Cabbage Soup !

This is the seventh and last day of Blogging Marathon.The month of October itself is making a move.Time is flying so fast that I can't believe I have cooked this much here.

Today's recipe is a simple cabbage soup I used to prepare on a weekly basis.Healthy and elegant,the soup goes well with garlic bread.Enjoy !

Ingredients

1 cup chopped cabbage
1 medium sized onion,chopped finely
handful of celery,chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1.5 tbsp cornflour
4 cup vegetable stock
1/4 cup water
1-2 tsp pepper powder
salt

Method

Heat oil in a medium pot and roast chopped onion,celery and cabbage till the vegetables get wilt.Add vegetable stock to this and bring to a boil.Boil for 2-3 minutes in full flame.Meanwhile mix cornflour in 1/4 cup water and pour this to soup.Add salt,pepper powder and simmer for 5 minutes or till the soup goes thicker.Serve hot with garlic bread or any starter of your choice.

*Cabbage Soup is on it's way to Soups & Salads Mela hosted by Srivalli.

Cream of Mushroom Soup !

I think most of us like Mushroom soup.Cream of mushroom is a thick,appetizing soup with a pleasing flavour.Served hot,it's one of the best soups to cherish !

Ingredients

200 gms Mushroom,cleaned and chopped
1 medium onion,chopped finely
2 garlic cloves,crushed
2 cups of vegetable stock
1 cup whole milk
1-2 tsp pepper powder
2 tbsp all purpose flour/maida
olive oil or law fat butter,as required
salt
1 tsp lime juice and few parsley leaves to garnish
1-2 tsp fresh cream to garnish (optional)

Method

Heat oil/butter in a medium skillet and roast chopped onion and garlic till light brown.Add half portion of mushroom to this and sauté for 3 minutes.Reduce the heat and add flour to this.Roast in low heat till the raw smell disappear.Now slowly add vegetable stock and mix well.Be careful not to form lumps.Add pepper powder and salt and bring to a boil.Simmer for 10 minutes.Switch off and let it cool.Meanwhile chop the remaining mushrooms finely.Grind the cooled soup in a blender till soft and strain to a medium pot.Add chopped mushrooms and milk to this and bring to a boil again.Simmer five more minutes till the soup gets thicker and creamy.Garnish with lime juice and parsley.You may use fresh cream as well.Serve hot.

Check out the  Blogging Marathon  page to see what my fellow marathoners are cooking on sixth day !

*This Mushroom soup goes to Soups & Salads Mela hosted by Srivalli.

Cleansing Fruit Salad !

As the name indicates,today's salad is a melange of fresh fruits that can cleanse your body.With various products being released almost every week,you may be puzzled to select one way to cleanse yourself.Cleansing with fruits is one natural way anyone can adapt.I usually goes for the less calorie,easily digestable fresh fruits that can do wonders with minimum time.The fresh vitamin waters in these fruits can flush the waste we acquire from the daily food habits.Do try this.

Ingredients

1/4 cup avocado,diced
1/ 4 cup papaya,diced
1/4 cup musk melon ,diced
1 mandarin (orange),chopped
1 apple,diced
1 kiwifruit,sliced round-wise
Juice of one lime
handful of almond flakes to garnish

Method

Mix the diced fruits in one bowl.Sprinkle with lime juice and almonds.

Check out Blogging Marathon page to see what my fellow marathoners have come up with on 5th day !

*Sending this fruit Salad to Soups & Salads Mela hosted by Srivalli.

Spicy Indian Yogurt Soup !

Being Deewali,I thought of posting something very desi.India's own soup with a very desi tadka.This is a simple,spicy yogurt soup to have anytime of the day..I love mild spices as well.Do check !

Ingredients

1.5 cups low fat yogurt
2 tbsp besan /gram flour
1/4 cup water
1/2 tsp chilly powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 green chilly,chopped
salt as required

For tadka/tempering

2 tsp canola oil/vegetable oil
2 dried red chillies (upto your taste)
1 tsp cumin seeds
small piece of ginger,crushed
2 garlic cloves,crushed
1 sprig curry leaves

Method

Mix the yogurt,water,chilly powder,turmeric powder,gram flour and salt in a blender.Strain this and shift it to a pot.Add the chopped green chillies and cook in low heat, stirring well.This process is to cook the gram flour  and blend everything well.Don't boil your soup.Just continue stirring till thick and nice aroma spreads.Switch off.Heat oil in a small pan and splutter cumin seeds,dry chillies,ginger,garlic and curry leaves .Roast till the raw smell vanishes and pour it over the soup.Mix well and again heat the soup in law heat for 2-3 minutes.Serve hot.

* Sending this desi soup to Soups & Salads Mela hosted by Srivalli.

Do check the Blogging Marathon page to see what's been cooked on the fourth day !

