Curried Red Lentil Soup

Did you guys notice my blog is acting funny and I have no idea why?!
Well, besides, cleaning up the snow on the driveways, there is not much we can do this weekend..So make a hot soup, sit back and relax!

1 cup Red Lentils, soaked for 15 min
6-8 cups water/Veg stock
1 large onion ,chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 small tomato, chopped
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1 1/2 tsp curry powder (I used Fresh Market curry powder)
2 tsp Cumin-Coriander Powder
1/4 tsp turmeric
2 red potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 cup Mixed Veggies (Optional)
I also added Spinach
1 tbsp Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper

• Saute Onion, garlic, potatoes and tomatoes
• Stir in the spices-Curry Powder, Cumin-Coriander and turmeric
• Add tomato sauce
• Cook for a couple of minutes.
• Add the thawed veggies and cook for 8-10 min
• Pour water and bring to a boil once
• Add lentils and cook for about 40 min until the lentils are soft, mushy and cooked through
• Garnish with coriander and with a dollop of yogurt

This goes to MLLA-18 guest hosted by Srivalli and an event started by Susan of The Well Seasoned Cook.

Carrot Soup

The whole of last week, we have been under the weather.My daughter had cold, cough and fever and we were quite scared where that would turn into flu of some sort but luckily, she just had cold and fever.(Touch Wood!).Just when I thought, she is getting better, V started to sneeze and even before you could do anything about it he is down with some cold, sore throat...Ahh!!
Between the three of us, I guess I am healthy with a minor knee pain which I injured during Summer by hitting a shopping cart and it got worse while I was jogging.So that is not ready to go away!But I will take that as long as I don't go down with some flu like symptoms.So our week was very eventful.To end such a week, a comforting soup was just what we needed-simple and easy to make.

Among a few of my favorite events (in the blogging world), Monthly Mingle and MLLA are very close to my heart.I have been busy lately to participate.But I guess, this month I have two dishes that I can send to both my favorite events!

Source:All over the internet!

2 lbs of Carrots, peeled and cut into small cubes
1 small onion,chopped
1 medium potato, peeled and cubed
3 tbsps butter
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
1 1/2 tsp Curry powder
1 tbsp Cumin-Coriander powder
Pinch of turmeric
2 oz Orange Juice, optional
6 cups water/broth/stock
Sour Cream or Greek Yogurt or Whole milk Yogurt like Stonyfield

• Melt butter in a wide and heavy bottomed pan
• Saute Onions and cook till translucent
• Add potatoes and fry them for a few minutes
• Add the spices-Ginger garlic paste, Curry Powder, Cumin-Coriander powder, turmeric.
• Add the carrots and stir in the orange juice
• Pour 6 cups of water and let it boil for about 25-30 minutes until the carrots are cooked well
• Puree it in a blender.(I am not sure if blending hot ingredients would ruin the blender, so I let it cool a bit. But if you know that there is no correlation, go ahead and blend it)
• Do it in batches
• Pour it back in the pan and let the puree simmer for a few min.
• Serve hot/warm based on your preferences but don't forget to add the sour cream or thick yogurt.

This is going to Monthly Mingle:Soups, this month hosted by Harini of TongueTicklers, event started by Meeta

Have fun
Shri

Tomato & Rice Soup err...stew!

A few years back, this soup was served at our work cafeteria and after that, I never came across the soup, ever anywhere else.Thought will give it a try and so here it is-It is very simple and believe me, it is really tasty:)

About 4-6 servings

29oz can of Tomato Sauce
6-8 cups water
1 Med Onion, chopped
1 garlic clove,crushed
1 Med Potato, peeled, cubed, boiled
1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tbsp fresh coriander
1/3 cup cream (Optional)
Salt & Pepper to taste
3/4 cup Basmati Rice or any long grain rice

• Saute onion and garlic until tender in olive oil
• Add potatoes and cook for 5 minutes
• Stir in the seasoning and coriander
• Add sauce and water/broth and bring it to a boil.
• Add rice slowly and cook till tender and soft but not mushy.
• Add coriander, cream, salt and pepper.
• Cook for an additional 5 minutes.
• Serve it hot with parmesan cheese

Note:If you don't like the tomato taste to dominate, you can add more cream to mellow the tangy flavor.

