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!

Creamy Vegetable Kurma

I made this last Sunday, the day after the Tamil Get Together....I had left overs from Saturday's cooking and we had that for lunch and I was not very keen on cooking...just wanted to laze around the house, browse and watch TV...I was also tired after the long Saturday!! So decided to whip up a simple meal yet a delicious one.  I had bought red potatoes and wanted to make something with that....first decided on making potato kurma but later changed it to veggie kurma. I love any type of kurma...I guess thats because I love the creaminess of the coconut milk..any dish with a touch of coconut milk tastes awesome...it is a strenuous job back home - breaking the coconuts, grate them and take milk out of it....but here it is so easy - just open the can and it is ready to be used.....voila!!

3 Medium  Potatoes Cubed
2 Big Carrots Cubed
15 Beans Diced
1 Inch Cinnamon Stick
3 Cardomom
3/4th Tin Coconut Milk
5 Green Chillies
1 Small onion Cut into small pieces
1 Inch Ginger Piece
3 Spoons Dry Coconut
6 to 8 Whole Cashews
1 Tsp Coriander Powder
Oil
1 Tsp Zeera
Salt to taste

As usual I microwaved the vegetables (except onion)! Take a little oil in a pan add the zeera, cinnamon, cardomom and one finely cut green chilly. Add the onion and saute till turns lightly brown. Add the veggies and let it cook.
In the meantime, grind the remaining chillies with ginger, cashew and dry coconut. Add this to the veggies and let it boil for couple of more minutes.
Add the salt, coriander powder and the coconut milk and let it simmer till it thickens a little.
Garnish it with cilantro after it cools down. It goes well with rice and roti.

Pav Bhaji

I went shopping and was looking at the list of things that I needed for the week. I read bread from the list and went to pick one from the shelf...and suddenly my attention got diverted to the next shelf...my son was pulling the pav buns from the shelf. He likes sandwiches but never given pav bhaji for him. Hence, I planned to make it for him.
This dish reminds me of the good old days….(back to yester years) my college days!! Our College canteen was famous for the Chat items. It used to be so good that even people from outside of our college used to come and have it here.
Our Class was situated right in front of the canteen and the smell from the canteen used to always linger in our class room!! The smell itself was enough to kindle our taste buds and we will be waiting for the classes to end (we were never allowed to go to canteen during college hours…prohibited!!) to enjoy the Chat items.
I make this dish at home for my cousins, nieces and nephews. It became a big hit in our household.
Pav Buns Potatoes – 6
Carrots Peas – 1/2 cup
Beans – 10
Capsicum – 1
Tomatoes -2
Amchur powder – ½ tsp
Coriander Powder – ½ tsp
Jeera Powder – ½ tsp
Garam Masala – 1 tsp
Green chillies – 3
Ginger – 1 tsp (cut into small pieces)
Red Chilly Powder – 1 tsp (use less if the chilly powder is hot)
Onions – 1 medium size
Lemon
Pressure cook all the vegetables except Capsicum and Tomatoes with little turmeric. Take oil and butter in a pan. Add Jeera, Onions, Green Chillies and Ginger. Fry till the onion starts turning slightly brown in color. Now add the cut tomatoes and fry it well (adding water as and when needed).
After the pressure gets released –mash the vegetables with the masher and add it. Add all the masala powder and let it boil for some more time. If the gravy is becoming too hard add water to it. Garnish it with Cilantro.
Spread butter in the tava and toast the pav buns. Serve it with finely cut onions and small lemon pieces. It tastes yummy when the gravy is complimented with onions and lemon juice.