Fruity Sprouts Salad !

Happy Deewali to all my readers out there..Hope you will all be occupied with the last minute preparations.Since today is the third day of Blogging Marathon,I am forced to be here with something.This is a simple salad,not apt for the festival day we are in.Yet, being healthy is not so bad right ? This is one simple salad with fruits and some valuable sprouts.A very healthy choice..

Do take care and enjoy your share of festival !

Ingredients

1 apple,diced
1 pomegranate,de-seeded
1/4 cup sprouted moong
1/4 cup sprouted chickpeas
handful of palak/spinach, chopped
salt,olive oil as needed

For fruit dressing

1/2 cup chopped papaya
1/4 cup curd

Method

Make the dressing by blending the ingredients together in a blender and chill it.Toss all other salad ingredients well and serve along with dressing.

*Sending this healthy salad to Soups and Salad Mela hosted by Srivalli.

Spinach Carrot Soup !

Here is presenting a simple,favourite soup of mine.The essence of spinach and crunchy carrots in a bowl.Hope you will enjoy this too..

Ingredients

1 bunch spinach,washed and chopped
1 large carrot,grated
handful of coriander leaves
5-6 garlic cloves
5 cups of water
1-2 tsp low fat butter
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
salt,pepper powder as required

Method

In a large pot bring together chopped spinach,carrot,coriander leaves and garlic cloves.Add water and Bring it to a boil .Simmer till the vegetables get cooked well.Strain the liquid to another bowl.Now heat butter in another pot and splutter cumin seeds.Pour the cooked soup to this and cook for a while .Add pepper powder and salt.Garnish with carrot and serve hot.

Day 2 of Blogging Marathon today.Do visit our page.

*This comfort is on it's way to participate in Soups & Salads Mela at Srivalli's.

Tomato - Egg white Salad !

This week of Blogging Marathon Melange is here with a theme of Soups and Salads.To kick-start, this is a simple hearty salad with tomatoes and egg whites.Enjoy !


Ingredients

4 whole medium sized tomatoes,preferably round-shaped
3 egg whites,beaten
1 tsp pepper powder
handful of parsley/coriander chopped
few lettuce
handful of olives
salt,olive oil,pepper powder as required

Method

Cut off the upper fourth of tomato and slowly remove the pulp from inside.Rub salt and little pepper powder in and out of hollow tomatoes.Chop the inner seeds along with juice and outer part finely and keep.Heat olive oil in a pan and roast the chopped tomatoes and juice till mushy.To this add beaten egg whites,salt and one teaspoon pepper powder.Mix well and cook till dry.Add parsley/coriander and switch off the stove.Now fill this inside each tomatoes and garnish with chopped olives.Serve on a bed of lettuce.

*Sending this to Soups & Salads Mela hosted by Srivalli.

Mithae Jaule / Sweet Vermicelli from Punjab !

Today's post is another sweet delicacy from Punjab.Mithae Jaule is a very popular dessert in Punjabi households usually served during special occasions.Simple to prepare,it's a wonderful delicacy to cherish.Being a Keralite I am familiar with a vermicelli dessert,Semiya Payasam.The addition of milk and it's liquid form may be the variation.But after having this Mithae Jaule,I regret why on earth I have not made this so far.My little princess shows a thrilled face and requests for more.To be honest,I am a happy mother with the deletion of whole milk.Do try this simple dessert and enjoy !

This is the last day of the first edition BM#9.Tomorrow onwards Melange will have a different theme,running the second week of Blogging Marathon.

Ingredients

250 gms small,thick vermicelli/jauley
2 tbsp ghee (I have reduced.You may add more for taste)
3/4 cup mixed dry fruits (cashews,raisins and almonds)

For sugar syrup

3 cups water
1 cup sugar

Method

Heat ghee in a thick bottomed pot and roast the vermicelli to brown colour.Be careful not to burn them.Meanwhile prepare the sugar syrup in another pan.Bring it to a boil and let the sugar dissolve.Switch off the stove.Now pour the strained sugar syrup to roasted vermicelli and bring to a boil.It will thicken fast.Now add the mixed dry fruit and keep closed in medium heat till vermicelli turn soft and dry.In between you may saute.Serve hot.

Dahi Murg / Chicken cooked in yoghurt & onion paste !

I wonder why I didn't post any non-veg so far in the Punjabi food festival going on here.Punjabi cuisine is all about spices and pastes.But this one is extremely simple with almost no spices and powders.Isn't that interesting ? I always had this doubt how it's going to taste without spices and masala.But finally it turned out to be the best of chicken dishes I have served till date ! However,for those who love to have a spicy masala,it's not going to be their choice I bet..Simmered in curd-onion mixture the chicken is so soft and the curry is thick as ever..And for anyone who looks for a tasty chicken curry within 15 minutes,with minimum number of ingredients,this I must say is your own Curry...DO check !

