Ingredients are marked in PURPLE colour
Ah! Nothing gives you the kicks like a piping hot bowl of tomato soup aftter a hard day at work. Well, we all just grab a pack of ready-mix-soup and have it all ready in 10 mins flat! But have you ever tried making it all fresh at home? Well, here's a simple recipe.
Step1: Peel and dice some fresh onions, peel a couple of garlic pods, peel and cut up some thick slices of orange carrot.
Step2: Saute the onions and garlic with a little ghee (clarified butter) or butter in a pressure cooker/ pan.
Step3: Once golden brown, toss in the carrot slices and 3-4 whole fresh tomatoes.
Step 4: Pour a little water in the base and close the lid of the cooker/ pan. Allow to cook till one whistle or till its all totally boiled until mashable.
Step 4: Cool the cooked vegetables and puree it in the mixer. The puree will be thick and semi-red/ dark orange in colour. (Tip: Now you can fridge this to last you a whole week!)
While serving, take a bit of the thick puree, add a little water and bring to a boil. Add salt to taste. Some pepper for the sharp tongued and a sprinkle of chopped corriander for the rest - serve this yummy soup with pride!
Tips!
1) Add a little milk while boiling if you like a creamy flavour
2) You may serve soup sticks with soup if you like or especially when you have guests
3) Always sprinkle pepper or corriander just before serving so it get a fresh yummy taste!
4) Soups can also be served with cold white pita bread/ garlic bread/ bread toast and greek salad. This makes a complete meal for people who are perpetually on a diet or when you have sudden guests for dinner (This makes them half full) Then serve a dinner of leftovers! (heh heh! don't tell your guests though!)
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Recipe: Capsicum rice
Ingredients are in PURPLE colour
This is a super main course item. Not the jeera rice, not the pulav and biryani but at the same time not plain rice :) Well another one of my favorites. Try it!
--Soak the rice in water for half an hour. This allows it to elongate.
--Then boil water in a vessel and put the elongated rice into it. Strain the cooked rice in a BIG noodle strained when its ready. You can make it a bit sticky or even allow it to be half-cooked like chinese food consistency. Allow the rice to cool completely.
--Take a tava -preferably non-stick cookware- Then the rice does not stick to the bottom and toasts well. Pour a little oil and a liberal helping of ghee/ butter on it. Throw in some jeera and pepper corns. Wait for it to sputter. Add some finely chopped fresh green chillies as per your spice requirement (People with health issues MUST avoid this) Next fling in chopped onions and a liberal handful of chopped capsicum. Add salt to taste and saute this for a minute. Take care that the capsicum does not lose its crunchy taste!
--Reduce the flame and add the cold cooked rice and mix with a long spoon. Spread the rice evenly all over the tava. This allows one side of the rice to get well-toasted and slightly yellow.
--Turn off the fire and garnish with chopped dhania! Its ready! Now hog!
Tips!
1) This is a great dish to have with a curry.
2) For people who like spicy rice - you may have a little garlic or chilli sauce with it.
3) It's a great combination with aloo mutter in red gravy.
This is a super main course item. Not the jeera rice, not the pulav and biryani but at the same time not plain rice :) Well another one of my favorites. Try it!
--Soak the rice in water for half an hour. This allows it to elongate.
--Then boil water in a vessel and put the elongated rice into it. Strain the cooked rice in a BIG noodle strained when its ready. You can make it a bit sticky or even allow it to be half-cooked like chinese food consistency. Allow the rice to cool completely.
--Take a tava -preferably non-stick cookware- Then the rice does not stick to the bottom and toasts well. Pour a little oil and a liberal helping of ghee/ butter on it. Throw in some jeera and pepper corns. Wait for it to sputter. Add some finely chopped fresh green chillies as per your spice requirement (People with health issues MUST avoid this) Next fling in chopped onions and a liberal handful of chopped capsicum. Add salt to taste and saute this for a minute. Take care that the capsicum does not lose its crunchy taste!
--Reduce the flame and add the cold cooked rice and mix with a long spoon. Spread the rice evenly all over the tava. This allows one side of the rice to get well-toasted and slightly yellow.
--Turn off the fire and garnish with chopped dhania! Its ready! Now hog!
Tips!
1) This is a great dish to have with a curry.
2) For people who like spicy rice - you may have a little garlic or chilli sauce with it.
3) It's a great combination with aloo mutter in red gravy.
Recipe: Dahi waali baingan ka raita
Ingredients are marked in PURPLE colour
>>This is a pretty much fun dish to prepare. Not too much work – I guarantee that. All you need is a fairly largish Aubergine (baingan, eggplant, katharika, badaneka whatever). Wash it first.
>>Next, switch on the stove and roast it – Yes! Hold the shendi of the baingan and roast it directly on the fire. Turn it around from all sides to see that it gets roasted well. You can check whether its done by piercing a pin through it. If its done it will go in smoothly.
>>Wait for a minute, the beautiful aubergine colour would have now turned to slightly brownish. Peel the baingan. The skin comes off in cracks. Remember to do this while it is still warm.
>>Now mash it well with a masher and without the lumps. Remember to throw away the shendi and the green part!
>>Fling in some cool curds over the warm, mashed baingan.
>>Now that the baingan is ready, lets do the seasoning. In a small frying pan pour a little oil and put in some jeera. After the jeera sputters, add some chopped green chillies and a shake of hing (asafoetida). Then add salt to the seasoning. Also add some fresh curry leaves if you like.
>>Now pour the above seasoning into the curd over the mashed roasted baingan. Mix the whole thing up to make a thick-ish paste.
>>Add some freshly chopped coriander leaves and serve cold!
Tips!
