Soups

Soups(Appetizes Stomach)

Tomato Soup

Ingredients:

500 gms. tomatoes ripe
2 tbsp. sugar
2 1/2 cups water
1 bayleaf
1/4 tsp. cinnamon-clove powder
1/4 tsp. red chilli powder
1/4 tsp. cumin powder
1 tsp. butter
1/2 tbsp. plain flour
1 clove garlic

Method:

#Pressure cook the tomatoes (about 2 whistles suffice).
#Blend till smooth. Strain to remove seeds and peels.
#Heat butter in a pan, add the bayleaf, garlic (whole) and fry for a few seconds.
#Add tomato puree. Stir. Dissolve the flour in a little water till smooth.
#Add the flour paste, stirring continuously, bring to a boil.
#Add the seasoning, salt and sugar.
#Simmer for 5-7 minutes.
#Serve hot with bread croutons, a swirl of fresh cream, and pepper.

Making time: 15 minutes (excluding time for cooling cooker) Makes for : 4 Shelf life: Fresh piping hot

French Onion Soup


Ingredients:

2 onions thinly sliced into rings
4 slices wholwheat or herb bread
1 cup grated processed cheese
1 flake garlic
1 tbsp. butter
1 stalk spring onion greens finely chopped
4 cups vegetable stock or water
salt and pepper to taste

Method:
1.Butter bread slices lightly with half butter.
2.Dry them in warm oven for 5 minutes.
3.Heat remaining butter in large pan.
4.Add onions, stirfry till golden and transparent,but not browned.
5.Add crushed garlic flake, stock, and bring to a boil.
6.Simmer for 20 minutes, or till onions are very soft.
7.Add salt and pepper to taste.
8.10 minutes before serving:
9.Place 4 slices bread in 4 individual oven or microproof soup bowls.
10.Sprinkle half cheese over slices.
11.Place in hot oven for 3-4 minutes.
12.Pour boiled stock in all four bowls.
13.The slices will rise to the top.
14.Sprinkle remaining cheese, chopped spring onions.
15.Place under a hot grill in oven till cheese melts completely.
16.Serve hot, with garlic buns or soup sticks.

Making time: 30 minutes
Makes: 4 servings
Shelflife: Best fresh


Sweet Corn Veg Soup



Ingredients:

1 cup tender corn kernels or
1 cup sweet corn cream style canned
1 carrot finely chopped
1 tbsp. cabbage chopped
1 spring onion finely chopped
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. green chilli sauce
1/2 tsp. soya sauce
1 tbsp. corn flour
4 cups water

Method:

1.If you are using fresh corn, then pressure cook till tender.
2.Take the corn in a deep pan. Mix the corn flour in 1/2 cup water.
3.Add water, salt, sugar, vegetables and chilli sauce.
4.Mix well and put to boil. Once boiling, add corn flour paste and stir continuously.
5.Keep stirring till the soup is thick and clear.
6.Stir in the soya sauce and take off fire.
7.Serve steaming hot with garlic rolls and more chilli sauce or chillies in vinegar.

Making time: 15 minutes (excluding pressure cooking time)
Makes: 4 bowls

Mixed vegetables Soup

Ingredients:

1 small carrot
1 florrette cauliflower
1/2 capsicum
2-3 french beans
1 onion
1 small piece cabbage
1/2 tsp soya sauce
1/2 tsp each grated ginger and garlic
1/4 tsp crushed red chilli
salt to taste
1/2 tsp sugar
2 tsp cornflour
1 blob butter
2 cups water

Method:

#Chop all the six vegetables either in a chopper or very fine by hand.
#Heat butter in a pan.
#Add ginger, garlic and vegetables.
#Stir fry the vegetables till they look bright and done.
#Add water and bring to boil
#Mix cornflour in 1/2 cup cold water and add to the soup, stirring simultaneously.
#Bring to boil again. Add chilli, sauce and sugar and boil till thick and transparent.
#Serve hot.