We are on the 6th day of Blogging Marathon today.Do check the page to see what all my friends are cooking for the day..

Ingredients

750 gm chicken,cut into medium pieces
2 to 3 tsp of kashmiri chilly powder (It's upto you.Remember this is the only chilly we are adding)
1 cup curd,beaten well
handful of kasuri methi
oil,salt as required

For the onion paste

3 medium sized onions
1 piece of ginger
5 garlic cloves

Method

Prepare a fine paste of onion,ginger and garlic.Heat oil in a curry pot and roast the onion paste till brown.Add chilly powder and salt.Roast till everything is blended well and a nice aroma releases.Add chicken pieces and mix well.Stir fry for at least 3-4 minutes.Switch off the stove and add the beaten curd to this.Again bring this to stove and cook in minimum heat stirring constantly till it boils.This is to prevent the curd from curdling.Now cover with the lid and cook closed for 10-12 minutes.In between you may check.Now this would be a thick gravy with soft chicken.Crush kasuri methi in your palms and add to the curry.Check salt and switch off the stove.Serve with Roti/chapathi/rice.

Matar Khumba Curry / Peas & Mushroom Curry !

Well,today's recipe is a rich subzi from Punjab ! By the way,why I have to put an adjective to Subzi ? Punjabi Subzis are famous worldwide for it's rich and aromatic flavours.Most of the curries are prepared with onion and tomato purees,which in itself give the curry that special creamy rich texture..My today's post is no exception.This is a rich aromatic curry made of peas and mushroom.Served along with roti or chapathi,it's definitely a winner !

Visit Blogging Marathon Page to see what we all are upto on this fifth day of the event ! Now onto the recipe..


Ingredients

1 cups peas,shelled ( mine was frozen)
200 gm mushrooms,cleaned and cut into 4 pieces each
2 black cardamoms / moti ilaichi
2 cloves
2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp chilly powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp punjabi garam masala
oil,salt as required

Grind to a puree

3 tomatoes
1 green chilly

Grind to a paste

1 large onion
6-8 garlic cloves
1 piece ginger

Method

Heat oil in a kadai and splutter black cardamom and cloves.Reduce the heat and pour the onion-ginger-garlic paste.Roast till light brown and add coriander,chilly,turmeric,garam masala powders and salt.Add 1 tsp water and roast till raw smell vanish.Now add the tomato-green chilly puree and roast till dry and oil seperates.Add peas and mushrooms to this and stir fry for 5 minutes.You may add little water to prevent burning.Add 1 to 1.5 cups water to this.Since the mushrooms are tend to release water,watch and likewise you may add.Cook in moderate flame for about 10-15 minutes till the curry is thick and oil clears on top.Serve with chapathis/rice.

Badaam Te Gur De Laddu ! / Almond-Jaggery Laddu !

I thought of posting something sweet today.Badaam Laddu was a natural choice since it ensures my little one is helped nutritionally even while having a sweet.Takes away my guilt you know.

This recipe is from Nita Mehta who described it as a ''very popular Punjabi dessert ,made on all happy occasions".Very simple and easy to prepare at home,it's a wonderful dessert is my verdict for you.Do try!

Browse on to  Blogging Marathon Page  and check out what all marathoners have done on Day 4...

Ingredients (makes 7-8 laddus)

1/2 cup almonds/badaam,roughly chopped or crushed
1 cup grated jaggery/gur
2 tsp ghee (3-4 will make it tasty more)
1/4 tsp ajwain/carom seeds

Method

Heat ghee in a heavy bottomed pot.reduce the heat and add the grated jaggery to this.Cook for one minute till it's blended well.Add carom seeds followed by crushed badam/almonds.Stir well till it leaves from sides.Switch off and allow it to cool slightly.Make small balls of the mixture.Do this while it's hot still for you to manage.These laddus can be stored in air tight containers.Enjoy !

Lachha Parantha (flaky whole wheat bread from Punjab) !

Rotis and Paranthas play an integral part in Punjabi cuisine.So how can I carry on talking about awesome Punjabi food without mentioning at least one of their lovely creations ? Here is Lachha Parantha,the rich and flaky bread you will die for !

This is my third entry to Blogging Marathon where you can meet all my fellow marathoners and check what they are cooking.

Ingredients (Makes 4)

2 cups whole wheat flour/Aatta
salt and olive oil as required (Of course original recipe calls for ghee.It's all upto you)
water

Method

Mix flour,salt and 2 tsp oil in a bowl and make a non-sticky dough adding required water.Keep this aside for one hour.Knead the dough again and make 4 equal balls from it.Roll out each one of them to a large chapathi size.Spread some oil over this and sprinkle little flour .Now pleat the chapathi lengthwise towards one side.

Twist and coil this into a ball like this.

