Recipe: Whole grain penne with parsley-lemon pesto, diced fresh tomatoes, and chickpeas

Yesterday, I had left over parsley, tomatoes, lemons, and chickpeas. So I picked up some wild ocean perch filets and dredged them in a mix of ground flax, salt, and sambar powder, a masala used in the South Indian dish sambar. It contains roasted coriander seeds, chilli, lentils, and other spices. I use one that my uncle's South Indian mother-in-law makes at home, but MTR brand sambar powder, which you can buy in Indian grocery stores, is pretty good. I lightly pan-fried the fish, and we had it drizzled with a bit of the parsley-lemon pesto that I used to make this whole grain pasta, which we had on the side.

You may be asking - Miz Masala, why no traditional Indian dishes so far? Answer: most of the Indian dishes I make are to be eaten hot, and it's summer, and it's hot - 95°F, so we've been eating light, vaguely Mediterranean or Asian uncooked or partially uncooked dishes that can be served cold or lukewarm - lots of salads, supplemented sometimes with fish/seafood.

But I'll try to make some sprouted mung bean salad or bhel puri or fruit chaat soon, and post those recipes : ). I won't be craving anything like dal, however, until it cools down a bit outside!

Whole grain penne with parsley-lemon pesto, diced fresh tomatoes, and chickpeas (serves 6 as a side dish)

1 bunch parsley, trimmed, washed, and coarsely chopped

Zest of 1 lemon

Juice of 2 lemons

1 shallot, peeled, quartered

3 tbsp. olive oil

5 tomatoes, washed, seeded, and diced

1.5 Cups cooked chickpeas

8 oz. organic whole grain penne rigate (I used Bionaturae)

salt and freshly ground pepper

Blend or food process until smooth the parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, shallot, olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Depending on your blender/processor you might need more olive oil.

Cook the penne in boiling, salted water for about 9 or 10 minutes, drain, and, while hot, toss with the parsley-lemon pesto. Add the tomatoes, chickpeas, and additional salt and pepper, and toss.