Hot carrot Soup

Ingredients:

2 red carrots
1 medium piece bottle gourd
1 small onion
1 small tomato
1 small potato
1/2 tsp sugar
salt, pepper to taste
1-2 tbsp. whipped cream
1 tsp chopped basil or coriander

Method:

1.Clean, peel and chop vegetables into large chunks.
2.Pressure cook till soft.
3.Cool, blend in mixie and strain.
4.Add seasoning except chopped coriander and cream.
5.If desired, serve chilled with soup sticks.
6.Or Serve piping hot with hot garlic rolls.
7.In either case add a swirl of cream and some chopped coriander on top in each bowl.

Making time:20 minutes
Makes:4 servings
Shelflife: Best fresh


Carrot Soup

Ingredients:

2 med. carrots chopped
1 small onion chopped
1 small potato chopped
1 clove garlic crushed
2 tbsp. orange juice
1 tbsp. tomato puree
1 tbsp. fresh parsley chopped
1 cup skim milk
2 cups water
salt to taste
1 tsp. curry powder
1/2 tsp. butter

Method:
1.Cook vegetables in the water.
2.Simmer covered till tender.
3.Add orange juice, curry powder, tomato puree,skim milk and salt to taste.
4.Cool to room temperature. Blend till smooth.
5.Add parsley and heat without bringing to boil.

Making time: 20 minutes (excluding cooling time)
Makes for : 4
Shelf life: Fresh piping hot

Ginger Soup

Ingredients:

1 1/4 litre vegetable stock or water
1/2 cup cabbage very finely chopped
1/2 cup carrot very finely chopped
1 spring onion with greens, very finely chopped
1 tbsp. fresh ginger very finely chopped
1 clove garlic very finely chopped
1 tbsp. fresh lemongrass shoots very finely chopped
1 green chilli very finely chopped
1 tsp. soya sauce
1 tsp. brown vinegar
1 tbsp. cornflour
salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp. oil

Method:


1. Dissolve cornflour in 1 cup cooled stock, keep aside.
2. Heat oil in a saucepan, add ginger, chilli, garlic, lemongrass.
3. Add all chopped veggies, stir fry for 2 minutes on high flame.
4. Add hot stock or water, bring back to a boil.
5. Add dissolved cornflour, sauce, vinegar, salt and pepper to taste.
6. Serve hot and fresh with light garlic buttered rolls or breads.

Making time: 20 minutes
Makes: 5 servings
Shelflife: Best piping hot and fresh

Curried Carrot Soup


Ingredients:

2 med. carrots chopped
1 small onion chopped
1 small potato chopped
2 cups water
1 clove garlic crushed
2 tbsp. orange juice
1/2 tsp. curry powder
1 tbsp. thick tomato puree
1 cup skim milk
1 tbsp. spring onion greens finely chopped
1/2 tsp. butter
salt to taste

Method:

1.Cook vegetables(onion,potato, carrots, garlic) in water. Simmer covered till tender.
2.Add orange juice, curry powder, tomato puree and skim milk.
3.Blend till smooth.
4.Heat butter and stirfry spring onions for two minutes.
5.Add blended soup, and heat without bringing to a boil.
6.Serve hot with croutons or soup sticks.

Making time: 20 minutes Makes for: 4 Shelflife: Fresh, hot

Spinach Soup

Ingredients:

2 cups shredded spinach (1 bunch)
2 tbsp. grated bottle gourd or white pumpkin
1 tsp. fresh cream (optional)
salt to taste
pepper to taste
1 small blob butter
2 cup water

Method:

1.Wash spinach well. Put in a large vessel.
2. Sprinkle 2-3 pinches salt and add gourd.
3.Boil covered, on high, till soft. (3-4 minutes after boiling)
4. Take of fire and put in colander.
5. Pour cold water over it.
6. Blend in a mixie till smooth.
7. Add water, mix and take in a deep pan.
8. Add all other ingredients, except cream.
9. Bring to a boil. Serve piping hot.
10.Beat cream and pour a swirl of it over individual bowls.
11.Serve with warm garlic rolls or soup sticks.

