Butternut Squash Soup

The weather last week was kind of gloomy...should not be complaining too much though...(it does not feel like winter at all....I am hoping we are not in for any surprise). I bought this couple of times last month but ended up making pulusu with it or sambhar with it....this time I wanted to make soup and soup it is....we ended up having just the soup for dinner that day!!

Ingredients:

1 Medium Butternut Squash
1 Small Onion
Black Pepper Powder
1 Bay leaf
1 Tsp Fennel Powder
Olive Oil
2 TBSPN Butter (optional)
Coarsely ground peanuts
Salt

Peel the skin and cut the butternut squash into big cubes. Toss them in olive oil, salt, black pepper powder and fennel powder and coat it well on the veggie.
Preheat the oven to 425 deg F.
Toss the veggie into the oven for about 40 min (varies based on your oven). Take it when it is done and soft. The smell from it...increases your apetitie....
After it cools down. Put in a blender (I use our traditional mixie) and make puree.
Take a pan. Melt the butter (or olive oil). Add the onions and bay leaf. After the onion is cooked.
Add the puree. This puree is very thick so you add vegetable stock (if you do not have it...just go with water) and thin it out.
Let it boil. Add little more salt and pepper powder.
Serve it with by garnishing the peanut powder. Enjoy!

Carrot Lentil Soup

I have been thinking of making the carrot lentil soup for a long time....but never got the oppurtunity to try it out...today I got the time to do it. I have severe cold and nothing I eat tastes good to me. I was looking forward to the hot soup to go with my ciabatta bread. I feel soups are the easiest thing to make and keeps you filling for a long time and healthy too. when we were in the UK I used to have it. They were readily available in the super markets like Morrisons and Sainsburry...but it came with a big tag...it was pretty costly. Today when I had it ....it tasted the same way...I did not expect it to be this good..happy it turned out well!!

I always like to write my posts immediately after making it. Today after a long long time I am getting time to do that. It feels good to post the recipe as soon as you make it.... I neither have a big network of people looking at my blog now and then nor do I make elaborate recipes ....but I have a small group of friends and relatives who turn to my blog now and then. I do not want to let them down. Thanks to those who take time to read my blog and try out recipes. I am glad you like them. So it feels good to post the recipe then and there...fresh in your mind and with the same warmth as the way you cook and serve!

Ingredients: (Serves 4)

4 Medium Sized Carrots
1/2 of the big Sweet Potato
1/2 Cup Chopped Onion
1/2 Tsp Fennel Powder
1/2 Cup Cooked Masoor/moong dhal
1/2 Tsp Salt
1 1/2 Tsp Pepper Powder
Olive oil
1 Bay Leaf

Pre-heat oven upto 400 degrees. Chop the Carrots and Sweet Potato into big pieces.
Place it in a baking tray. Spinkle salt, pepper powder, fennel powder and oil for 30 minutes (till the veggies or tender).
After it is cooked well and it cools down. Puree it in the food processor/mixie.
Take oil in a pan and add the bay leaf and the onions.
Add the puree and add the mashed dhal.
Add more salt and pepper powder.
Boil it for some more time.
Garnish it with cilantro....and serve it as is or any bread of your liking!
Enjoy!

Minestrone Soup

My friend was the reason behind trying this one. During one of our phone conversations she mentioned about the recipe and informed that she makes the stock and stores it for a week and it helps in making soups whenever needed. Hence, last week I got leeks during my visit to Walmart...was not even sure whether I will be making this though!! I started the prep work for making the soup ....telepathy a call from the same friend who inspired me to try the soup. Hence, I made this chatting with her over the phone... it was pretty useful to get the doubts cleared then and there...she told me the process and I made it ..of course we chatted about "myraid things". ranging from whether their project would get extended till end of May to tips on getting free passes to the zoo's and museums in Chicago ...The process of telling the recipe triggered her taste buds to have the soup...and she was saying that she does not have all the ingredients to make it and she has to wait until Sunday to make this

She then asked me did you buy celery...I said "No"... then she asked me do you have "fresh fennel"...the answer was again a big "NO"...still it did not deter me from trying it and I went ahead and prepared the soup with the ingredients I had. It was not bad after all...it turned out good.

Ingredients:

1/2 Onion
1/2 bunch leeks
3 Tomatoes
2 Carrots
1 Zucchini
3 Tbspn Rajma
3 Tbspn macaroni
2 Bay Leaf
1/2 Tsp Dried Parsley (you can use fresh ones)
1/2 Tsp Dried Basil (you may use fresh basil)
1/2 Tsp Fennel Powder
1 Tsp Pepper Powder
1 Tsp Olive oil
Salt to taste

Cut the vegetables into small pieces. Pressure cook the Rajma.
This was the first time I used leeks and when I cut it.... it smelled more or less like spring onions. Hence, when I went and looked for it in wikipedia it did say that it belonged to the family of onion and garlic!
Cut Carrot, leeks into small pieces and microwave them for few minutes (not until tender).
Reserve some carrots to be added to the soup.
Then take a heavy bottom pan and add these microwaved vegetables with enough water. You may add more water later. Cook for an hour. By now the vegetables would have cooked nicely. Then use a colander and to separate the vegetables from the stock. This stock can be preserved for a week or two.

Take a teaspoon of oil and add bay leaf.
Saute the Onion. Add the Carrots and  Zucchini. When they are half cooked add the tomatoes. After they are cooked add the boiled rajma and pasta to it.
Add salt, pepper, parsley (dried or fresh), fennel powder and basil (dried or fresh).
I did not have celery and fennel with me. You may add Celery while preparing stock and fresh fennel leaves while preparing the soup.
Add the stock and simmer it for half an hour.
The yummy minestrone soup is ready to be served....
Enjoy!!