Chickpea Soup

With cold weather upon us, it is time to grab a book, curl up on the couch, listen to some music and keep things simple in the kitchen, like a soup that will serve as a meal by itself!

I have adapted this soup recipe from Linda Fraser's 'Vegetarian' book.The original recipe calls for heavy cream which I reduced.The end result will be on the watery side as opposed to a thick and a creamier version.But you could always add the heavy cream and corn starch to make it a thick soup.

1 can of Chick peas ( about 15 oz)
1 Onion, chopped
3 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
3 garlic cloves, crushed
2 cups of fresh Spinach,shredded
4 cups of vegetable stock or water
2 tbsps Olive oil
2 tsps Cumin powder
2 tsps Coriander powder
2 tbsps heavy cream
2 tbsps tahini paste
1 tsp curry powder
Salt and pepper

• Heat oil and add garlic and onions.Cook till they are soft.
• Stir cumin, coriander and curry powder.
• Add Chickpeas and potatoes and let them cook for a couple of minutes.
• Add Spinach and cook for 2 minutes
• Pour in the stock and simmer for about 10 minutes, till the potataoes and chickpeas are tender
• Stir in the cream and Sesame seed paste and let it boil for 5 more minutes.
• Add salt, pepper and Paprika(optional).
• Let it simmer for another 5 minutes.
• Season with Paprika or salt or Parmesan cheese
• Serve it hot
  
  
  
  

For a thicker version
2/3 cup of heavy cream
1 tbsp cornstarch
When you are stirring in the cream, also add the corn starch.

Note:You could also use frozen spinach but drain all the excess liquid before adding.

Simple Greek Salad, Chana Masala & Mango Lassi

Summer is not even officially over yet and it is already chilly here in PA!I was hoping the weather will be pleasant at least until late Nov.Why did I think so? No compelling logic there!Just thought...hoped!Hoping this is a passing phase and we will have good weather again but again its just a hope!
Do any of you guys feel down during Winter, with day light savings gone? Or is it JUST ME?
Before the brutal weather kicks in , I thought we can have a good meal on the deck and so I made this simple meal.

Greek Salad
The dressing is from Ellie Krieger's recipe of Greek Dressing
1 packet mixed greens
1 Red Onion, Halved and thinly sliced
1 Medium Tomato, Chopped
1 Cucumber, Peeled and Cubed
Pepperoncini, to your taste;I used less than 1/4 cup
1 can Kalamata Olives or Olives of your choice
Feta Cheese

Dressing
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
Ground black pepper

Whisk Olive Oil, lemon juice, Oregano, Salt and pepper together well.
For the dressing, blend/whisk all the ingredients.
Toss the salad ingredients,add Feta cheese and drizzle the salad dressing

This goes to No croutons required hosted by Lisa.This month's theme is Mediterranean Salad.

Chana Masala with Plain rice

16 oz can of Chickpeas/Garbanzo beans
1 Medium Onion, chopped+extra for garnish
1 Med ripe Tomatoes,chopped
1 Med Potato, Peeled,cubed, boiled
1 1/2 oz Tamarind Pulp
1 tsp Cumin seeds
2 tsps Ginger-Garlic paste
2 green chillies, chopped
Pinch of turmeric
1/2 tsp Garam Masala
Salt to taste
3 tsp ground cumin coriander

Boil or pressure cook Chana/Chickpeas and Potato in a pan until tender but not mashed up.
In a pan, heat 2 tbsp of oil ,fry cumin seeds till it splutters and add onions and green chillies.Cook till onions are soft and translucent.Add ginger-garlic paste, turmeric, garam masala, cumin coriander powder.Cook for about 2 -3 min.
Add Tomatoes and tamarind pulp and cook till the tomatoes are well cooked.
To this, add the boiled/cooked potatoes and Chickpeas
Cook for about 5-8 minutes , until all the flavors are well combined.

