When my mother came home from school as a kid in Bombay, her mother used to make her a super-quick pasta of noodles tossed in a fragrant tadka for flavor. A few decades later in Atlanta, my grandmother made a version of it as an after-school snack for me, too, but here, she sometimes used instant noodles and I sometimes added a few healthy shakes of Parmesan. Now, a couple decades after that, I’ve added some vegetables—and rarely skip the parm—for a dish that comes together so fast that I can make it and eat it in a 30-minute break between meetings. —Sonia Chopra
What you’ll need
Large Pot
$65 At Amazon
Slotted Spoon
$18 At Amazon
Large Skillet
$90 At Amazon
Recipe information
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
If using fresh peas and/or green beans, cook in a large pot of boiling salted water just until bright green, about 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a small bowl.
Step 2
Add pasta to same pot of boiling water and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking liquid.
Step 3
Heat oil in a wok or large skillet over medium. Cook mustard seeds until oil around seeds is sputtering (cover skillet if you are getting splattered), about 10 seconds. Add curry leaves, urad dal, and asafetida and stir to combine. Cook until fragrant and urad dal is golden, about 1 minute.
Step 4
Add corn (or fresh or frozen peas and green beans) to wok and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 2 minutes. Add pasta and toss to combine, then add butter, 2 oz. Parmesan, and reserved pasta cooking liquid and toss until butter and cheese are melted and coat pasta. Toss in chana dal.
Step 5
Divide pasta among bowls and top with more Parmesan if desired.
