Pasta payasam

🍝 Pasta Payasam

A creamy, indulgent twist on traditional payasam, made with pasta, whole milk, evaporated milk, caramel and fragrant cardamom.

Ingredients

• 1 cup fusilli pasta
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 can evaporated milk
• 1 can Carnation Caramel
• ½ cup sugar
• ½–1 tsp cardamom powder, to taste
• Water, as required

Method

1. Prepare the pasta:
   Blend the dry fusilli pasta briefly in a blender to break it into smaller pieces. Do not powder it completely.
2. Cook the pasta:
   Cook the broken pasta in water until soft. Drain and set aside.
3. Reduce the milk:
   Bring 1 cup of whole milk to the boil and simmer until it reduces to approximately ¾ cup, stirring occasionally.
4. Make the payasam:
   Add the cooked pasta to the reduced milk. Stir in the evaporated milk and bring gently to a simmer.
5. Add the caramel:
   Dilute the Carnation Caramel with a little water and add it to the payasam. Mix well.
6. Sweeten and flavour:
   Add ½ cup sugar and stir in the cardamom powder.
7. Simmer:
   Cook gently for a few minutes, stirring continuously, until creamy and well combined.
8. Serve:
   Serve warm or chilled. The payasam will thicken further as it cools.

University Kitchen – Recipe #6 🧄 One-Pan Garlic Bread

🎓 University Kitchen – Recipe #6

🧄 One-Pan Garlic Bread

A quick, budget-friendly side that needs just one pan. Crispy, buttery, garlicky and perfect with pasta, soup or as a snack.

Ingredients

• 1 small baguette or crusty loaf, sliced
• 75g butter, softened
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
• 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Easy alternative: If you don’t have fresh herbs, use 1–2 teaspoons of dried Italian mixed herbs instead.

Method

1. Mix together the softened butter, crushed garlic, fresh thyme, rosemary, salt and black pepper. (Or use dried Italian mixed herbs instead of the fresh herbs.)
2. Spread the garlic butter generously over each slice of bread.
3. Heat a large frying pan over a low heat.
4. Place the bread butter-side down in the pan and cook for 3–4 minutes until golden and crisp.
5. Turn over and cook for another 2–3 minutes until warmed through and beautifully crispy.
6. Serve immediately while hot.

University Kitchen Tip 🎓

Cook the bread gently over a low heat so the garlic becomes sweet and fragrant without burning. This recipe is easy to adapt with whatever herbs you have at home.