Mix Veg Soup

Try this healthy mixed vegetables and tofu soup !

Preparation Time: Under 15 minutes
Cooking Time: Under 10 minutes
Serves -2-3 people

INGREDIENTS:

Baby corn - 9 no.s
Beans - 5 no.s
Carrot -1/2
Onion -1/4 cup chopped fine
Tofu - 50 gm(optional)
Water - 3 cups
Butter - 2 tablespoon
Oil - 2 teaspoon
Salt- as required
Black pepper powder -1 teaspoon
Garam masala -1/2 teaspoon
Cornflour -1 teaspoon

METHOD:

1. Cut baby corn,carrot and beans in to fine pieces.

2. In a 2 liter pressure cooker add 3 teaspoon of water and 2 teaspoon of oil . Above that add carrots,baby corn and beans . Cook in high flame for just 2 whistles. Immediately, switch off the stove and release pressure and take the veggies out. Cooking this way save time.

3. Now, cut onions in to fine pieces. In a pan, add some butter and add onions . Sprinkle some salt and sugar and fry till the onion change color.

4. Now add the cooked vegetables from step 2. If you do not prefer to pressure cook the vegetables, in this step you can add it raw and add 1/2 cup of water and cook the vegetables till they are soft. Add 3 cups of water ,salt,pepper powder and garam masala. Bring it to boil.

5. Now dissolve a teaspoon of corn flour in some water and add it to the soup and bring to boil again. Switch off the stove.

5. Now take about 50 gm of tofu. In a nonstick pan, add few drops of oil and fry the tofu. It is always better to roast the tofu whole. If you cut the tofu to pieces and then fry it, then it would crumble, as it is too soft. So always fry it whole , and after that cut them in to small pieces. You can follow the same method for home made paneer also, as they are too soft and cutting them prior to frying, would crumble them.

6. Before serving, heat the soup briefly for few seconds and then add few pieces of fried tofu and serve. Your mix veg soup is ready !!

SEE ALSO: Broccoli Soup, Rasam, Green Pea Soup

Cabbage Paratha

Crunchy and tasty cabbage paratha !

Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time : 20 minutes
Serves: 2 people

INGREDIENTS:

Grated Cabbage - 2 cups
Wheat flour - 2 cups
Turmeric powder-1/4 teaspoon
Red chilli powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Garam masala -1/2 teaspoon
Salt - as required
Water - as required for kneading
Oil- 3 teaspoon

METHOD/:

1. Cut quarter cabbage and soak in warm water with salt for 5 to 7 minutes.

2. Now take from water and grate them in to fine pieces. It yields 2 cups.

3. Add cabbage,wheat flour,garam masala,turmeric powder,red chilli powder and some oil. Knead them to a smooth dough. You can sprinkle water as required when kneading. Do not add more water, as the cabbage would let out lot of water.

4. In a plastic cover, apply some oil. Take a lemon sized ball of dough and flatten them to a round shape using your hands. Alternatively, you can also roll them flat using roller pin,  as like you do for normal chapatti.

5. Heat tawa, and cook paratha on both sides by applying some oil. Cabbage paratha is ready ! . Serve with any side dish of your choice!

SEE ALSO: Avocado Paratha, Pesrattu Dosai, Radish Paratha.

Broccoli Soup

This is a very easy and healthy broccoli soup. It is made with broccoli ,onion and some milk . Broccoli is rich in iron,calcium and vitamins. Broccoli aids in treating cancer, strengthens immune systems, helps to maintain glowing skin and heart healthy.

Preparation Time: Under 15 minutes
Cooking Time: Under 15 minutes
Serves -2 people

INGREDIENTS:
Broccoli - 1 no.(When chopped, yields 2.25 cups of florets)
Onion -1/2 cup chopped
Skim milk -1/2 cup
Black pepper powder -1 teaspoon
Butter - 2 tablespoon
Water - 1.5 cups
Maida/All purpose flour - 1 tablespoon
Salt - As required

METHOD:

1. Cut broccoli into small florets. Chop onions finely. In a pan, add butter. Once it melts, add onion and broccoli. Also add salt and black pepper powder. Saute for 3 to 4 minutes  in medium flame, till the onions turns transparent. Do not burn or saute for too long as it would change the texture of broccoli and would affect the taste.

