Soyabean Soup

Soyabean, as we all know, is a store house of healthy nutrients. Hence the soup made from it is very healthy and tasty too.

Let us start cooking!!!

Ingredients:
Soya beans: 1 cup soaked overnight
Tomato: 1 large finely chopped
Onion: 1 medium finely chopped (Optional)
Garlic: 1 clove minced (Optional)
Black pepper powder: ½ tsp
Cumin seeds: 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Ghee: 1 tsp

Method:
1. Pressure-cook the soaked soya beans for about 15 to 20 min with sufficient amount of water.

2. Meanwhile in a kadhai add ghee. When it becomes slightly hot add cumin seeds and fry for a few seconds.
3. Now fry the garlic till the raw smell goes off.
4. Fry onions till they become translucent.

5. Add the tomatoes and fry for a few minutes. Add salt and pepper also.

6. When the pressure releases from the cooker add the soya beans to the gravy just prepared.
7. Let it cook for 2-3 minutes.

8. Let it cool and then grind it into a smooth paste. Strain it (not necessary).

9. Add water as per the consistency you desire.

10. Garnish with cream and coriander  and serve hot.

Tips:
1. The beans need to be soaked for at least 6-8 hours.
2. While boiling the soyabeans you can add a carrot also.

See you soon with a new recipe till then Happy Cooking!!!

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Ghee

Ghee is a basic ingredient used in Indian cooking. The taste and smell of this homemade ghee is just overwhelming. Just give it a try!!!

Let us start cooking!!!

Ingredients:
Malai (cream) collected from milk

Method:
1. You need to collect sufficient malai from milk. For doing so, boil milk, let it come at room temperature and then keep it in fridge. After 7-8 hours you'll find that the malai has come on the top and the milk at bottom. Take out this malai and store it in a container in the refrigerator. Do this everyday for about 8-10 days.

2. When you have collected enough malai take the container out from refrigerator and leave it at room temperature for 1-2 hours. Now transfer the malai to a big bowl.

3. Start stirring it continuously. Initially you will notice that it has changed into thick cream but later the buttermilk will start separating from the butter. Beat it very nicely until all buttermilk has separated from the butter.

4. Store the buttermilk in another container.
5. Take butter and give it wash with water 2-3 times and collect this water also with the buttermilk.
6. At this stage you are left with pure home made butter.

7. Now melt this butter in a kadhai and cook till the ghee separates from the solid.

8. Strain it with a muslin cloth in a clean air tight container.

9. Ghee is ready.

Tips:
1. Instead of separating butter and buttermilk you can directly heat the malai in a non stick pan to make ghee. This process requires a lot of time and you are left with a larger amount of solid.
2. The solid left in the process of making ghee can be used in other recipes like Indian sweets, cookies and  can be eaten like this only by adding a little sugar.
3. Do not store malai for more than 12-13 days as after making ghee the brown solid will not be fit for consumption.
4. The buttermilk left can be used to make kadhi.
5. Cook the ghee until the solid has changed its color to light brown.
6. Adding 2-3 cloves while making ghee can increase its shelf life.
7. Remember that if you have malai from cow's milk then the ghee's color would be yellowish and if from buffalo then it would be white.
8. Always keep the flame on low to medium low.

See you soon with a new recipe till then Happy Cooking!!!

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Chinese Idli

Whenever I make idlis I certainly do not miss this recipe. An ideal dish for the morning breakfast or snack. The flavor of sauces just transforms these simple idlis into a yummy dish.

Let us start cooking!!!

Ingredients:

Idlis: 7-8
Carrot: 1  peeled & thinly sliced
Green Capsicum: 1 de-seeded and thinly sliced
Cabbage: 2 tbsp thinly sliced
Onion: 1 thinly sliced
Spring Onion: 1 finely chopped
Green Chillies: 3-4 de-seeded, sliced from center and cut into inch long
Ginger: 1 cm grated
Garlic: 3-4 cloves grated
Black Pepper Powder: 1/2 tsp
Soya Sauce: 1/2 tsp
Tomato Sauce: 1 tbsp
Red Chili Sauce: 1/2 tbsp
White Vinegar: 1 tbsp
Corn Starch/ Corn Flour: 1-2 tsp
Oil: 2 1/2 tbsp (1 tbsp for shallow frying the idlis)
Curry leaves: 4-5
Coriander leaves: 1 tbsp finely chopped
Salt to taste

Method:
1. Chop the idlis into approx. 1 inch chunks.
2. Take oil in a pan and shallow fry the idlis till they change color to light brown. Keep it aside.
3. Heat the remaining oil in kadhai and fry the curry leaves and green chillies. Add ginger, garlic and saute till brown.
4. Add onion and spring onion and saute till translucent.
5. Now add carrot, capsicum and cabbage and saute till they get partially cooked.
6. Take a bowl and mix well soya sauce,tomato sauce,chilly sauce,vinegar, salt and cornflour.
7. Add this solution to the vegetables in the kadhai and mix.
8. Let it simmer for a few minutes.
9. Now add the fried idlis and mix well.
10. Garnish with coriander and serve hot.

Tips:
1. You can make fresh idlis or use the leftover ones.
2. You can make a choice of vegetables. You can use colored capsicums.
3. Use salt and chillies wisely.

See you soon with a new recipe till then Happy Cooking!!!

