Rasam in a jiffy

Rasam the comfort food from south Indian cuisine. This spicy clear soup is among the first few items I learnt to cook. So here goes the recipe.

Ingredients

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Cumin seeds - 2 tsp

Oil - 1 tsp

Red chilli - 1

Peppercorns - 5

Tomato chopped or pureed - 1/2

Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Tamarind - 1/2 lemon size

Water - 5 cups

Salt as per taste

Turmeric powder - 1 pinch

Recipe

1) Heat oil in a deep bottomed vessel, add mustard seeds and cumin seeds once they splutter add red chilli, curry leaves and garlic.

2) Then pour in water and add all the remaining ingredients.

3) Allow to boil nicely for 10-12 minutes, then switch off and garnish with cilantro.

Hot and Sour Soup

Food historians tell us the history of soup is probably as old as the history of cooking. One of the first types of soups can be dated to about 6,000 BC. Commercial soup became popular with the invention of canning in the 19th century, and today a great variety of canned and dried soups are on the market, yet freshly made soups get those taste buds sizzling.

Ingredients

Vegetable Stock/Chicken Stock - 3 cups
Sesame Seed Oil - 1 Spoon
Ajinamoto (Optional) -
Salt as per taste
Soy Sauce - 2 tbsp
Rice vinegar - 1 tbsp
Red chili paste/Red chili paste -
Pepper - 1 pinch
Sugar - 1/4 spoon
Vegetables sliced thin - (Mushroom, Carrot, Snow peas, Spring onion)
Ginger
Firm Tofu
Corn flour

Recipe

1)We can make our own stock (Vegetable Stock Recipe) or use store brought ones.
2)Combine Vegetable stock, Soy sauce, Rice Vinegar, Vegetables, Red chili sauce, Ginger, Pepper, Sugar, Spring onions, Ajinamoto in a deep bottom vessel and bring to a nice boil.
3)Remove the froth which is formed while boiling the soup.
4)Add the Sesame Seed oil and Tofu once the vegetables has come to a nice boil.
5)Mix corn flour with water and then pour the mixture to the soup slowly making sure to stir continuously.Once done switch off the stove.
6)Top this with few freshly chopped Spring Onions.

Vegetable Stock

Stock is a flavored water preparation. It forms the basis of many dishes, particularly soups and sauces.Nowadays usually conveniently conjured up by adding water to a commercial preparation (the term stock cube is not recorded until as recently as the 1960s; American English still prefers the more refined-sounding bouillon cube, which dates from the 1930s), stock is traditionally the product of a pot kept constantly simmering on the hob, to which odds and ends of meat, bones vegetables, etc. are added from time to time to keep up a continuous stock for flavoury broth as a basis for soups, stews, sauces. Let us see an Indian version of the stock which is simple yet delicious.

Ingredients

Pepper - 1 tbsp

Star Aniseed's - 2
Black cardamom - 2
Cloves - 2
Cinnamon sticks - 1 inch
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Whole coriander seeds - 1 tsp
Bay leaves - 1
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Vegetables chopped - (Cauliflower, Cabbage, Celery, Spring onions, Carrots)
Coriander stems
Onion chopped - 1
Garlic chopped - 3
Green chili chopped - 1
Ginger - 1 inch piece
Salt as per taste
Water

Recipe

1)Combine all the ingredients in a stockpot large enough to contain the ingredients and water to cover all the vegetables.
2)Turn the stove to a high temperature, and bring the stock to a quick simmer. Once the water has begun to boil, turn the stove down to low. Allow the vegetables to simmer for an hour and then switch of the stove.
3)Strain your stock through a fine mesh.

Tips

1)Make a delicious vegetable stock by using the water from soaking Basmathi rice for 30 minutes.
2)Freezing stock in Ice cubes is a great way to store stock. Then take the frozen stock cubes and put them in a freezer bag and mark the date on the bag.
3)The vegetables are good for a cheese Omelet or just puree them and add in any sauce.

Horse gram Rasam

Wishing All My Blogger Friends A Very Happy New Year !

Horse gram is a much neglected gram /lentil with a lot of medicinal value.The rich fiber content and the body heat generating property of horse gram helps in reducing the body fat in a fast mode.Let's see a recipe of Rasam with Horse gram, this is a very good remedy for colds coughs and running nose.