Now gently press each chapathi between your palms and then roll slowly with rolling pin without applying much pressure.

The size of parantha should be of 5-6 diameter.It will be thick.Traditionally these are cooked in tandoor.But it can be made in tawa as well.Heat tawa in full flame and place the parantha.Flip it over suddenly and you can see brown marks.Repeat this with other side and reduce the flame.Now pour little oil and slowly press with a spoon to cook both sides.

Keep it hot and press it in your palms for layers to open up.Serve hot.

Shimla Mirch Aaloowaali ! (Capsicum & Potato in a subtle dry masala)

Shimla Mirch Aaloowaali is one subtle flavoured dish that goes superb with chapathi and roti.I love to prepare this mainly because of the aroma it releases.If you are in search of something rocking to go with usual rotis,do check this.This is my entry for Blogging Marathon Day 2.Do visit the page to see what my fellow marathoners are upto.

Ingredients

2 capsicums,deseeded & cut into fingers
1 potato,peeled and cut into fingers
1 tomato,chopped
1 tomato,deseeded and sliced into four
1 large onion,sliced
1 piece ginger,chopped finely
3/4 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp chilly powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1/4 tsp amchoor powder/dry mango powder
1/4 tsp punjabi garam masala
salt,oil as required

Method

Heat oil in a medium skillet and splutter cumin seeds.Reduce the heat and roast the onion slices till light brown.Add ginger to this and roast for one minute.Now add the chilly,coriander,turmeric,amchoor and garam masala powders along with salt to this and roast till raw smell vanish.Drop in the chopped tomatoes and roast for 3 minutes.Add potatoes to this and roast for two more minutes.

Add little water and cook covered till the potatoes are soft and cooked.Now add capsicum and mix well.Cook uncovered for 8-10 minutes stirring occasionally till the capsicum go soft,yet crispy.Check salt and finally add the deseeded tomato pieces.Mix well and switch off the stove.Serve hot with roti/chapathi.

*Recipe Source:Nita Mehta

Poodina Jeera Paani / Mint & Cumin Drink from Punjab !

Today I am posting here as a blind.With the mess going around with blogger here,I can't see my pictures.Plz bear with me friends for the poor quality.And below is the post I was supposed to post yesterday for blogging Marathon event.

This is my first post for BM #9.This time I have chosen Regional specials.So for the coming seven days Melange will be showcasing Punjabi dishes.I consider this as an opportunity to go beyond the usual flavours.When it comes to Punjabi food,who can resist them ? The rich and deep flavours penetrating our senses,the royal aroma wafting through the kitchen..It's all about celebrating food,celebrating life itself.So here I am with my versions of authentic Punjabi khaana.

Poodina Jeera Paani is the most refreshing and healthy drink from Punjab.Since I love the mint flavour,I can finish many glasses in one sitting.Do check this one and tell the whole world that we have some super healthy refreshing drinks here !

Ingredients

1 bunch of mint leaves/poodina
1 piece of ginger (one inch)
3 cups of water
gooseberry sized tamarind soaked in one cup hot water and strained
Juice of two limes
1-2 tbsps of sugar/honey
1/2 tsp black salt/kala namak
1 tsp roasted cumin powder/bhuna jeera
salt

Method

Make a paste poodina/mint leaves and ginger adding little water.In a  large mixing bowl mix the mint paste and tamarind pulp.To this add all the other ingredients and three cups of water.If you again want to mix it in a mixer,that's a good option too.Serve chilled in glasses.Add ice cubes and decorate with mint leaves.
*Do check the Blogging Marathon page for more details and check what other marathoners are doing !

Cholafali ! - For Indian Cooking Challenge..

This month's Indian Cooking challenge turned out as one of the many thrilling food explorations in my kitchen.I have so far not experimented much with Gujarati Cuisine.That's the delight.I thank Srivalli for selecting this one.This Gujarati snack is a unique flavour mixed of Urad dal and gram flour.From among the recipe options Srivalli offered,I picked up Khaugiri's since it was relatively easy and simple in content.Thanking Khaugiri as well for the wonderful recipe.

Ingredients

1 cup gram flour/besan
1/2 cup urad dal flour
1/2 -3/4 cup water
1 tsp oil
pinch of baking soda
salt
1/2 tsp chilli powder & pinch of black salt to sprinkle
1/2 cup oil to deep fry

Method

Bring the water to a boil adding salt,oil and baking soda into it.Mix both the flours in a bowl and knead it in the boiled water.Mix it with a spoon first and then knead it into a soft yet tight dough.Keep the dough aside for 15 minutes.

Now prepare small balls from the dough and roll out into thin rotis.Make thin strips from the same.

Heat oil in a kadai and deep fry the strips to make cholafali.The heat should be medium.Sprinkle black salt and chilli powder before serving.