2. Now add 1 tablespoon of maida/all purpose flour and mix well and stir for one minute.

3. Now add 1.5 cups of water. Bring to boil for about 5 to 6 minutes.

4. Once it boils , now add 1/2 cup milk. mix gently for 1/2 minute and switch off the stove.After adding milk, do not heat for too long .

5. Now filter the liquid out form broccoli using a metal strainer.Do not throw the liquid, You need it again to mix with the soup.

6. Allow the broccoli to cool down and blend them in to a smooth paste. Before blending them to paste, take few florets and keep aside. You can use it in the end for garnishing.

7. Now mix the puree with the filtered water from step 5 and heat them all briefly for 1 minute and garnish with broccoli florets and serve !.

SEE ALSO: Green Pea Soup, Pumpkin Soup. 

Veg Noodles

Restaurant style veg noodles recipe !

Preparation Time: Under 15 minutes
Cooking Time: Under 15 minutes
Serves -2 people

INGREDIENTS:
Noodles - 200 gms
Carrot -1/3 cup
Beans - 1/3 cup
Cabbage - 1 cup
Onion - 1/2 cup
Fresh red or green chilli - 1 no.
Ginger - 1/2 inch size
Garlic -3 pods
Spring onion - a handful chopped
Salt- as required
Sugar-1/2 teaspoon
Soy sauce -3 teaspoon
Black pepper powder -1 teaspoon
Corn flour -1 teaspoon
Oil -2 to 3 tablespoon

METHOD:

1. Cut carrots ,cabbage,chilli  thin lengthwise. Chop beans,onions,garlic,ginger,spring onion finely.

2. Boil water with some salt in a big pan. Add the noodles and allow to boil and cook for 5 to 6 minutes.

3. Check if noodles are cooked. Do not overcook, the noodles would get mushy, Filter the water out. Wash the noodles in cold running water and filter it. Now add 1 teaspoon of oil and mix well. This will help the noodles not stick with each other.

4. In a pan, add 2 tablespoon of oil. Keep the flame in high.  Now add chilli. Also add onion,garlic and ginger and stir for 1 to 2 minutes .

5. Continue keeping the flame high. Now add the carrot,beans and cabbage and stir for 2 to 3 minutes. The flame should be high, and keep stirring without leaving so that it doesn't get burnt. Add some salt and sugar. Do not cook the vegetables for too long . The vegetables should be crunchier for better taste.

6. Now reduce flame to medium, add boiled noodles, soy sauce, cornflour and pepper powder and mix well for 2 minutes. Cornflour absorb excess water from the noodles.

7. Now garnish with spring onions .

8.Veg noodles is ready ! Serve hot with tomato ketchup !.

SEE ALSO: Semiya upma, Rava Kichadi, White sauce pasta 

Pasta in creamy veg sauce

This is my son's most favorite pasta recipe . Pasta/macaroni are wheat based noodle like food, that are cooked in hot water and mixed with any sauce of your choice. You can make your own sauce or buy outside. Usually tomato sauce,pesto sauce are most widely used . This creamy veg sauce is made of carrots,potatoes,onions and garlic which is pureed to a smooth paste with some other ingredients as well. This dish will be most filling and very healthy. Good for lunch box packing too !.

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

INGREDIENTS:

Elbow macaroni/pasta - 2 cups
Carrot - 1 medium sized
Potato - 1 medium sized
Onions - 1 cup chopped
Garlic - 2 to 3 pods
Red chilli powder -1/2 teaspoon
Paprika or kashmiri chilli powder -1/2 teaspoon
Milk - 1/4 cup
Cashews - 1/4 cup
Butter - 2 inch sized block
Pepper powder - 1 teaspoon
Salt - as required
Italian seasoning(optional) - 1/2 teaspoon
Dry basil leaves(Optional) -1/2 teaspooon
Water - as required for boiling pasta.

