the pot even though you didnt add any, This is because mushroom secretes a lot of water. Cook the veggies until all this water evaporates (while lid is closed). This ensures all the veggies (especially potato and carrot are fully cooked).

Veggies are done.

White sauce :
This is the topping in your Lasagne. Ingredients include
1. Maida - 1 cup
2. Butter - at least half cup
3. salt for taste
4. pepper for taste
5. 2 cheese slicesMilk - 2-3 cups

Process :
1. Put the butter in a pan on low flame
2. Add maida and roast until the maida and butter are mixed
3. Add milk and keep mixing so that there no lumps
4. Add cheese slices and continue mixing and ensure it remains lump free
5. If you feel it is too thick add more milk. Add enough milk until it becomes thick like cake batter / idli batter
6. Add salt and pepper to taste

White sauce done !

Red sauce :

Ingredients :
1. 6-7 tomatoes
2. one packet tomato puree (if you do not want to use this then add 5-6 more tomatoes)
3. 5-6 garlic pods
4. 3-4 onions
5. 1 chilli
6. 6-7 mushrooms (optional)
7. paprika
8. salt
9. pepper kernels

Process :
1. Cut the tomato so that you can blanch it
2. Boil it in water until you can see the skin coming loose
3. Let it cool and then remove the skin
4. Put everything into the blender (except the ready made puree) and blend
5. Heat oil in a pan and add some garlic to it (this addition is optional)
6. Add the puree from the blender (and the packet one if you are using it) and cook
IMPORTANT : this puree will bubble and splatter and splash while being cooked on low - medium flame. Keep a lid while cooking it
If you have added mushrooms the puree will have a slightly grey texture to it.

Cook for 15-20 minutes.

Red sauce done !

Lasagne layers :

Now, if you are pressed for time and don't want to make the layers, buy ready-made ones. I bought Barilla sheets on amazon and its texture is amazing. Plus it is without maida and is gluten free. As it is currently out of stock, I am trying this brand : Agnesi.

If you are going to make the sheets, this is the process.

Ingredients :
1. Atta or maida
2. Water - boiling on the pan and one vessel with cold
3. Wide vessels
4. Salt

Process :
1. Knead dough with water and oil - just like you make for chapatis.
2. Let it rest for 15 odd minutes.
3. Keep one wide vessel with boiling water on the stove and one with cold water on the side
4. Make chapatis - nice round ones
5. Put one by one into the boiling water - it will puff up.
6. Turn it over so the other side cooks
7. Dip it into the cold water vessel
8. Immediately use as layers for your Lasagne. DO NOT let it sit and rest - will become gooey.

IMPORTANT : if you are making the layers then you should do this step only AFTER everything else is done and your vessel is ready for filling up and the oven is prepped and ready for baking.

LASAGNE layering process :

This is the fun part ! Make sure you have your 4 things in front of you (or the water and raw chapatis ready).
Pre heat the oven to 180℃ and keep ready. I usually layer my Lasagne while the oven is pre heating.

1. Apply butter to the inside of your baking vessel - cover the entire surface
2. Put Red sauce to cover the bottom - don't apply too thick a layer - just enough to cover the bottom is fine.
3. Put layers (ready made or straight from the cold water vessel post holding it up so the water drains)
4. Put veggies - enough to cover the layers. It is your choice how much you want to put per layer. Just remember, you need enough to make 5 layers in your Lasagne (or 10 if you are making 2 trays). It is ok if you are making it in a circular vessel and sheets are rectangular. Break and put so you can cover the layer completely
5. Put some Red sauce over the veggies. Make sure you spread it nicely through the veggies
6. Put a layer of Lasagne
7. Veggies
8. Red sauce
9. Repeat previous 2 steps
10. When you are near the top (keep 3 inches to spare), stop once you put the layer
11. On this later, directly put Red sauce
12. Apply White sauce on top of this. This will drag as it won't be slowly like Red sauce. no worries. I pat it into place. it is ok If red shows through white
13. Put some butter here and there on the top
14. Put one cheese slice cut into 2 inch squares one the top like a design
15. Bake at 160℃ for 45-50 min

Once it is done, let it sit in the oven so that it can cook more and become slightly golden brown.

