MEAL IN A BOWL

Here is a recipe for a veg noodle soup which can be most satisfying.

You will need...

For the stock:

1 tbsp oil
1 inch ginger sliced
3-4 cloves of garlic crushed
1 carrot chopped
a few stalks of celery
a few mushrooms
sliced half a head of Chinese cabbage
3 spring onions sliced
4 cups of water

For the soup:

A hand full of cooked noodles
1 carrot cut into match sticks
half head Chinese cabbage
shredded small bunch celery
1 cup mixed mushrooms (button, oyster, shitake) soaked and sliced
soy sauce / fresh chilli slivers or sesame oil to taste

Method:

To make the stock, heat the oil, put in garlic and ginger and then all the veggies.
Saute, then add the water and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat and let the stock simmer away for a couple of hours.
When cool, strain and keep aside the stock.

To assemble the soup, bring the stock to a boil and put in the prepared veggies.
Cook till just done.
You could add some slices of tofu as well.
Add salt to taste and also some soy sauce.
To serve, place a pile of noodles in soup bowls and pour over the soup.
Add a drizzle of sesame oil and chillies at the table to perk up your soup.

A noodle soup satisfies and nourishes in more ways than one!!

WHAT'S ON TODAY's MENU # 3

Palak Paneer is a delicious, hearty North Indian dish prepared with spinach and Indian cheese.Its one of my favorites and i'm sure you would like it too. This is a very popular dish served in every Indian restaurant. The creamy texture of spinach with paneer is a very good combination.

Palak paneer ingredients:

• Spinach - 1 bunch
• Paneer - 200 gms ,cut into 1 inch cubes
• Tomato medium size -1 (puree)
• Onion small - 1 finely chopped
• Green chillies - 5
• Ginger garlic paste - ½ tsp
• Coriander powder - 1 tsp
• Cashew nuts - 15
• Salt - to taste
• Sugar - ¼ tsp
• Red chilli pwd - 1/2 tsp
• Garam Masala -1/2 tsp
• Kasuri Methi -1/4 tsp
• Malai - 1 tbsp

Method:-

Clean and wash the spinach. Cut the green chillies into 2 or 3 pieces. Take a pan and heat with 1 tsp oil. Add green chillies and washed spinach . Sauté till the leaves are wilted. Then switch off the stove. Leave it to cool for 5 mins. After 5 mins grind spinach and Green chillies to a fine paste. Now take a pan and heat with 1 tsp of ghee /Butter. Add Cumin seeds.After it starts to pop add chopped onions. Fry till transulent. Then add ginger garlic paste and coriander powder ,red chilli powder. Sauté till the raw smell disappears. Add spinach paste, tomato puree, a pinch of turmeric powder and cashew nut powder (if using). Add salt and adjust to taste.Add Sugar. Combine well and add little amount of water. Do not add too much of water. If you add too much of water then it spread like flooding river. Cook on medium heat for about 10mins or until flavors combines well. Just before switch off the stove add fried and soaked paneer cubes. Add malai, garam masala pwd and kasuri methi and mix well. Reduce flame, cover and cook for 2 mts. Now palak paneer is ready. Serve hot with roti, paratha or naan.

Tomato puree:

Boil tomato in hot water and peel the skin. Now mash or grind the tomatoes in mixer grinder without adding any water. Cashewnut powder: Dry roast and make a fine powder. Paneer cubes: Sauté paneer cubes in 1 tsp of ghee or deep fry till they are golden brown and soak in warm water with pinch of salt for 10 mins.

MTR and Ashirvadh have given us ready-to-eat dishes and its become so easily available these days but still home made food is always the best :)) so try this urself and let me know your comments!

WHAT'S ON TODAY's MENU # 1

RECIPE : VEGETABLE CHILLI

From “The New Basics Cookbook” by Julee Rosso and Sheila LukinsHave a pot of chili ready when everyone comes over to watch the Super Bowl. This vegetable chili is just as gutsy as any made with meat. Everyone will love it!