This goes to MLLA_15 hosted by Sia of MonsoonSpice, an event started by Susan of the well seasoned cook

Mango Lassi

1 cup (8 oz) Buttermilk;You can make Yogurt into Buttermilk or use the store bought buttermilk.
1 1/2 cup Mango Pulp
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp ground Cardamom
2 threads saffron,optional

Blend the ingredients in a blender or if using a whisk, combine them thoroughly.Serve the Lassi with a garnish of Saffron!


This goes to Soup n Juice event hosted by Sireesha.


The whole meal is going to Well Balanced 3 course meal hosted by Yasmeen of Healthnut!

Have fun the rest of the Summer:-)
Shri

Roasted Red Bell Pepper Soup

Hope you all had a great weekend! After a long time, I had some R&R time for myself. I was lazy to even step in the kitchen but I had to because, I was even lazier to go out and eat. I made some soup, read the book- The White Tiger by Arvind Adiga, and strolled in the mall next to my house. Can you believe that is all I did?
This recipe is adapted from all over the internet, no single source.

2 Large Red Bell Peppers
1 Medium Onion, thinly sliced
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 Medium russet Potato, cubed
2 cups Veg. Stock
½ cup light cream
2 tbsp Olive Oil + 1 tbsp Olive Oil
Salt to taste

Pre heat the oven to 400F.Line a baking sheet with Aluminum foil. Spray the sheet with PAM or with butter

Slice the bell peppers, about ¼ in thick. Remove the seeds. Place the red peppers on the sheet and drizzle with some Olive Oil. Sprinkle some salt and black pepper.

Combine all of them with hand. And spread them evenly on the sheet. Bake the peppers for about 30 -45 minutes until they are blistered and are tender to touch.


Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp of Olive Oil in a pan and sauté the Onions till golden brown. Add Potatoes and cook them until tender and then add tomatoes.Cook for a couple of minutes, until soft.

Combine the Onions, potatoes and Red Peppers. Puree in a blender/food processor by adding the stock and cream until it is thick and not watery.


This goes to No croutons Required, hosted by Jacqueline of Tinned Tomatoes.This month's theme is Peppers.

Padmajha Suresh of Seduceyourtastebuds was kind to pass me these awards.Thanks a bunch, PJ!

Lentils and Rice Stew

Ever wondered what the difference between a soup and a stew is? I did! Soups are very common in my house. I never ventured to make a stew only because of my misconception that it should have non-vegetarian items like beef. Only, I was Wrong! I stumbled into this recipe from One-Pot Vegetarian dishes by Amy Cotler, which is again an adaptation from Yamuna Devi's 'The Art of Indian Vegetarian Cooking'. I have made a few changes like using Potatoes instead of cauliflower, regular yellow lentils instead of red/brown ones and onions instead of leeks.

Before I go to the recipe, here are briefly the differences b/w a soup and a stew:

Soups are generally watery or thin in consistency and should be served in a bowl. Soups can also be made with fruits.
Stews are thicker with chunkier vegetables/meat.
Soups are served as the first course whereas Stews can be served along with the main course.
Soups can be served hot or cold where as stews should be served hot!
Soups are quick to make; On the other hand, stews get their main flavor from slow cooking.

1 tbsp Olive Oil
1 Medium Onion, thinly sliced
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp Paprika
3/4 cup long grain rice (8 oz is a cup )
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup Toor Dal
1 Medium Potato, Cubed
3/4 cup carrots and peas or just peas
2 tbsps butter

Cook the lentils in a pressure cooker for 1 whistle.Do not mash it. The lentils should retain the shape and be tender.
Heat oil in a pan and add onions, coriander, cumin, mustard, turmeric and Paprika. Saute until onions are golden brown.


