Stir-Fried Spaghetti

Today’s recipe happens to be one of my favorites – Pasta! 😀 Though I love my creamy pastas, once in a while I crave for the dry version – the stir fry! It would be one of the easiest to prepare, especially during busy weekdays – for dinner. I throw in different vegetables, boil the pasta, stir fry everything together and that’s it – dinner is ready. Usually penne or fusilli is used for the stir-fry recipes and my first time trying a stir fried spaghetti was at Pizza Hut. I was blown away by the simplicity of the dish – it did not even have vegetables. The spaghetti was stir fried in a mixture of herbs and olive oil. It was delicious in all its simplicity. I improvised on the idea and add a bunch of vegetables like zucchini, sweetcorn, mushroom, spinach, capsicum and the likes. Any of these vegetables go well together and the combinations can be as per availability and preferences. On the day I made this stir fry, I had a large zucchini and sweetcorn kernels, so I ended up using them. I love the flavour of fried garlic in my pasta and always add lot of garlic along with finely chopped onions. I add largish chunks of vegetables, to add to the texture to the dish. Olive oil and Italian mixed herbs give a good flavour of this dish and in no time, the bowl would be empty! 😀

To prepare Stir-Fried Spaghetti

Serves – 2 || Time to prepare – 25 mins || Difficulty – Easy

What I used –

• Spaghetti, a handful (enough for two)
• Onion, 1 large
• Garlic Pods, 12-14
• Zucchini, 1 large
• Sweetcorn Kernels, a handful
• Olive Oil, 1 tbsp
• Red Chilli Flakes, 1 tsp
• Mixed Italian Herbs, 2 teaspoon (Dried Parsley, Oregano, Basil and Thyme)
• Salt, as required
• Water, as required

How I made –

1. In a large bowl, bring water to boil. Add salt required to cook spaghetti. Once the water is on boil, add the spaghetti sticks. Cook until al dente – that is the spaghetti should not be cooked too well. It should have a bite to it but should not be raw. This should take 12-15mins. Strain the water – keep aside some of the water for use later. Let the cooked spaghetti rest and cool down.
2. In a pan, heat oil. Add finely chopped garlic and fry until nice aroma comes up. The garlic should not brown.
3. Add finely chopped onions. Fry until translucent.
4. Add sweetcorn Kernels and the Chunks of Zucchini. Add required salt for the vegetables.
5. Add red chilli flakes and dried mixed Italian herbs. Stir well. The vegetables should be more than half cooked.
6. Add the cooked and cooled down spaghetti, stir fry for 3-4 mins. If the spaghetti is too dry, add a few tablespoon of the water saved for cooking the spaghetti. Remove from flame.
7. Serve hot as it is or with cheese on top.

Note –

• The spaghetti should not be cooked to a mush. Follow the instructions at the back of the pack for cooking the pasta.
• The vegetables should retain a crunch and should not be cooked too much.
• Adjust the quantity of red chilli flakes as per personal preference.
• Adding the spaghetti cooked water while stir frying makes the spaghetti moist and saves it from going too dry.
• Fresh herbs if available can be used too. While adding the dried herbs, crush them slightly between your palms to bring out the flavors.
• Additionally, a teaspoon of olive oil can be added on top before serving.