Broccoli And Green Peas Soup

Nowadays,the importance and awareness of healthy recipes has grown a lot. This soup is very nutritious, healthy and tasty..yeah all in one:)). My husband and myself do not like broccoli much:))I have been trying different ways to add such rich vegetable into our diet.Finally got a solution!! Even children can be fed saying "THE HULK SOUP" !!!

INGREDIENTS
1) Broccoli florets- 11/2 cup
2) Green peas - 1/2 cup
3) Milk - 1/2 cup
4) Salt to taste
5) Pepper to taste

Boil the broccoli florets and green peas together. Keep the broth for the soup.

Puree the broccoli and peas along with little broth.

In a vessel,add the puree,the remaining broth,milk,salt and pepper and bring to a boil.

In no time the soup is ready!! Serve it with some croutons over it or some bread sticks.

Note: To make the soup more rich add some butter before adding the puree.

Onion Pulav - Quick Lunch Box Recipe

This rice was an outcome of no proper vegetables for preparing a vegetable pulav:)))) I thought, why not try making this recipe in a simple way and have it with some rich gravy.Trust me,it tasted so great! by itself.Just few ingredients,the pulav tastes delicious. This rice needs no preparation earlier, can be made and served in a jiffy:))

INGREDIENTS:
1) Basmati Rice - 1cup
2) Onion(roughly chopped) - 2
3) Ghee or butter (I used low fat butter) - 2tblsp
4) Oil - 1 tblsp
5) Whole spices(bay leaves,cardamom,cinnamon sticks and cloves and caraway seeds)-1or 2 according to taste
6) Cashews - few
7) Coriander powder - 1tsp
8) Red chilly powder - 1tsp
9) Tandoori Masala - 1tblsp
10) Salt to taste
11) Fresh mint and coriander leaves - few


Wash the basmati rice in water. Drain it and keep aside.

In a saute pan,heat oil and ghee.Now,add the whole spices and saute till nice aroma comes.Add,the cashews and fry in medium heat for a minute.Add the chopped onions to the pan and fry till it becomes translucent.Now add, the coriander powder,red chilly powder and saute for a minute.Then,add the rice to the pan, mix the tandoori masala and fry for a another minute.

Transfer all the above mixture of ingredients to a microwave safe bowl and add the required amount of water for the rice, I added 2 1/2 cups of water.Stir in the fresh mint and coriander leaves.Cook the rice covered for fifteen minutes(first for 5 mins,give it a stir,then again cook for 7 mins,mix it and finally cook for 3 mins).

Hot onion pulav is ready !!!! enjoy with gravy or raita.

Note: Microwave cooking time differs.Cook adjusting to the time.

Pudina(Mint) Rasam

This rasam is very good for someone who is having cold . It can be had simply as a soup on a cold day.It tastes yummy with some steaming hot rice with ghee and potato fry:))

INGREDIENTS:
1) Thoor dhall - 1 1/2 tblsp
2) Red chillies - 3 to 4
3) Cumin seeds - 1 1/4th tblsp
4) Pepper corns - 1 1/2 tblsp
5) Curry leaves - few
6) Garlic(optional) - 2 pods
7) Tomatoes roughly chopped - 2
8) Fresh mint leaves - 1/2 cup
9) Salt to taste
10) Tamarind extract - 1/4th cup
11) Ghee for tempering.
12) Hing
13) Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
14) Fresh coriander leaves - few
15) Mustard seeds - 1tsp


Dry roast thoor dhall,red chillies,cumin seeds,pepper corns,curry leaves,hing and garlic.Grind the above roasted ingredients with tomatoes and pudina.

In a vessel, pour the ground mixture and add some water, bring it to a boil. Now, add some turmeric powder.Then,add the tamarind pulp and salt to the mixture and boil it till nice aroma comes.Then add the coriander leaves.The rasam is ready switch off the stove.

Now,in a small pan,heat ghee .Add mustard seed,cumin seeds,hing and curry leaves and allow it to crackle. Pour the tempering into the rasam.

Hot rasam is ready!!! enjoy.

Chilly Baby Corn

This dish,I try it when I am in Saravana Bhavan in Chennai. My husband and myself love this dish very much.Its a very good starter.I saw some baby corn in our grocery store here,I thought why not make this dish with my own touch and bring Saravana Bhavan into our house:)))

INGREDIENTS:
1) Baby corn - 1 can
2) Green bell pepper (capsicum)thinly sliced -1cup
3) Green onions(spring onions)thinly sliced - 1cup
4) Garlic (chopped) - 2 pods
5) Corn flour - 1/2 cup
6) Red chilly powder - 1tsp
7) Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
8) Salt to taste
9) Pepper - 1 tsp
10) Chinese chilly sauce - 1 tsp
11) Soy sauce - 11/2 tsp
12)Tomato ketchup - 1tblsp
13) Vinegar - 1 tsp
14) Oil for shallow frying

Cut the baby corn into four pieces. Marinate them with corn flour(use1/4th), chilly powder, pepper,ginger garlic paste and salt(be careful will be adding it again in the sauce) for 10 to 15 mins.The mixture should be dry and sticky.Do not add water.

