Pasta isn’t just food; it’s a warm, comforting hug on a rough day. Over the years, pasta has grown from an Italian staple into a global obsession. But there’s something special about authentic pasta, the kind that takes time, patience, and skill. Ask any purist, and they’ll tell you—pasta must be boiled al dente, sauces must be slow-cooked, and risotto must be stirred endlessly with love and patience. Well, brace yourself, because Chef Yajush Malik from Mumbai’s famous Gallops has a game-changing trick that will make pasta lovers question everything. With a disclaimer that “the Italians might kill me for this,” Chef Yajush introduced a shortcut to making pasta that is fast and efficient.
Chef Yajush Has A Wild Trick To Make Instant Pasta
In episode four of his popular Instagram series on food hacks, Chef Yajush dropped a tip so daring, he jokingly added a disclaimer: “This one may get some eye-rolls from the Italians!” But if you’ve ever found yourself desperately craving a creamy bowl of pasta fast, you’re about to become a huge fan.
That’s right. Instead of waiting 7 to 8 minutes for your pasta to boil traditionally, soak your pasta in cold water for a while before cooking. This step significantly reduces the cooking time and allows you to cook the pasta directly in the sauce. By adding just a little more pasta water to the sauce, the pasta absorbs the flavours of the sauce instantly, and before you know it, you have a bowl of pasta that tastes as good.
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Don’t Miss This Risotto Hack
The list of hacks didn’t end at instant pasta. Chef Yajush also shared a clever trick to make risotto, a creamy, dreamy dish that usually takes patience, in a shorter span of time.
His hack involves a simple Ziploc bag. Instead of adding stock and wine while cooking your risotto, he suggests a pre-prep method that will save you tons of time on the day you plan to cook it. Just take your risotto rice, add your stock and wine into a Ziploc bag, and leave it in the fridge. When you’re ready to cook, simply heat it up. Since the rice has already absorbed the liquids, it cooks much faster, and you still get that signature creamy risotto without the usual stirring for hours.
Both these hacks feel like little kitchen miracles. They’re perfect for anyone who loves Italian food but sometimes just doesn’t have the patience to follow the traditional rules.
So next time you’re craving pasta or risotto, remember: Chef Yajush has your back.
Cover Image Courtesy: Chef Yajush Malik/Instagram
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