Wholesome Carrot Soup

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Carrots can be eaten in many ways.While eating raw carrots,care should be taken to wash them thoroughly.In India carrots are used in salads,gravies,rice items,dals,curries and desserts to juices.Soups were first introduced to Indians by the British.Now,everyone enjoys the taste of natural goodness of vegetables by having soups as an appetizer.Soup makes us feel light and nourishing.

Ingredients
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! Light Fresh Cream    3 tbsps.
! Carrots                        1 lb.
! Coriander Leaves      3 tbsps.
! Onion(small)              1
! Salt                              to taste
! Pepper Powder          2 tsps.
! Chicken Stock            1 ltr.
! Butter                         2 tsps.
! Vinegar                       2 tbsps.
! Sugar                          1 tsp.


Method
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• Wash and finely dice carrots.Finely chop onions and coriander leaves and keep aside.Take chicken stock in a pot and heat till it's hot.Set it aside.
• Preheat a deep pot and drop the butter and onions and sautee well till the onions are light pink.Now add the carrots and stir well  for 4 mins. till the rawness disappears.
• Add the hot chicken stock to it and simmer on low heat for 15 mins.Then remove and let cool.
• Now blend the cooked carrot mixture in a blender and pour the carrot puree back into the pot and place on a medium heat.Add vinegar,pepper powder,sugar and salt.
• Lower the heat and mix well.Cook for few minutes before turning off the heat.
• Pour in the fresh cream and sprinkle with coriander leaves.
• Serve hot Carrot Soup with crunchy crackers.

South Indian Style Vegetable Upma

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Vegetables are eaten in a variety of ways.They can be taken as a main course,snacking as salad or boiled veggies.They can be consumed raw and can be cooked in many different ways.In South India,upma is prepared for breafast with different ravva's.Indian's are known to enjoy a snack at different times of the day.Every region has it's unique & favorite "short eat".Today let's see the savoury,nutritious and easy to prepare South Indian style semolina with vegetables combined.

Ingredients

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! Ghee                          1 tbsp.

! Semolina                   2 cups

! Red Chillies               2

! Salt                             to taste

! Peanuts                     4 tsps.

! Split Black Gram      1tsp.

! Mustard Seeds         1 tsp.

! Potatoes(small)        2

! Carrot(large)            1                    

! Shelled Peas             1/2 cup

! Curry Leaves           8

! Green Chillies           4

! Coriander Leaves     2 tbsps.

! French Beans(long)  4

! Onion(medium)        1             

! Ginger                        1 tbsp.

Method

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• 
  
  Dry roast semolina in a skillet for 5 mins. till light golden and keep aside.
• 
  
  Wash and dice potatoes,carrots into small pieces.Wash beans,onion,corainder leaves separately and chop.Chop ginger and keep aside.Slit green chillies length wise.Wash and drain shelled peas.Set everything aside.
• Preheat the pan on medium heat.When the pan heats reduce the flame to low, drop the onions.Saute onions till transparent and drop chopped ginger and slit green chillies.Stir for a few minutes.
• Add all the chopped and diced vegetables.Cover and cook till all the vegetables are well sauteed.Pour in the water and add salt. ( Water should be double the quantity of semolina,here I used 4 cups of water.) Simmer and stir till the water begins to gently bubble.
• It's time for semolina to mix in.Add semolina slowly so as not to form any lumps.Give a constant stirring.Stir and cook for a few minutes.Remove from heat.
• In another small pan,add ghee and when the ghee is heated add peanuts and split black gram.Once they start turning golden in color,add mustard seeds,red chillies,curry leaves.Once the mustard seeds splatter,remove from flame.
• Pour the above seasoning over the semolina mixture and garnish with coriander leaves.Stir well once.
• Serve hot Vegetable Upma with chutney of your choice.

 

Honey Raisin Oats Cookie Crisp

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As the name says,all the three Honey,Raisins,Oats act as a good source of fiber and is low in sodium which helps support healthy blood pressure.It may reduce the risk of high blood pressure.Making easy recipes with smart choices is what makes us to be healthy and making our loved ones healthy.Especially when kids love cookies,even we adults can't resist from eating them.So why not make a healthy yet delicious cookies with the natural ingredients which we have on hand?I will be making for my elder one next week again as she went thru a procedure last week and not supposed to eat anything crunchy.My younger one is rocking with all the snacking.

Ingredients
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! Refined Flour              1 1/2 cups
! Oats                             3/4 cup
! Raisins                         2 tbsps.
! Honey                          1 1/2 tbsps.
! Almonds                      2 tbsps.
! Unsalted Butter         2 1/2 tbsps.
! Sesame Seeds            1 tbsp.
! Bicarbonate of Soda  1 tsp.
! Pure Cane Sugar       4 tbsps.


Method
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• Lightly roast oats,raisins,almonds separately and coursely powder.Keep it aside.
• Heat a skillet and place butter in it.Once the butter melts,add cane sugar and stir well till the sugar dissolves completely.
• Now add in the sesame seeds,raisins,oats,almond powder to it and give a stir.
• After 2 mins. pour honey and give a good stir.It's time for the flour to add in.Stir well till eveyrthing is combined properly.
• Mix bicarbonate of soda.Stir till it's sticky.Switch off and let cool for couple of mins.
• Make lemon sized balls and flatten by pressing raisins in center with your fingers and keep aside.
• On a greased cookie sheet place these flattened cookie batter and put in a preheated oven.
• Give space between each cookie as the cookies spread while baking.Bake at 185 C for 20-25 mins.
• Check to make sure in between,turn the other side once it turns golden in color.Once they are done set it aside and let cool.They will be soft when taken out of the oven.
• Let cool down completely and then store in an airtight container.They will be crisp once cooled down.
• Kids enjoy these delicious cookie crisps as a morning snack.