Meantime,julienne the peppers and onions and chop garlic.

Shallow fry the marinated baby corn and keep aside. In the same oil, stir fry the vegetables on high flame.Add soy sauce,chilly sauce,vinegar and ketchup,salt and pepper.then add the remaining corn flour with very little water to form a paste and mix well with other sauces.Cook till the sauce becomes thick and sticky.Finally, add the baby corn to the sauce and mix it well.Fry till the baby corn turns golden brown.

Chilly baby corn is ready!!! enjoy

Bombay Masala Sandwich

This sandwich is a street food in Mumbai. It might put on few calories, but once in a while we can treat ourselves to yummy food :) I saw the making of this sandwich and wanted to share this with everyone.

INGREDIENTS:

1) Bread slices - 6
2) Butter at room temperature - 1/2 cup
3) Green chutney - 3/4 cup
4) Tomatoes - 2
5) Cucumber - 1
6) Onion finely chopped - 1/2 cup
7) Green bell pepper finely chopped - 1/2 cup
8) Boiled potato - 2
9) Mozzarella cheese shredded - 1/2cup
10) Chat powder to taste:

Green chutney ingredients:
Mint leaves - 1/2 cup
Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup
Green chillies to taste
Black salt - 1/4 th tsp
Salt to taste.
Lemon juice - 1tblsp
Sugar -1 tsp

Roundly slice tomatoes,cucumber and potatoes.

Apply butter to one side of the bread. Apply green chuney to the other side.Keep few slices of potatoes,sprinkle a pinch of chat powder.Place little chopped onions over it. Take another slice,again apply butter and chutney on each side.Place the buttered side on the onions.On the chutney side, place few sliced tomatoes, cucumber and sprinkle a pinch of chat powder.Place few chopped bell pepper over it.Put some of the grated cheese on the peppers.Finally,take another slice, apply butter and chutney on each side,keeping the chutney side on top of the cheese.

On a pan, apply little butter, place the sandwich and press it with a heavy bottomed utensil, so that the cheese melts and binds with the other slices and forms a light crust on the bread.Carefully, flip the sandwich to other side and allow it to form a light crust.

You can also toast the sandwich in a electric toaster.

Hot sandwich is ready!!!!! You can have it ketchup .Enjoy.

Baked Penne Pasta

This Italian dish is another way of having the Penne pasta. The top layer of the pasta is very crispy and second layer is very juicy and delicious. I liked the combined texture,with cheese in it, it gives a treat to the taste buds.

INGREDIENTS:

1) Penne pasta - 1 box
2) Marinara sauce (tomato basil) - 1 bottle or 3 1/2 cups
3) Mozzarella cheese - 2 tblsp grated and 1/2 cup cut into cubes
4) Vegetables:
a) Green bell pepper - 1 chopped into big pieces
b) Onion - 1 chopped into big pieces
c) Sliced black olives - 1 small can or 1/2 cup
d) Mushrooms - 1 cup chopped into big pieces.
(You can add any other vegetables you want, I thought the above vegetables gave exact taste and texture I wanted.)
5) Black pepper powder- 2 tblsp
6) Olive oil - 2 tblsp
7) Garlic - 1 pod finely chopped
8) Tomato Ketchup - 2 tblsp
9) Salt to taste
10 ) Italian seasonings - 2 tsp
11) Grated Parmesan cheese - 1/2 cup

Cook the pasta as per the instructions on the box. Drain the pasta and keep aside.

Meanwhile, in a frying pan, saute all the vegetables along with garlic in olive oil . Add salt and pepper.Then add tomato ketchup and fry for 10 to 12 mins or till all the vegetables become tender. Add the Italian seasonings.

Pre-heat the oven at 375 degrees.

In a big bowl, mix the cooked pasta,vegetables, marinara sauce and both the cheeses (use half of the Parmesan cheese now).

In a baking dish (I used 8X8 dish) transfer all the ingredients from the bowl to the dish , garnish with the remaining Parmesan cheese and bake for 25 mins at 375 degrees.

Hot Penne pasta ready!!!! Serve it immediately. Enjoy :)

Mint And Coriander Chapati

This chapati is similar to Tepla . With dry and fresh spices it adds great taste.

INGREDIENTS:

1) Wheat flour - 1 cup
2) All purpose flour(maida) - 1 cup
3) Chickpea flour(besan) - 1 cup
4) Coriander leaves (chopped) - 2 1/2 tblsp
5) Mint leaves( chopped) - 2 1/2 tblsp
6) Red chilly powder - 1 tsp
7) Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
8) Coriander seeds powder - 1 tsp
9) Ajwain seeds(omam) - 1/2 tsp
10) Cumin seeds(jeera) - 1/2 tsp
11) Ghee - 1 tsp
12) Oil - 1/2 cup
13) Salt to taste
14) Luke warm water to knead the dough

Mix all the above ingredients into a soft dough ( except use oil 2 tsp) and make small balls of it. Roll each ball into chapati. In a pan, cook the chapati with the desired amount oil on both the sides.

Hot chapati ready. You can have it with curd or pickle.Enjoy!!!