Making time: 25 minutes
Makes: 2 servings
Shelflife: Best fresh
For freezing, freeze after blending, defrost as required and complete remaining procedure.

Moong Soup

Ingredients:
1/4 cup Moong (green gram , whole)
salt, pepper to taste
lime juice to taste
1/4 tsp cummin seeds 1 blob butter or ghee
2 cups water
Pinch asafoetida
Big pinch tummeric

Method:

#Pressure cook washed gram till very soft.
#Keep aside 1 tbsp. boil gram whole
#Blend the rest, after cooling
#In a pan, heat butter
#Add cummin seeds. When they splutter add the asafoetida and moong soup.
#Add salt, tummeric, lime and pepper.
#Boil 5-7 minutes. Add whole moong kept aside.
#Boil till thick enough for soup. Serve hot.


Onion Potato Soup

Ingredients:

1 large onion
1 small sprig spring onion
1 medium potato
1/2 piece ginger
1 florette garlic
1 blob butter
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp sugar

Method:

#the spring onion finely and keep aside.
#h both garlic and ginger.
#Chop the potato and onion into large chunks. Pressure cook till soft.
#Blend in a mixie till smooth. Sieve
#In a pan heat the butter.
#Add the ginger and garlic and fry till light brown.
#Add the chopped spring onion and stock (prepared above).
#Add salt, pepper and chilli sauce as desired.
#Serve steaming hot with soup sticks.

Beverages / Indian Drinks

Basundi

Ingredients:
1 litre full fat milk
1/2 cup sugar
3 pods cardamom
5 almonds blanched
3 pistachios skinned
10-15 threads saffron

Method:
1.Soak saffron in 2 tsp. hot milk, keep aside.
2.Chop finely or crush coarsely, the almonds and pistachios.
3.Peel and powder cardamom seeds with a mallet.
4.Add to chopped dryfruit.
5.Run saffron with base of a mallet, in cup, till dissolved in milk.
6.Put milk to boil in a large deep pan, stirring occasionally.
7.When it starts boiling, reduce heat and boil.
8.Stir frequently, till milk is 2/3 in volume.
9.Add all other ingredients to boiling milk.
10.Boil further for 3-4 minutes.
11.Take off fire. Cool a little.
12.Pour into a large decorative serving bowl.
13.Allow to cool completely, chill in refrigerator for 4-5 hours.
14.To avoid a layer forming on the surface, stir frequently while cooling.
15.Serve chilled in individual cups with rose petal to decorate on top, if desired.

Making time: 25 miinutes
Chilling time: 4 hoursM
akes: 4 servings
Shelflife: 2 days refrigerat

Beverages / Indian Drinks Exclusively TEA

Indian Masala Chai

Ingredients:
1-1/4 cup milk previously boiled
3/4 cup water2-1/4 tsp.
sugar1-1/2 tsp.
CTC tea1/4 tsp.
chai masala powder1 cardamom smashed freshly

Method:
1.Heat water.
2.Add tea leaves, simmer for 2-3 minutes till water is dark brown.
3.Add cardamom, chai masala, sugar, and boil for 1 more minute.
4.Add milk, bring to a boil again. Simmer till colour is as per your taste.
5.Take off fire, cover, and stand for 1 minute. Strain with a tea strainer.
6.Pour into teacups, serve piping hot with biscuits.
7.Biscuits like glucose, graham, marie, etc. can be dipped in this tea and eaten with relish.

Making time: 6-7 minutesMakes: 2 teacups medium

Ginger Tea

Ingredients:

1 cup water
1 cup milk
1/2 inch ginger
crushed2 pinches cardamom2
tsp. sugar1-1/2 tsp.
CTC tea leaves

Method:
1.Bring water to boil.
2.Add ginger, cardamom, tea and simmer for a minute.
3.Add milk, sugar and boil till desired colour is obtained.
4.Cover and stand for a minute
.5.Strain into cups while piping hot.6.Serve hot with sweet biscuits, pastries, or even doughnuts.

