Rasams- the tongue ticklers !

Convalescent Soup - No milk, no butter, but DELICIOUS is the word !

This soup is very light but filling & full of the goodness & minerals of vegetables.

Chopped cauliflower - 1 cup

Peas - ½ cup

Chopped beans - ½ cup

Chopped carrots - 1 cup

Cubed potatoes - ½ cup ( optional)

Mix all vegetables with 3 cups of water.

Add very little salt & pressure cook for 10 mts.

Cool and blend well in a liquidizer or with a hand-blender.

It is ready to serve, with pepper powder sprinkled on it.

If preferred, a little boiling water can be added to get the desired consistency.


Alternate method:
Take the vegetables in the FP.

Mince with the steel blade.

Boil with just enough water in a pressurepan - after the first whistle comes, cook on low flame for 10 mts. Take out & crush with potato masher.

serve with extra milk, salt & pepper. Makes a full meal!

 

Cauliflower & Cheese Soup – a Healthy Soup with a hint of Cheese

Select fresh cauliflower. Take out the tiny flowerettes & immerse them in warm salt water for 30 mts. Then drain & use.

Flowerettes - 2 cups

Onion - 1, chopped

Green chilli - 1

Ginger - 1”

Cornflour - 1 tsp

Salt, pepper

Butter - 2 tsp

Milk - as necessary

Grated processed cheese - 2-3 tbsp

In a pressure pan, heat butter & add onions.

Saute for 2,3 mts & add the vegetable.

Now add cornflour & lightly fry for a mte.

Then add 2 cups of water, crushed ginger & green chillies tied in a muslin cloth & salt.

Close the cooker, keep the weight & cook for 2 whistles.

Cool, open & remove the muslin bag.

Liquidise the mixture.

Add sufficient milk, & warm.

Add pepper & sprinkle grated cheese.

 

Cabbage Soup - unbelievably simple, but very delicious !

Chopped cabbage - 2 cups

Milk - 1 cup

Water - 1 cup

Salt, pepper

Grated cheese - 2 tbsp

Freshly chopped cabbage - to garnish

Mix chopped cabbage, milk and water in a pressure pan.

Close, put the weight & cook for 10 mts on sim after the whistle comes.

Cool & blend.

Add salt & pepper.

Garnish with freshly chopped curls of cabbage.

Grated cheese is optional for non-dieters.

This is a very hearty soup.

 

Lemon Soup - An invention which “clicked” !

This is ideal to be had on a cold, rainy day.

Minced green chillies - 1 or 2

Minced ginger - 1 tsp

Salt, haldi, hing

Roast well in a drop of ghee & powder:

Red chillies - 2

Tur dhal - 1 tbsp

Lime juice - to taste

Coriander leaves - 2 tsp

Mix all ingredients ( except lime juice) with 2-3 cups of water.

Cook for one whistle.

Cool, open & add lime juice.

Garnish with coriander leaves.

Rasam:

The same can be used as rasam with rice, after garnishing with mustard seeds & jeera in ½ tsp ghee.
Adding tomatoes is optional.

 

Creamy Almond Soup – Deceptively economical for us, Desis, as well !

Almonds - 20-25 (drop in boiling water for 15 mts, remove & deskin)

White pumpkin cut into 1 cm cubes - 1 cup

Chopped cabbage - 1 cup

Potato cubes - 1 cup

Milk - as required

Butter - 2 tsp

Salt, pepper

Chop most of the deskinned almonds into 3,4 pieces & cut lengthwise the remaining for garnishing.

Heat 1 tsp butter in a pressure cooker & sauté the almond pieces.

Then add the other vegetables & sauté for 3, 4 mts more.

Add 3 cups of water & pressurize.

When the first whistle comes, simmer & cook for 10 mts.

Cool, open & blend in a liquidizer.

Add milk as per the consistency required, salt & pepper.

Roast the long pieces of almond in the remaining butter & garnish.

 

Dear Mangala,
No need to fry - grind all ingredients raw & make.
Thanks for the F b !
Love,
Chithra.

 

Bhindi soup - unbelievable ? Well, here we go !

This is a Chettinadu soup. For all Chettinadu soups the stock is prepared thus. Moong dhal is boiled soft & blended with plenty of water. Strain & the strained liquid is used as stock.

Bhindi, chopped into 1 cm pieces - 1 cup

Chopped onions - 2 tbsp ( small onions give a better flavour)

Chopped tomatoes - ½ cup

Butter - 2 tsp

Dhal stock - 2 cups

To temper:

Butter - 1 tsp

Bay leaf - 1 piece

Pepper - ½ tsp

Saunf - a pinch

Salt

First heat 2 tsp butter & sauté bhindis on a low flame for a few mts well & keep aside.

Now heat the 1 tsp butter & temper as given.

Add onions & tomatoes & fry well for 5 mts.

Add the bhindis & dhal stock.

Simmer till desired consistency is reached.

Add salt & serve hot.

 

Green grapes rasam - this is a case of sour grapes, please !

Boiled tur dhal - 2 tbsp

Sour green grapes - 1 cup

Green chillies - 5, 6 ( slit lengthwise)

Tomatoes - 2,3 chopped

Rasam powder - ½ tsp ( optional)

Hing - ½ tsp

Salt, haldi

To temper:

Ghee - 1 tsp

Red chillies - 2

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Chopped coriander leaves - to garnish

Blend the grapes with 2 cups of water & strain.

To the liquid add salt, haldi, hing, green chillies , tomatoes & rasam powder.

To the boiled dhal, add water, mix well & strain.

Add this dhal water to the above.

Keep this in a vessel inside the pressure pan & cook for 1 whistle.

Cool, open & temper as given.