METHOD:

1. In a pan, add sufficient water and some salt. Allow it to boil well. Now add elbow macaroni or pasta and cook for 10-12 minutes. Filter the water out and keep aside the macaronis.

2. Now cut carrots,potatoes in medium size. Need not cut it too thin, as we are anyway going to to blend them. Take diced carrots,potatoes and onions in another pan. Add about 2 cups of water and boil them for 6 to 7 minutes, till they are soft. Filter the water. Do not throw the water away. We need the water when we blend the contents.

3. In the meantime, in 1/4 cup of milk,  soak 1/4 cup of cashews.

4. In a mixer, add the boiled vegetables,milk and cashews,butter,salt and paprika powder.  Now in a small pan, add some oil and fry chopped garlic till they change color. Now switch off the stove and add some red chilli powder in the oil and mix . Please be careful, red chilli powder get burnt very easily. So add it after you switch off the stove. Now immediately pour the garlic and chili powder mix in the mixer.

5. Blend them all in to a smooth paste. You can add the filtered water from boiled veggies in step 2 .

6. Pour the sauce over cooked pasta. Sprinkle pepper powder,Italian seasoning and dry basil leaves and mix well. Serve hot !. For kids, you can add some shredded cheese on the top for more taste !.

SEE ALSO MY OTHER PASTA RECIPES:  One pot milk pasta, White sauce pasta, Quick pasta 

Sweet Kozhukattai/Modak

Kozhukattai/Modak is southindian sweet dumpling made of rice flour with coconut,jaggery fillings inside . It is usually made on vinayagar chaturthi occasion. I made a very simple sweet kozhukattai using grated coconut,grated jaggery and fried gram.

Preparation Time: Under 15 minutes
Cooking Time: Under 20 minutes
Yields : 13 no.s of modak.

INGREDIENTS:

OUTER LAYER:
Rice flour - 1 cup
Water - 1.25 cups to 1.5 cup
Salt - as required
Oil - 2 teaspoon

INSIDE FILLING:
Fried gram /pottu kadalai - 1/4 cup
Grated jaggery - 1/4 cup
Grated coconut powder - 1/4 cup
Water -2 teaspoon
Cardamom powder - 1/2 teaspoon

METHOD:

1. Take fried gram,grated jaggery and grated coconut powder( I used dessicated coconut powder, as we dont get fresh coconuts here. Fresh grated coconuts are mostly preferred.)

2. Grind them all in to a smooth powder. Now add 2 teaspoon of water and grind again. It would be little semi dry in texture. If you are using fresh grated coconut, you dont need to add any water , as coconut it self would let out some water when grinded. I used desiccated coconut powder. Hence I added 2 teaspoon of water. Also add cardamom powder and mix well. Filling for modak is ready !

3. Now take 1 cup of rice flour. Add required salt and 2 teaspoon of oil and mix well. Boil 1.5 cups of water in a pan.

4. Pour the hot water on the flour and mix using back of any metal spoon. Do not add all water at a stretch as it would turn the flour too soft. Add little by little and mix well. The dough should not be too soft and should not be too dry.

5. Now the dough will be too hot to touch. Cover it with wet cloth and keep aside for 5 to 10 minutes, till it is warm enough to touch. Now apply some oil on your hands and make lemon sized balls.

6. Take one ball and flatten them on your palm as shown below.

7. Now place 1 to 2 teaspoon of sweet filling (which you prepared in step 2) inside and cover the sides and close it either in half moon shaped or in the shape of a coconut.

8. In the meantime, heat water in the idly cooker. Place the kozhukattai in idly plate inside the cooker and steam for 10 minutes.

9. Tasty kozhukattais are ready  !

SEE ALSO: Sweet ammini kozhukattai, Suzhiyan, Kuzhi appam