Emergency Rasam: - super quick?? Grind together to a paste with water: Jeera - 1 tsp Pepper - 1 tsp Red chillies – 1-2 Tamarind - Lemon size Garlic - 1 or 2 cloves Soaked tur dhal - 1 tsp To the paste add water, salt & haldi to make up to the required amount. Simmer to froth or cook for a whistle inside a pressure pan. Temper with: Ghee - 1 tsp Mustard seeds - 1 tsp Hing - a pinch Curry leaves - few
Zucchini Soup - making use of oats!! I tried using oats and oats bran for thickening this sop; both came out good. Chopped zucchini - 1 cup Chopped garlic - 2 tsp chopped onion - 1/2 cup Milk - 1 cup Oats or oats bran - 2 tsp Olive oil - 1 tsp salt, pepper Heat oil & saute garlic till lightbrown. Add onions & fry till glossy. Add the vegetable & 1 cup of water. Cook till soft; cool & liquidise. Boil milk with oats or bran & add to the liquidised mixture. Simmer both together, adjusting to get the desired consistency. Add salt & pepper and serve hot.
French Onion Soup - quick to make and sophisticated. Onions - 4, sliced into thin rings Butter - 1 tbsp White Sauce: Milk - 2 cups Butter - 1 tbsp Cornflour - 1 tbsp Salt & pepper. This white sauce is an economical version. Boil the ingredients together, stirring continuously, without lump formation. Heat the butter in a pressure pan. Fry the onion rings on a low flame, covered, till pale in colour. This is the most important part of the recipe. Add 4 cups of water & cook for one whistle. Cool, open, add the white sauce & mix very well.
Cheese soup - winter is the ideal weather to try this! Boiled vegetables - 1-1 ½ cups (carrot, oeas, beans, cauliflower etc) Milk - 2 cups Wheat flour - 2 tbsp Chilli flakes - 1 tsp Cheese, grated - 50 gms Salt Mix wheat flour with milk & bring to boil, stirring to prevent lumps. Add vegetables, chilli flakes & very little salt. Simmer for 3-4 mts, add half the cheese & a pinch of sugar. Remove, serve hot topped with remaining grated cheese.
Oats-Macaroni Soup - a filling soup! Finely shredded cabbage - 1 cup Oats - ¼ cup Finely chopped garlic - 2 tsp Thinly sliced onions - ¼ cup Thinly sliced tomatoes - ¼ cup Uncooked macaroni - ½ cup Olive oil - 2 tbsp Boiled green peas - 2 tbsp (optional) Pepper powder - ½ tsp Salt Boil macaroni in salted water with ½ tsp oil, drain & set aside. Heat olive oil in a pan & add garlic. When aroma arises, add onions & sauté till pink. Add cabbage, carrots, tomatoes, water, oats, salt & pepper. Bring to a boil & simmer for 10-15 mtes till vegetables are cooked. OR Cook for one whistle in a pressure pan. To serve, place 2 tbsp macaroni in individual bowls with boiled peas & pour the hot soup over it.
Tomato Shorba - an ILite gave me this recipe! This can be made plain or with chunky pieces of cucumber, bottle gourd, tinda etc. Bright red tomatoes - 5-6 Red chillipowder & dhaniya powder - 1/2 tsp each Butter - 1 tsp Jeera - 1/2 tsp Hing, salt Liquidise raw tomatoes with just enough water to get the desired consistency & strain through soup-strainer. Heat butter, temper, add tomato pulp, salt, sugar + masalas. If adding chunks of vegetables, add now. Cook for one whistle. Serve hot with buns or rolls.
Channa soup - very satisfying!! Use channa or channa sprouts. I used the latter. It is not easy to sprout channa at home. Store-bought, if fresh, is advisable. Channa - ½ cup (or sprouts – 1 cup) Chopped onion - 2 tbsp Chopped garlic - 2 tsp Chopped ginger & green chillies - 2 tsp each Chopped tomatoes - ½ cup Jeera - 1 tsp Saunf - a pinch (optional) Salt Channa should be soaked for 8 hrs & boiled till soft. If using sprouts, cook straightaway till soft. Reserve 2 tbsp for garnishing. Add all other ingredients & cook for one more whistle. Cool & liquidize. Serve hot garnished with reserved channa or sprouts & chopped coriander.
Drumstick Leaf Soup - Most tasty, most healthy. Use very fresh, tender drumstick leaves. D leaves - 3 cups Big onions - 2, chopped Tomatoes - 2-3 Cornflour - 1 level tsp Milk - as is necessary Butter - 1 tbsp Salt, pepper Wash & drain the leaves well. Fry in 2 tsp butter & set aside. In a pressure pan, heat butter & add chopped onions & tomatoes. When they are fried, add cornflour & fry for a few secs. Now add leaves & 1 cup of water. Reserve 2 tbsp fried leaves & add the rest before closing the cooker. Cook for one whistle. Cool, open & liquidize. Add milk to get the required consistency, salt & pepper. Serve hot, topped with the reserved leaves.
Palak Shorba - healthy and aesthetic. Chopped spinach - 4 cups Mint leaves - 2 tbsp Roughly chopped green chillies - 2,3 Milk - 1 cup Salt Pepper freshly ground - 1 tsp Lime juice - 1 tsp Ghee - 2 tsp Crushed garlic - 1 tbsp Boil 2 cups of water, add palak & cook for 3-4 mtes. Keep aside & when cool, add mint leaves & green chillies. Liquidise to a smooth puree. Add milk & bring to boil. Add salt, pepper & lime juice. Meanwhile temper garlic in ghee, sauting till golden brown. Add to soup, mix & simmer for a few more mtes. Garnish with ginger juliennes.
Creamy Orange Soup - unusual taste!! I learnt this from a TV programme. Boil till soft in 1 cup of water; carrot cubes - 1 cup Red pumkin cubes - 1 cup Potato cubes - ½ cup & blend. Cool & add pepper powder, oregano, basil/chopped tulsi leaves, milk & little water. Give one boil & remove. Top with orange juice + corn/ragi flakes - has a mild tangy taste.