Making time: 5 minutesMakes: 2 cups

Ajwain Ki Chai

Ingredients:
1 water1 cup
milk1-1/2 tsp.
CTC tea leaves2 tsp.
sugar1/4 tsp.
ajwain or omum seeds
1 pinch cinnamon powder

Method:

1.Heat water, add seeds, tea, cinnamon.
2.Simmer for 1 minute.
3.Add sugar, milk, stir.
4.Allow to boil, and simmer till colour is as desired.
5.Stand cover for 1 minutes, to brew.
6.Strain and serve piping hot.
7.Serve hot with biscuits, khakra (refer recipe index), etc.

Making time: 5 minutesMakes: 2 cups

Iced Tea

Ingredients:
1 cup water1 tsp.
CTC tea leaves1/2 tsp.
orange pekoe tea leavessugar as per taste
1 cardamom crushed
1 round slice lemon with peel

Method:
1.Bring water to boil.
2.Add both leaves, sugar and cardamom.
3.Cover and stand for 5-7 minutes.
4.Stir well, strain liquid, cool.
5.Add 4-5 cubes crushed ice in glass.
6.Beat cooled decoction with electric beater.
7.Pour over crushed ice, add lemon slice.
8.Serve chilled.

aking time: 15 minutes (excluding cooling time)
Makes: 1 glass iced tea.

Sulemani Chai (tea)

Ingredients:
1 water
1/2 tsp.
tea dust
1 thin round slice lemon (with peel)
1 tsp. sugar

Method:
1.Bring water to boil, add dust.
2.Cover, and stand to brew for 3-4 minutes.
3.Put sugar in teacup.
4.Strain tea with thin muslin cloth.
5.Pour into cup, add lemon slice.
6.Stir and serve hot with fried snacks, biscuits, etc.

Making time: 5-7 minutes
Makes: 1 cup

Indian Fish Curries

Fish Curry

Ingredients:

* 1 medium sized Catfish / Pomfret* 2-3 cloves of Garlic* 1" of Ginger* Handful of coriander leaves* 1 teaspoon of coriander grinded* 1/2 cup of coconut* 1 Tomato cut into slices* 1 1/2 Onions out of which cut the half onion finely.* 1/2 teaspoon tamarind pulp* 2 teaspoons Red chilli powder* Salt to taste* Oil

Method:

* First thaw the fish for about 5-7 minutes. Then wash the fish properly and then cut it into pieces of 1" each. * Add about 2 teaspoons of turmeric powder and little salt and then keep it a side to marinate for some time. * For the gravy take coconut, coriander, ground coriander seeds, ginger, garlic, tomatoes and one onion. Grind it finely. * Heat 1 -2 tablespoon of oil in a pan. To this add the finely cut onion and they fry it till it becomes pinkish in colour. * Then add little turmeric powder and red chilli powder. * To this add the gravy masala. The masala should be added slowly with little water every time we add. Keep on adding little water and then add the tamarind pulp to it. Then stir it constantly. * Add the fish pieces to it. Keep it on gas till it boils nicely and keep on stirring. * Garnish it with coriander and let it boil again for some time. Enjoy this with Steamed Rice..

Coriander Fish

Ingredients:

* Fish fillet 4 pcs* Fresh coriander plenty* Chillies * Salt, lemon & garlic paste* Oil 4 tblsp

Method:

* Apart from oil & fish blend all the other ingridents together. * Marinate the fish with lemon and salt for an hour or two. * Wash the fish after the marinating time. * Place fish on the baking sheet/ tray & brush some oil onto it. * Coat the blended mixture on the fish along with some more salt and lemon juice. Place the fish on the tray and enclose the foil keeping little bit open on the upper side and place it into the preheated oven at 200c. * Bake on the lower part of the oven for 15-20 mins and on the middle side till done. * When the fish is ready, coat it with the same mixture which might be thick by now, and place beneath the grill till a little bit of colur is acquired. Serve with chips or mashed potatoes

Crab Dish

Ingredients:

* 6 large crabs* 4 tbsp butter* 2 tbsp flour * 2 cups milk* 1/2 tsp pepper* 1/2 tsp tobasco* 1 cup grated cheese* 2 eggs* 1 capsicum or green chilli (de-seeded)* 2 tbsp tomato sauce* 1/2 tsp mustard powder* 1 tsp salt

Method:

* Clean crabs and chop the meat. * Melt butter in a pan, add flour, fry a little, then add hot milk, stir until thick and creamy, add the rest of the ingredients, leaving a little cheese aside. * Cool the mixture. * Beat eggs a little and add to the above mixture; pour all this in a greased baking dish, sprinkle with cheese and bake in a hot oven until set.


