Carrot Babycorn Soup

Winter is incomplete without a hot soup. Soups helps to manage the cold and rainy weather. Try this tasty baby corn and carrot soup !.

Preparation Time: Under 10 minutes
Cooking Time: Under 20 minutes
Serves - 2 to 3 people

INGREDIENTS:

Carrot - 1/2 no ( If small carrot, you can use 1 no.)
Baby corn - 12- 15 no.s
Onion - 1/2 cup chopped
Garlic - 2 to 3 pods
Butter - 2 table spoon
Salt - as required
Pepper - as required
Coriander leaves - for garnishing

METHOD:

1. Chop  carrots, baby corn and onions. In a pressure cooker, add them all together with a cup of water.

2. Cook in high flame for 3 whistles and switch off the stove.

3. Filter the water and keep it aside. Do not throw away the water. Also take some baby corn pieces and keep aside for garnishing.  Once the veggies cool down, grind them to a smooth paste.

4.  Now in a pan, add butter. Now add chopped garlic and fry till they change color.

4. Now add pureed veggies and also the filtered water to roasted garlic. Adjust water to your desired consistency. Add salt, pepper .

5. Allow it to boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Now add the baby corn pieces which you kept aside in step 3.  Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot !.

Tomato Pulao Using Quinoa

Here is the easy recipe to make tomato pulao. Instead of using rice, I used quinoa to make it more healthy.

Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Serves : 1 person

INGREDIENTS:

Quinoa - 1/3 cup
Water -1.25 cup
Tomato - 1
Onion - 1/2 cup chopped
Ginger - 1 inch sized chopped
Garlic -3 to 4 pods
Green chilli - 1 no
Coriander leaves - as required
Dry mint leaves - as required
Turmeric powder- 1/2 teaspoon
Red chilli powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Pepper powder- 1/2 teaspoon
Salt - as required

MASALA:

Cinnamon - 1/2 inch sized
Star anise - a small piece
Cloves -2 no.s
Cardamom - 1
Bay leaf - 1
Cumin seeds- 1/2 teaspoon


METHOD:

1. Chop tomato, onion, ginger, garlic and green chilli. Prepare all ingredients and set ready.

2. Grind or mash ginger, garlic and green chilli using mortar and pestle or in a mixer and set aside. In a nonstick pan, take 1/3 cup of quinoa ( no need to wash quinoa ) and dry roast for a minute , until it is hot to touch and you get a nice aroma. Do not over roast , as it would get burnt.

3. Now add 1.25 cups of water and allow it to boil.

4. Now reduce the flame to sim and cover the pan with lid. It takes about 20 minutes to cook. Once it is cooked, turn off the flame. As you can see, quinoa fluffs up and increased in size.

5. Now in a pan, add some oil. Add the items mentioned in the "MASALA" section.

6. Now add onions and fry till they change color.

7. Now add the mashed ginger, garlic and green chilli paste.

8. Now add chopped coriander and mint leaves and fry for a minute.

9. Now add chopped tomato. Add required salt , turmeric, red chilli powder and pepper powder . Mix well and cook till tomato get soft .No need to add water as tomatoes itself will let out some water. If you feel the mix is very dry, you can sprinkle some water.

10. Now add cooked quinoa to the above paste and mix gently.

11. Serve with any favorite curry of your choice.

Tomato pulao , tofu, bitter gourd curry and yogurt .

Masala Tea /Chai

Masala Tea is loved by everyone. It is ideal to drink in the afternoon during winter. Tea usually boost up your mood and you feel lot more happier and better after drinking tea. In that way, tea is much better than coffee . Here is recipe to make a delicious masala tea !

Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Serves: 1 person
1 cup - 240 ml

INGREDIENTS:

Milk -  1/2 cup
Water - 1/2 cup
Sugar - 1 teaspoon
Cinnamon stick - 1 inch sized
cloves - 2 no.s
Cardamom - 2 no.s
Ginger -1 inch size chopped finely.
Tea packets - 2 nos ( I used Lipton tea bags)

METHOD:

1. Cut ginger in to small pieces. Prepare the masala ingredients and set ready.

2. Crush the ginger, cinnamon,cardamom and clove using a mortar and pestle. In a pan, take 1/2 cup of water. Cut the tea bags, and pour the tea powder in to the water. Also , add the crushed masala in to that.

3. Allow the contents to boil for 3 to 4 minutes.

4. Now add 1/2 cup of milk. Allow to boil for another 4 to 5 minutes, till the contents rise up. Now turn the flame to sim and wait for a minute and then switch off the stove.

5. Now filter the tea . When you filter, press the contents with the back of the spoon, so you squeeze out all the tea from the tea powder.

6. Now add sugar and mix well. Masala tea is ready !.. Have it with biscuits or any snacks !.

SEE ALSO: Spicy maida biscuits, Veg samosa, Butter murukku