Ingredients

Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard - 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Asafoetida - a pinch
Curry Leaf - 1 sprig
Garlic peeled and chopped - 4 pearls
Tomato chopped  - 1
Water - 5-6 cups
Black pepper -  tbsp
Coriander powder - 2-3 tsp
Cumin powder - 1 tsp
Horse gram - 2 cups 
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Tamarind - 1/2 Lemon size
salt as per taste
Cilantro optional
 

Recipe

1)Soak the horse gram overnight in water and pressure cook for 2 whistles.
2)Heat oil in a deep bottomed vessel,add mustard seeds,fenugreek seeds,cumin seeds.Once they splutter add asafoetida powder,curry leaves and garlic.
3)To this add tomato and cook for about 4-5 minutes in medium flame till the oil oozes out.
4)Then pour in water and add the coriander,Cumin and Black pepper powders.
5)Add horse gram,turmeric powder and tamarind paste.Allow to boil nicely for 10-12 minutes.
6)As soon as the rasam starts to boil,immediately switch off and add salt.Garnish with finely chopped cilantro.

 

 

Tips

 

1)When you pressure cook the horse gram,save the left over water from the cooked horse gram and use it to make rasam.
2)Goes well with plain rice.

Tomato Soup

Our modern word "soup" derives from the Old French word sope and soupe.Food historians tell us the history of soup is probably as old as the history of cooking among which tomato soup is considered as one of the best comfort foods.Here is the reipe of a very simple,creamy and yummy tomato soup,a sure hit with all friends and family.

Ingredients

Tomatoes chopped - 3
Sugar - 1 Tbsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Basil leaves - 2 springs
Butter - 2 tbsp
Red color - 1 pinch (optional)
Garlic chopped - 4 cloves
Green capsicum deseeded and chopped - 1/2
Leeks/Celery/Carrot - 1 small piece
Onion chopped - 1/2
Pepper powder as per taste
salt as per taste
Boiled chana (Chickpea) - 1/2 cup
Boiled pasta - 1/2 cup
All purpose flour - 1 tbsp

Milk - 3 tbsp

All purpose flour - 1 tbsp
Cream - 1/4 cup

Recipe

1)Heat butter in a deep bottomed pan.Add the cumin seeds and once they splutter add the chopped garlic and onions.
2)Fry nicely and add leeks/celery/carrot,capsicum,chopped tomatoes,salt,basil leaves and pepper powder.Stir and cook for about 7-8 minutes.
3)Once done switch off the stove,allow the paste to cool and then blend to a fine paste.Add water if necessary.
4)Pour the paste back to the pan and boil nicely.

5)Mix in salt,sugar,Red food color,pasta and boiled chana (chickpea) and stir
occasionally.

6)Mix all purpose flour in milk without any lumps and pour it into the pan.Allow the soup to cook for 4-5 more minutes and then switch off the flame add in cream and mix thoroughly.
5)The yummy hot tomato soup is ready to serve.

Tips

1)To increase the depth of flavor in this soup be sure to saute the onions and garlic nicely.
2)Use plum tomatoes and fresh herbs.
3)The sugar is added to soften the acidity of the tomatoes and deeper the flavor.

Mexican Corn Soup

Mexican cuisine is known for its varied flavors, colorful decoration, and variety of spices and ingredients, many of which are native to the country.In Mexico don’t be at all surprised if your food is served in a banana leaf, either. This is a favorite way of presenting food and it’s delicious as well as appetizing.Let's see a delicious corn soup recipe.

Ingredients

Corn - 3 cups
Tomatoes - 2
Oregano - 1 tsp
Garlic finely chopped - 1
Onion finely chopped - 1/2
Oil - 1 tbsp
Salt as per taste
Pepper as per taste
Cream - 1/2 cup
Any cheese - 4 tbsp
Parsley - 1 tbsp
Bread Croutons as required

Recipe

1)Blend 1 1/2 cups of corn,tomatoes,oregano into a fine paste.
2)Heat oil in pan,add the onions and fry nicely for 3-4 minutes in medium.
3)Once done add in the garlic and saute.
4)Next pour the blended mixture of corn in the pan,mix in salt and pepper also at this stage and allow it to cook nicely for 5-6 minutes.
4)Now add the remaining corn and cook the soup nicely for about 10-12 minutes.
5)Serve in a bowl adding little cheese,parsley,and bread croutons.

Tips

1)Can also add fried tortilla's,sour cream for while serving for additional taste.