Add the rice, salt and 4 1/2 cups water.
Bring the water to a boil and cook until rice is tender.
Add lentils and cook for about 15 minutes. Add Potatoes and cook till the potatoes are cooked.Add peas and carrots and cook till the stew attains oatmeal consistency.
Serve hot with sliced butter on top and cilantro garnish.


This is my entry to MLLA 14 hosted by Susan of The well-seasoned cook!

Suparna and Ramya have tagged me and passed me 2 lovely awards. Thank you so much for thinking of me and passing them my way.I will complete the tags in my next post!

Shri

Salad w/Goat Cheese and an Award

It is quite hectic at my end which is why the delay in everything from posting new posts to not being able to browse all the lovely blogs!Well, I am hoping it will get better by the middle of next week but then you never know what's in store!Do you?I will be brief this time although I would have loved to ..Tweet Tweet:D

Goat cheese, also known as Chevre in French, is a milk product derived from Goat’s milk. Although it can be made in different forms, both hard and soft, the soft goat cheese is more common. It can melt very easily when exposed to heat. This is a staple in the Mediterranean region and also common in Africa and Middle east.Goat cheese is closer to human milk in that it is lower in fat and a lot thinner when compared to Cow Cheese.Those who are lactose intolerant or have milk allergies can eat Goat cheese.

The recipe for goat cheese rounds is adapted from Food Network’s Ina Garten of Barefoot Contessa

Salad Ingredients

A bag of Mixed salad greens
Red Onion thinly sliced
8 cherry tomatoes vertically cut into halves
2 carrots, finely grated
½ cup Cranberries, optional
I have used light Italian dressing but feel free to use the dressing of your choice.Make sure it is not too tarty like Rasberry Vinaigrette

For the cheese

1 (11-ounce) log plain or herbed Montrachet
2 extra-large egg whites, beaten with 1 tablespoon water
Fresh whole grain bread crumbs(You could use white bread)

Toss all the ingredients and the salad dressing.


Slice the cheese with a dental floss or a knife into a 1/2 inch thick slices.It is easy to do it with the floss.Dip each of the slices in the egg whites.Coat the slices with the bread crumbs.Refrigerate for a minimum of 15 minutes.

Melt a tbsp of butter and a tbsp of olive oil and heat it until it is just under smoking. Fry the cheese both sides until golden brown.Serve the salad with the warm cheese!



This is off to Weekend Wokking hosted by Yasmeen of Health nut,created by Wandering Chop sticks.

I am elated to receive my first award!The very talented EC of Simple Indian food and Srilakshmi of Sri Annapurna passed on this Kreativ Blogger award to me.Thanks gals!It is truly exciting:)


This comes with certain rules!

1.You must mention the person who has given you the award.

2. Copy the logo and place it on your blog.

3. Link to the person who has nominated you for the award.

4. Name 7 things about yourself that people might find interesting.

5. Nominate 7 other Kreativ Bloggers.

6. Post links to the 7 blogs you nominate.

7. Leave a comment on which of the blogs to let them know they have been nominated.


-I hate to use any techy stuff (e-pics, e-books....).I still use a pen & a paper to write, still take the photo hardcopies and read paperbacks.

-I wish I learnt skiing when I was young. I was a disaster when I tried to learn at 23.

-I would love to go on a cruise, but I have pretty bad sea sickness. So I guess that will remain a dream.

-I am obsessed about cleaning the house esp bathrooms. I am almost close to having the Obsessive Compulsive Disorder!!

-I never drank coffee till date! I don’t like the taste of coffee but like the smell of it

-I believe in fate/destiny.

-I am very scared of roller coasters..not even the Kiddie rides..My 2 year old daughter is way better than me!(Hey, that's just between You and Me:))

I am passing the award to these amazing bloggers.I have more favorites but they carry the award already!

Yasmeen of Healthnut

Siri of Siri’s Corner

Bergamot of Cooking Escapades

Suparna of Food Fascination

Soma of ecurry

I wanted to pass onto Srilakshmi when I first received it from EC...But I guess I was a bit late in passing the award!!

Enjoy guys and have a great weekend!
Shri