Onion Kadi Pakora

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Kadi Pakora is a famous dish in North India.They have this at a regular basis.Mostly Punjabi's and Gujarathi's make this awesome dish.There is a slight difference between Punjabi and Gujarathi Kadi Pakoda.But they both taste good.In this Kadi they make dumplings with various vegetables and deep fry in oil.So as the name suggests it is none other than Kadi Pakora.I liked this and I started making it almost once every 2 days for a week stretch.Hope you enjoy the same and so let's look at how this is made.

Ingredients
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To Make Pakora's
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! Gram Flour                                         1 cup
! Onions                                                 1 medium
! Turmeric Powder                              1/4 tsp.
! Salt                                                       to taste
! Red Chilli Powder                              1/2 tsp.
To Make Kadi
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! Turmeric Powder                              1/4 tsp.
! Red Chillies                                         2
! Yogurt                                                 2 cups
! Dried Fenugreek Leaves                  1/2 tsp.
! Salt                                                       to taste
! Ginger (grated)                                  1 tbsp.
! Oil                                                        1 tbsp.
! Mustard Seeds                                   1 tsp.
! Cumin Seeds                                       1 tsp.
! Asoefotida                                           pinch
! Red Chilli Powder                              2 tsp.
! Coriander Powder                             1 tsp.
! Garam Masala                                   1 tsp.
! Gram Flour                                        2 tbsps.


Method
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Making Pakoda's
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• Take a mixing bowl and add all the ingredients to make pakora's.Add little by little water to make it into a batter consistency.
• Heat oil for deep frying.Once the oil is heated drop small dollops of  dumplings into the oil. (Be very careful and gentle enough to drop these dollops as the oil may splash on to you.So make sure you drop them from the side of the kadai,slowly.)
• Deep fry stirring and turning the sides till they turn into golden brown color.
• Remove and keep them aside.Onion Pakora's are ready to set in the the kadi gravy.

Making Kadi
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• Take a mixing bowl and place yogurt,besan,salt and turmeric and stir well so as to not to form any lumps.Add water and beat well.Once the mixture is well beaten keep it aside.
• Heat oil in a non stick skillet.When the oil is heated add mustard seeds,cumin seeds,asoefotida,grated ginger,red chillies and saute well.
• Now add in dried fenugreek leaves,red chilli powder,garam masala,coriander powder and saute for few secs. (When you add in fenugreek leaves you must be really quick in stirring and proceeding to the next step as they get burnt very fast.)
• At this point add yogurt mixture and stir.Let it boil to the point where it stops rising.
• Cook on a medium to low flame and let it boil.
• When it decreases it's volume of the mixture ,it's time to toss in those hot onion pakora's.
• Mix the onion pakora's in that yogurt mixture and stir well,as to the pakora's are well coated.
• Let it cook for another 4-5 mins. and switch off.
• Serve hot Onion Kadi Pakora with jeera rice.           

Here's a tip: You can have a variation with pakora's.Make your favorite vegetable pakora's and enjoy Kadi Pakora.


To listen in English please click on the following video
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Minty Fresh Peas

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Peas though they are botanically are fruits, they are treated as a vegetable. Peas are usually boiled or steamed, that makes the taste sweeter with nutrients in it. In India fresh peas are used in various dishes. Fresh peas can also be substituted with frozen peas. When the mint leaves touch the peas, the whole dish spread the aroma of the minty fresh peas.

Ingredients

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! Butter                                                         1 tbsp.

! Mint Leaves (Freshly chopped)             2 tbsps.

! Shelled Peas(Fresh or Frozen)               1 cup

! Black Pepper Powder                               to taste

! Salt                                                              to taste

Method

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• 
  
  Wash and clean the peas and mint leaves.Chop mint leaves and keep aside.
• 
  
  In a microwave safe bowl, add peas and add just enough water to cover the peas and cook for 5 mins. (Don't add too much water,it should be the level just to cover the peas.)
• 
  
  Once the peas are tender ,add in salt,black pepper powder, add chopped mint leaves and toss in the butter and give a very good stir,so as the butter gets well blended with rest of the flavors.
• 
  
  Place back in the microwave and cook again for 3 mins.
• 
  
  Give a standing time for 4 mins. and serve as an evening snack.

To watch the video click on the following clip
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Paneer Mushroom in Spicy Butter

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Mushrooms are considered as a delicacy in the food world for many years.They are absolutely vegetarian as few consider mushrooms as non-vegetarian due to it's firm texture as they are chewy and meaty fleshed.They have an exotic flavor.They improve eye sight.Mushrooms also are good source for diabetic people.Mushrooms are typically produced above ground on soil.Edible Mushrooms are extensively used in cooking in many cuisines.Though they are little in nutritional value,some of them are high in fiber and provide vitamins.

Ingredients
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! Butter                                                        1 tbsp.
! Paneer (cut into bite size cubes)            200 gms.
! Mushrooms (small)                                  250 gms.
! Ginger/Garlic/Green Chillies Paste       1 tbsp.
! Pepper Powder/Salt                                 to taste
! Coriander Leaves (chopped)                   to garnish


Method
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• Wash and clean the mushrooms.Make a paste of green chillies,garlic and ginger.Cut the paneer into bite size cubes and keep aside.
• Place butter in a skillet and heat till it melts.Once the butter heats add in garlic/ginger/green chilli paste and saute for 2 mins.
• Now add washed mushrooms and cook for 4 mins.To this add paneer cubes and cook further for 2 mins.
• Now add in salt and pepper powder and stir for a min.Toss in some corainder leaves and stir once and switch off.
• Take in a serving bowl and garnish with the remaining coriander leaves on top.Serve as a side dish.