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 cup olive oil2 zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch dice2 onions, cut into 1/2-inch dice4 cloves garlic, finely chopped2 large red bell peppers, cored and cut into 1/4-inch dice1 can (35 ounces) Italian plum tomatoes, with their juice1 1/2 pounds ripe plum tomatoes, cut into 1-inch dice2 tablespoons good-quality chili powder1 tablespoon ground cumin1 tablespoon dried basil1 tablespoon dried oregano2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper1 teaspoon salt1 teaspoon fennel seeds1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley1 cup canned dark red kidney beans, drained1 cup canned chick-peas (garbanzos), drained1/2 cup chopped fresh dill2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice1 cup sour cream2 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese4 scallions (green onions), white bulb and 3 inches green, sliced on the diagonal

METHOD:

1.Heat 1/2 cup of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the zucchini, and sauté until just tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the zucchini to a large flameproof casserole or dutch oven.

2.Heat the remaining 1/4 cup oil in the skillet over low heat. Add the onions, garlic, and bell peppers. Sauté until just wilted, about 10 minutes. Transfer the mixture to the casserole, along with the oil remaining in the skillet.

3.Place the casserole over low heat. Add the canned tomatoes and their juice, the fresh tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, basil, oregano, pepper, salt, fennel seeds, and parsley. Cook, uncovered, stirring often, for 30 minutes.

4.Stir in the kidney beans, chick-peas, dill and lemon juice; cook for another 15 minutes. Stir well, and adjust the seasonings to taste. Serve with bowls of sour cream, grated cheese, and sliced scallions alongside.

MEALS THAT HEAL.......!

SOUP SO SPECIAL....

Hello people...i am here with another recipe today and i'm sure this is going to be something that you wouldn't hav tried before! It is called the "PEARS AND CELERIAC SOUP"

Read more to know what and how it is made!

INGREDIENTS:

• Celeriac, peeled and chopped - 400 gm
• onion chopped - 50gm
• garlic - 30gm
• olive oil - 15ml
• ripe pears, thinly sliced - 2
• bay leaf - 5gm
• salt and pepper to taste
• cream - 50 gm
• chives - 50gm

METHOD:

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over moderate heat. Fry the onion and garlic until they turn translucent. Add the celeriac to the pan and cook for further five mins stirring occasionally.

Add some vegetable stock, pear slices and bay leaves and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15-20 minutes. Remove the bay leaves and blend the soup in a food processor. Return it to the pan and heat it gently. Season and stir in a little cream to taste. Sprinkle chopped chives and serve!

MORE ON CELERIAC:

Well, most of you would not have heard this veggie called celeriac. Or rather, i actually didn't know that there was something like this until i googled about it. So i though it wud be an informative post along with the recipe :)

Celeriac is a vegetable that is a member of the celery family, however only its root is used for cooking purposes. Also known as celery root, knob celery, and turnip rooted celery, it tastes similar to a blend of celery and parsely.

It has a tough furrowed outer surface, usually sliced off before use as it is too rough to peel. It is often used as a flavouring in soups and stews and can also be used in baked dishes.

Celeriac contains no cholestral or fat and provides an excellent source of dietery fibre. Because of its taste and consistency, it is a flavourful addition to low calorie meals.

So pals, hope this post was really informative and interesting!

CHEERS!

PINEAPPLE, ANYONE?

It may look intimidating but once you get past its prickly exterior, you'll be hooked!

The words nana and anana both mean "excellent fruit" in the language of the tupi indians of Brazil, where the pineapple originated. And sir Walter Raleigh called it the "Princess of fruits" but when sailors returning to Europe managed to grow pineapples and presented one to Charles V , "he refused it with characteristic hesitency to touch it".

Well it does look like an intimidating creature, and peeling and cutting one is so daunting that i rarely do.

This post is about a small easy recipe with the princess of fruits as its main ingredient..check it out :)

PINEAPPLE CHILLI SALSA

(make about two cups)

• 2 cups pineapple, peeled cored and coarsely chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh pineapple juice
• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1 tbsp gur or sugar dissolved in a spoon of water
• 3 spring onions finely chopped
• 2 green chillies chopped
• 2 tsp chopped fresh corriander
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves

Toss all these ingredients together in a bowl and let stand, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes to blend flavours. Salsa can be made a day ahead and chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature before serving.

yummy......isnt it? :)