Fusion is in -in a big way! Here is a recipe in which pasta or macaroni is cooked in a traditional way on the lines of salted kadubus! Try out the recipe this vacation on a long lazy afternoon for it does take a little time to turn out something so exotic.

Ingredients: Macaroni 250 grams; Urad  dhal 250 grams; Channa dhal 100 grams; Grated coconut 100 grams; lime juice 2 tablespoons; Red Chillies 6; Green Chillies 4; Ginger paste 1 spoon; Mustard 1 teaspoon; Asafoetida 1/2 teaspoon; Cooking oil  100 grams; Curry leaves 3 sprays

Method: Soak the dhal for two hours and grind them to a fine thick paste along with red chillies, green chillies, ginger paste and salt. Steam the ground ingredients in a pressure cooker separately till it cooks well. [Once the steamed dough cools disintegrate the mass with a dry spoon.]

Soak the macaroni in boiling water after adding half a spoon of salt and keep it closed till they are cooked and then drain the excess water. Heat oil in a large pan and add the mustard and asafoetida till they spatter. Add the cooked dhal to the pan, slow the fire and allow the mass of dhal to disintegrate till it becomes very small lumps.

You should attend to the ingredients in the pan from time to time, adding half a spoon of oil every now and then to prevent it from burning at the bottom. Once the dhal turns into a golden brown add the grated coconut, cooked macaroni and curry leaves and stir well. Add the lime juice finally and mix it well with the other ingredients just before you remove the contents from the fire. Serve hot with either Mint chutney or pickle.

Rice dumplings

Preliminary preparation: The flour prepared in the given method will have a shelf life of  at least six months. Clean raw rice and wash it thoroughly with water and spread the washed rice thinly on a clean cloth in shade. Once the rice dries grind it into a fine powder. Then take small portions of the rice flour and sauté it on slow fire. Once the flour cools it can be stored in an air tight container.

Ingredients: Roasted Rice flour 250 grams; Chick peas 100 grams[soaked overnight]; Channa dhal 50 grams; Urad dhal 1tablespoon; Grated coconut 100 grams; Water 2 cups; Green Chillies 4 [finely chopped]; Ginger paste 1 spoon; Mustard 1 teaspoon; Asafoetida 1/2 teaspoon; Salt 1 table spoon; Cooking oil 1 table spoon; Curry leaves 3 sprays

Method: Heat one tablespoon of oil in a wide pan and add the mustard and asafoetida till they spatter. Add the salt, channa dhal, urad dhal, soaked chick peas, grated coconut chopped chillies washed and curry leaves to the seasoning.

Add water to the seasoning and once the water comes to a boil, pour the roasted rice flour into the pan gently stirring the mixture simultaneously taking care that it does not lump. Continue the exercise on slow fire till the entire mixture cooks well and appears like toughened dough.

Once the dough cools pinch fistfuls of dough and roll them into little dumplings and steam them in a pressure cooker like you steam idlis. They can be served hot or cold according to the individual's preference with or without any side dishes. Chilli sauce will go well with this dish.