Whole Wheat Spaghetti With Spinach Dumplings In Pumpkin Sauce Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups cooked whole wheat pasta (spaghetti)
• 2 cups roughly chopped and boiled red pumpkin (bhopla / kaddu)
• 1/2 tsp low fat butter
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/4 tsp chopped garlic (lehsun)
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 cup low fat milk (0.1% fat) (99.7 % fat-free)
• 1 tsp dry red chilli flakes (paprika)
• salt (namak) to taste
• 1/2 cup blanched and chopped spinach (palak) (palak)
• 1/4 cup grated low fat paneer (cottage cheese)
• 1 tbsp whole wheat flour (gehun ka atta)
• 1/4 tsp finely chopped green chillies
• a pinch of nutmeg (jaiphal) powder
• salt (namak) to taste
• 1 tsp oil for cooking

Steps

1. Heat the butter in a broad non-stick pan, add the onions, garlic and thyme and sauté on a medium flame for 2 minutes till the onions turn translucent.
2. Add the red pumpkin, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 1 minute or till the red pumpkin is tender. Keep aside to cool slightly.
3. Blend the mixture in a mixer to a smooth purée.
4. Transfer the purée back to the same pan, add milk, chilli flakes and salt and mix well.
5. Bring to boil and simmer for 2 minutes. Keep aside.
6. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
7. Divide the mixture into 14 equal portions and shape them into round balls in between your palms.
8. Steam in a steamer for 7 to 8 minutes and keep aside to cool slightly.
9. The pumpkin sauce can be substituted with low calorie white sauce, if you so desire.
10. Just before serving, reheat the pumpkin sauce and add the whole wheat spaghetti. Mix well and cook on medium flame for 1 to 2 minutes.
11. Spoon out the spaghetti with the pumpkin sauce into a serving dish, place the spinach dumplings on top and serve immediately.