Tandoori Fish

Ingredients:
2 lbs of any mild white fish fillets; cut into 2" * 3" pieces.1/3 cup vinegar1 tbsp chopped fresh ginger4 garlic clovesSalt to taste1 tbsp ground coriander seeds1 tbsp ground cumin seeds1 tbsp ground cayenne pepper1/2 cup oil

Method:

# Make a paste of the vinegar, ginger, garlic, salt, coriander, cumin, cayenne pepper and oil in a blender.# Marinate the fish pieces in the paste for 4 hours in the refrigerator.# Turn the oven on to broil at the highest point.# Place the fish pieces on a baking tray and broil for about 10 minutes.# Turn over on the other side and broil for about 7 minutes again.# Broiling time may differ depending on the thickness of the fillets.

Spicy Grilled Fish

Ingredients:

4 oz fish, skinnedSalt & pepper to taste3/4 cup yogurt2 tsp garam Masala1 tsp ground coriander2 garlic cloves, crushed1/2 tsp chili powder1 tbsp lemon juiceLemon wedges for garnish

Method:

1. Rinse fish, pat dry with paper towels and place in a shallow non-metal dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.2. Mix together yogurt, coriander, chili powder, garlic, and lemon juice. Pour over fish. Cover and refrigerate 2 to 3 hours to allow fish to absorb flavors.3. Preheat broiler. Transfer fish to a broiler rack, cook for about 8 minutes, until fish just begins to flake, basting with cooking juices and turning over halfway through cooking.4. Serve hot, garnished with lemon wedges.Serves 4

Chapala Pulusu

Ingredients:

1 lb fish pieces1 tsp chili powder1 tsp turmeric2 tsp methi powder2 onions, chopped5 green chilies2 tsp ginger-garlic paste1/2 cup tamarind water5 tbsp oil1 small bunch Methi leaves, Spring onion leaves2 tomatoes, choppedSalt to taste

Method:

# Clean the fish pieces in salt water (to avoid smell)# Mix fish pieces with salt, chili powder, turmeric, methi powder, tamarind water and keep aside for 15-20 minutes.# Heat oil in a pan, add green chilies, onions, ginger-garlic paste, methi leaves, spring onion leaves and fry them for a little while.# Then add tomatoes and cook until they become mushy# After then, add fish pieces along with the gravy. Avoid stiring continuously because the pieces may break into tiny ones.# Cook until the gravy thickens.

Fish Fry

Fish Fry

Ingredients:
* Cat Fish 3 fillets* 1 Large Onion (cut into small pieces)* Ginger Garlic Paste* Coriander Leaves* Garam Masala* Lemon* Coconut Powder* Red Mirchi Powder* Dhania Powder* Turmeric Powder* Salt* Oil

Method:

* Cut Fish into 2 inches pieces and wash them well with vinegar and water. * Marinate the washed fish with ginger garlic paste, salt, mirchi powder, dhania Powder and add juice of 1 lemon, mix well and marinate and keep in fridge 24 hours or more.* Remove the marinated fish from fridge and squeeze out all the water with hand . Retain this water. * Keep a skillet on the stove and add oil into it to deep fry the fish. * After the oil is hot add the fish pieces one by one. Turn them over slowly and gently so that they are fried till brown.* Take another skillet and add oil. Add the onion pieces after few minutes add ginger garlic paste and fry them till light brown.* Add mirchi powder, garam masala, turmeric, coconut powder salt and fry for few more minutes. Now add the fried fish and mix slowly for 2 mins* Add lemon juice and coriander
Serve hot.