1) Remember, never heat this dish after you pour the dahi. If you need it warm heat the baingan again and then add dahi.
2) This is a great side dish for a party! It also doubles up as a sabji if required.
3) If you like garlic you can add some to the tadka – believe me its yummy!
>>This is a pretty much fun dish to prepare. Not too much work – I guarantee that. All you need is a fairly largish Aubergine (baingan, eggplant, katharika, badaneka whatever). Wash it first.
>>Next, switch on the stove and roast it – Yes! Hold the shendi of the baingan and roast it directly on the fire. Turn it around from all sides to see that it gets roasted well. You can check whether its done by piercing a pin through it. If its done it will go in smoothly.
>>Wait for a minute, the beautiful aubergine colour would have now turned to slightly brownish. Peel the baingan. The skin comes off in cracks. Remember to do this while it is still warm.
>>Now mash it well with a masher and without the lumps. Remember to throw away the shendi and the green part!
>>Fling in some cool curds over the warm, mashed baingan.
>>Now that the baingan is ready, lets do the seasoning. In a small frying pan pour a little oil and put in some jeera. After the jeera sputters, add some chopped green chillies and a shake of hing (asafoetida). Then add salt to the seasoning. Also add some fresh curry leaves if you like.
>>Now pour the above seasoning into the curd over the mashed roasted baingan. Mix the whole thing up to make a thick-ish paste.
>>Add some freshly chopped coriander leaves and serve cold!
Tips!
1) Remember, never heat this dish after you pour the dahi. If you need it warm heat the baingan again and then add dahi.
2) This is a great side dish for a party! It also doubles up as a sabji if required.
3) If you like garlic you can add some to the tadka – believe me its yummy!
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Recipe: Dum aloo dry
Ingredients are in PURPLE font
>>You will need baby potatoes with their jackets. This is a very easy dish. Steam the baby aloo in the pressure cooker. Remember to put a little water in the base. Now, understand that it has to be cooked just right - else the aloo will all be mashed.
>>Once steamed, peel of the jackets and marinate the aloo with salt, turmeric and red chilli powder. All of this is dry. If you are not health conscious, you may add a bit of oil if you like. DON'T RUB your eyes after marinating - even after you wash your hands. Else you'll be in tears by the time your guests arrive! Leave this marinated mess for half an hour while the potatoes soak in the salt.
>>Now the hing tadka: take a little oil in the frying pan and toss in some jeera. Allow it to sputter, then add some hing (asaefoetida) and place in the potatoes one by one. Allow it to shallow fry till golden. Then turn it over till its evenly golden or brown (as you like it!)
>>Sprinkle in some freshly chopped corriander and squeeze in a dash of lemon juice before serving.
TIP:
1) This is a great party dish and canbe served as a starter as well!
2) You can shake up some jal jeera powder OR rock salt OR chaat masala to pepp up the flavour
3) Remember to serve this dish in a flat plate or wide 'pan'ish bowl instead of a vessel. It looks good this way!
>>You will need baby potatoes with their jackets. This is a very easy dish. Steam the baby aloo in the pressure cooker. Remember to put a little water in the base. Now, understand that it has to be cooked just right - else the aloo will all be mashed.
>>Once steamed, peel of the jackets and marinate the aloo with salt, turmeric and red chilli powder. All of this is dry. If you are not health conscious, you may add a bit of oil if you like. DON'T RUB your eyes after marinating - even after you wash your hands. Else you'll be in tears by the time your guests arrive! Leave this marinated mess for half an hour while the potatoes soak in the salt.
>>Now the hing tadka: take a little oil in the frying pan and toss in some jeera. Allow it to sputter, then add some hing (asaefoetida) and place in the potatoes one by one. Allow it to shallow fry till golden. Then turn it over till its evenly golden or brown (as you like it!)
>>Sprinkle in some freshly chopped corriander and squeeze in a dash of lemon juice before serving.
TIP:
1) This is a great party dish and canbe served as a starter as well!
2) You can shake up some jal jeera powder OR rock salt OR chaat masala to pepp up the flavour
3) Remember to serve this dish in a flat plate or wide 'pan'ish bowl instead of a vessel. It looks good this way!
Note from writer
I usually cook up stories. But for a change, am cooking vegetables. I am for the first time, penning down something that really helps me in relieving my stress - COOKING! This set of recipes that i will be posting on my blog will actually help young brides and grooms (i believe in equal rights for men and women) and wannabe brides and grooms and young professionals (basically anyone belonging to the cooking age - not kids) in cooking up yummy-tummy meals. The idea is to give people tips, helps throw up a quick fix meal for sudden guests, plan a proper dinner, and cook up the same yummy meal that your grandma used to make in less than half the time!
Fortunately or unfortunately, non-vegetarians may not have anything to look for here, as i am a vegetarian. But yea, you may go ahead and substitute veggies with meat if you like! Go ahead its not hard to try!
Also understand, all these recipes are tried by me. So if things don't come out too well, then you have no one to blame but yourself because I LIKED IT THAT WAY!! So if you are ready to experiment my experiments and also learn some basic cooking this is the right blog for you! And yea, its nice if you can share some of your tips too!! I also learn well :) Happy eating (not cooking)
Fortunately or unfortunately, non-vegetarians may not have anything to look for here, as i am a vegetarian. But yea, you may go ahead and substitute veggies with meat if you like! Go ahead its not hard to try!
Also understand, all these recipes are tried by me. So if things don't come out too well, then you have no one to blame but yourself because I LIKED IT THAT WAY!! So if you are ready to experiment my experiments and also learn some basic cooking this is the right blog for you! And yea, its nice if you can share some of your tips too!! I also learn well :) Happy eating (not cooking)
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