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Idli

Idlis just don’t need any introduction. It is a famous south Indian cuisine which is perfect to be eaten at any time of the day and as any type of meal.
I have changed the proportion of dal and rice many times and every time the result was good. But one thing I noticed that with the addition of fenugreek and poha the idlis turned out very soft. Give it a try and you’ll notice the difference.

Let us start cooking!!!

Ingredients:
Par-boiled rice (Ukda Rice): 2 cups
Basmati Rice: 1 cup
Poha (Flattened rice): ¼ cup
Urad Dal: 1 cup
Curd: ½ cup
Fenugreek seeds (Methi dana): ½ tsp
Salt as per taste

Method:
1. Wash and soak the dal and fenugreek seeds in enough water together for 5-6 hours.
2. Wash and soak both the rice and poha in enough water together for 5-6 hours.
3. After that drain the water from dal and reserve it.
4. Now grind this dal until light and fluffy by making very less use of the reserved water.
5. Similarly drain the rice and poha and grind into a smooth batter by using the reserved water if required.
6. Mix both the batter into a big container as the batter will ferment and rise.
7. Add salt and curd. Mix well.
8. Cover and keep aside the container for fermentation. It will take about 8-9 hours.
9. After fermentation the batter will rise. Gently mix but do not over-mix the batter.

10. Grease the idli mould with little oil.
11. Pour the batter in the moulds and steam the idlis in the steamer.

12. It will take about 11-12 minutes for the idlis to get ready.
13. Check with the help of a knife or tooth-pick.
14. Serve the idlis hot with coconut chutney and sambar.

Tips:
1. Do not overcook the idlis otherwise they’ll become dry.
2. You can take whole urad or split urad depending upon the availability.
3. I find this proportion perfect for my idlis and dosas.

See you soon with a new recipe till then Happy Cooking!!!

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Mashed Potatoes in white sauce

Bored of eating the same breakfast/snack. Then you must definitely try this recipe. I usually cook this one for breakfasts. My husband simply loves having it and I enjoy making it for him ;).

Let us start cooking!!!

Ingredients:

Potatoes: 2 medium - Boiled

Wheat Flour: 1 tbsp

Butter: 1 tbsp

Milk: 1 cup

Chilli flakes: 1 tsp

Oregano: 1 tsp

Tomato Ketchup: 1/2 tbsp (Optional)

Black pepper powder: 1/2 tsp

Salt as per taste

Method:

1. Peel the potatoes and mash them with a fork.

2. Take butter in a pan. Heat it and add flour to it. Fry it for a minute and add milk stirring continuously making sure no lumps are formed.

3. Cook it for 4-5 minutes or till it is of sauce consistency. Add salt, black pepper powder, chilli flakes, oregano and tomato ketchup. Mix it well.

4. Take a dish. Put the mashed potatoes on it and pour the sauce over it.

5. Enjoy this quick delicious recipe.

Tips:

1. There a number of variations to this recipe. For example select spices of your own, or add garlic and cheese.

2. If you do not want to add flour then simply add warm milk to butter and pour it on the potatoes.

3. I usually pour the sauce on the potatoes but you can mix well both the things for a perfect mashed up recipe.

See you soon with a new recipe till then Happy Cooking!!!

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Mixed Vegtables Parantha

This recipe always comes as a rescue when I am left with very less quantity of vegetables. The end result is yummy as always and of course healthy even and can be enjoyed with curd, chutney or ketchup.

Let us start cooking!!!

Yields: 3 paranthas

Ingredients:
For the filling:
Carrot: 2 tbsp grated
Cabbage: 2 tbsp grated
Capsicum: 1 tbsp finely chopped
Onion: 2 tbsp finely chopped
Salt as per taste
Chat Masala: 1 tsp
Green Chillies: 1 de-seeded and finely chopped
Garlic: 1 clove shredded
Ginger: 1 cm shredded

For the dough:
Wheat Flour: 1 cup
Water: Less than 1/2 cup
Oil: 1 tsp
Salt: 1/2 tsp

Ghee for making the paranthas

Method:
1. Prepare the dough by mixing well wheat flour, oil, salt and water. Make sure the dough is hard as we knead for puris. Keep this dough covered with a muslin cloth for 10-15 minutes
2. Combine all the vegetables, green chillies, garlic and ginger.
3. Keep salt and chat masala handy as we'll adding them while rolling the paranthas.
4. Divide the dough in 3 equal parts. Take one part and again divide it into 2 parts. Roll puri sized small rotis of the 2 parts.
5. Apply ghee on one part and spread the vegetable mixture. Sprinkle salt and chat masala over it. Cover it with another part and seal the edges by pressing edges of both the rotis.

6. With the help of dry flour roll this stuffed dough into a bigger size making sure that the roti layer does not stick to the rolling pin.
7. Heat tawa on high flame and apply some ghee on it. Now put the parantha onto the tawa and cook it for 1/2 minute on low flame. Then flip it and increase the flame and let it cook for another minute. Now apply ghee on both sides and cook till the color changes to light brown.
8. Similarly cook the other paranthas.
9. Serve hot!!!

Tips:
1. Do not add salt before preparing the paranthas as the vegetables will tend to lose water and you will find it difficult to make the paranths
2. Keep the dough tight enough as a tight dough absorbs water from the vegetables and helps in maintaining the parantha layer intact.

See you soon with a new recipe till then Happy Cooking!!!

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