Voila ! Lasagne ready !!! Enjoy

p.s. 1 : you can keep the balance in the fridge without issues post baking. Even the new-next-in-line tray of Lasagne.

p.s.2 : If you run out of veggies to make as many layers as you want, reduce the quantity you put per layer and add some white sauce per layer - doesn't need to be only on the top

p.s.3 : Can make white sauce with atta - but I'm warning you, it turns into grey sauce and tastes little goopy

Felafel and Hummus

Having grown up in Abu Dhabi, I love eating hummus and felafel, along with tahini sauce and pickled cucumber and beetroots. Ah, it brings back memories of going to the souq and making a beeline to the felafel shop. I'd ask the man there to make mine without tomatoes and put extra tahini sauce; and then load up on the pickles :-D It used to cost around 2Dhs back then (1995 types) - not sure how much it might cost now.

Recently given the lockdown due to Covid, I decided to try my hand at making felafel and hummus. After doing some research, I realised that it is extremely easy. Woohoo ! So, I decided to follow the recipes from Inspired Taste.

I made a few modifications and voila ! the felafel and hummus I made, made me reminisce of my childhood - tahini dripping onto my hands and ... the happiness :-)


Okay, first Hummus.

You will need
1. White sesame - it doesn't matter how much you take. Take at least 1 cup - you will get loads of tahini sauce with this and you can easily store the extra
2. Chickpeas soaked over might - the more the merrier. After soaking over night, pressure the cook out of the babies - more whistles, softer it is - easier to grind.
3. 1 Lemon
4. garlic - more the merrier ;)
5. Olive oil
6. A blender

Process :

1. Roast the sesame seeds until u hear them pop and see smoke coming. Roast on medium flame. You do not want the sesame seeds to become brown. Once the smoke starts, switch off the flame and let them roast in the residual heat. Keep tossing the pan to avoid charring.

Put these cooled seeds in the blender and blend with olive oil. Keep blending as much as possible (scraping the sides and pushing the content back near the blades). This is Tahini Sauce. This sauce is your starting material for hummus. If you make a lot, keep aside some and use it as a topping later on. Retain the balance Tahini sauce in the blender.
2. Add a lemon and blend again. Each blend session should be for at least 30 seconds
3. Add the garlic cloves and blend again with some olive oil
4. Now add the pressure cooked chickpeas and blend. You can add a bit of the cooker water (jus) and blend. The first time I made this I added olive oil instead of water. Both work fine
5. Add salt to taste and blend some more.
6. Keep blending until it is super duper smooth.

Your hummus is ready ! Season with some olive oil and paprika powder while serving.

IMPORTANT : the order of adding the ingredients for hummus is important - make sure you follow this order. You will get light and airy hummus :)







Now Felafel.

You will need

1. 1 onion
2. Parsley - one bunch at least
3. Coriander - one bunch at least
4. Garlic - the more the better
5. Corriander powder 1 tbsp
6. Cumin powder 1 tbsp
7. Salt to taste
8. Chickpeas soaked over night (NOT pressure cooked)
9. paprika powder


Process :

1. In your blender mix all the ingredients and blend. Do not over blend like hummus; blend until it is coarse. You will need to keep pushing down the stuff in the blender else the blades will be rotating air. taste and see if you need to add more of anything. Always start with slightly lesser than what you would normally use and add more if needed. IMPORTANT : As you re going to fry the mixture, make sure the salt is slightly lesser than what you would normally use. If the raw mix tastes great, then you have excess salt and it will be salty after frying. The taste should be slightly lacking in salt.
2. Rest the mixture in the fridge for 15-20 minutes.
3. it is okay if the mixture bleeds water when you take it out - that only means you have extra salt or you have rested it longer than necessary. This is ok - do not worry. Just squeeze out some water while making the balls to fry
4. Make sure you have heated oil on the gas ready. medium-high flame
5. Make balls and put in the oil. It should sizzle immediately. If not, oil isn't hot enough.
6. Turn the balls over once or twice to ensure both sides become golden brown (slightly dark)

Voila ! Felafel is ready.

Now I have not made the pickles to be eaten with this - I bought them from the store. You can make them if you want, there's loads of places with recipes on how to do it.

Enjoy !