Cream of Tomato Soup

For me tomato soup is one of the best comfort dishes. The sight, the smell bring up the sweet golden memories of our frequent restaurant visits... waiting for bowl of lukewarm orange-red soup and crunchy bread croutons. I don't think I have ever tasted it, I never could get past the smell...
So, today I thought to rejoice those memories again. Some of my friends use canned tomato for making soup. But for me they seemed to be edible within the confines of bomb shelter. It's great, rich in flavour and healthy when you go for a homemade version. You can make it in about the time it takes to heat a canned version.
I prefer using extremely ripe tomatoes (not over-ripe) for making soup.

Ingredients:

4 ripe tomatoes (cut into large chunks)
1 carrot (chopped)
1/2 cup onions ( chopped)
1 tbsp chopped garlic
1/2 cup bell pepper
1/2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp all-purpose flour
1/2 cup skimmed milk
2 tsp melted butter
Salt and pepper (Adjust seasoning to taste)

Method:

Heat 1 tsp butter in a deep pan. Add chopped onions, tomatoes, bell pepper and garlic. Saute till tomatoes turns soft. Keep aside and let it cool for sometime. Now, blend the mixture until smooth.
In the same pan, heat remaining butter and add the all-purpose flour. Saute for few seconds. Now, slowly add blended mixture and stir continuously so that no lumps are formed. Add dried basil and milk. Simmer until the desired consistency is achieved. Adjust the seasonings

Garnish with bread croutons, shredded cheese or crackers.

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Fish Curry (Kerala Style)

Fish curry with Kudam-pulli (Gamboge in English) is the staple food in most of the households in kerala & also it is one of the favourite dish of my husband. Whenever I prepare this dish I try to reach the level of perfection which my mom and my mother-in-law have in their version of fish curry. But I still find myself lagging somewhere. Anyhow Sree love my recipe and that's what counts for me. To be precise, my recipe is South-Kerala style where coconut is roasted with masalas. And yeah, they enhance the flavour of this dish.
The type of fish used in this curry matters a lot. Here, I have to manage with frozen tilapia or salmon fillets. Yeah! it's true that they are best when fried. I can't stop thinking about my mom's special fish curry where she used either matti or pomfret. Mom you're the best!!

Ingredients:

4-5 medium sized fish ( I've used Tilapia)
2 pieces Kudampulli
4 Green chillies (slitted)
2/3 cup grated coconut
6-7 Shallots (chopped)
3 tsp Red Chilly Powder
2 tsp Coriander Powder
1/4 tsp Fenugreek Powder
1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
1/2 tbsp Ginger (chopped)
Salt to taste
2 tbsp Oil (I prefer coconut oil)
Curry leaves - 3 Sprigs

Method:

Take a pan. Heat coconut oil and add shallots, fennel seeds and curry leaves. Saute well. Add the grated coconut and green chillies. Saute continuously until it turns deep brown (it should not be burned). Now add all the masalas and take it off the heat. Let the mixture cool for sometime.
Grind the mixture till paste (avoid adding water while grinding). Keep it aside.

A shallow clay dish called Chatti or Manchatti is used to prepare this dish. But if not available, take a wide bottomed pan and heat oil. Splutter mustard seeds and curry leaves. Add ginger pieces and fry for sometime.
Add some water, ground paste and put kudampulli into it. Bring it to boil. Lower the heat and add the fish pieces. Close the lid and simmer for 10 mins until fish is cooked. Adjust salt and serve with steamed rice.

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Aloo Mutter/ Potato Peas Curry

Well, here comes another delicious and very popular North-Indian dish. Aloo Mutter is an everyday food during the season of peas. I prefer this mostly when friends are there for lunch or dinner. It is very easy to cook & full of taste. My version is bit spicy than the original one.

Ingredients:

2 large potatoes boiled, peeled
1 cup peas(fresh) boiled
1 large onion finely chopped
1 tomato finely chopped
1 tsp Ginger Garlic Paste
1 tsp Red Chilly Powder
1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Coriander Powder
1 tsp Garam Masala
1 pinch each of cumin and mustard seeds
1 tbsp chopped cilantro leaves
Salt to taste
1 tbsp Oil

Method:

Chop potatoes into big pieces. Heat oil, splutter cumin and mustard seeds. Add ginger garlic paste and fry for few seconds. Add chopped onions and saute till translucent. Add tomato and cook till oil separates. Now, add all masalas and salt. Saute well. Add potatoes and peas, 1/2 cup water and bring it to boil. Allow to simmer till gravy thickens and stir occasionally (remember not to stir much as the boiled potatoes are tender and may go out of shape). Empty into a serving bowl and garnish with chopped cilantro.
Serve hot with chappatis, parathas or even steamed rice.

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Coconut - Cashew Brownies

When we try something that is so perfectly ready for adaptation that you instantly start dreaming of making it even better. And, when it comes to chocolate brownies, the texture itself makes them irresistible. They are either fudgy or cakey, and may include nuts or chocolate chips. It's hard to eat just one!

Just to add some extra flavour and texture to the traditional chocolate brownies, I preferred adding cashew and toasted coconut. And I ended up with moist, chewy and wonderful coconut flavoured brownies.

Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup melted butter
2 tbsp flaked coconut
2 tbsp powdered cashew
1-1/2 ounces unsweetened chocolate syrup

Method:

Sift flour with baking powder and salt. In a mixing bowl, beat eggs and gradually adding sugar. Stir in melted butter, then add flour mixture and coconut flakes, mix well. Now blend chocolate syrup into the mixture. Spread chocolate batter into a greased baking pan & sprinkle powdered cashew over the batter. Bake for 30-35 mins at 350 F. Cool on a wire rack, then cut into squares or bars.

Serve with ice-cream.

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Vellarikka Pachadi/Cucumber Raita

Pachadi refers to a traditional South-Indian side dish. In Kerala, pachadi is a side-dish curry similar to North-Indian Raita. It is typically made of finely chopped and boiled vegetables with coconut, green chillies and curd/yogurt.

Vellarikka Pachadi is made for Onam Sadya and this dish is prepared with kani vellarikka, also known as golden cucumber.

Ingredients:

Vellarikka (peeled and chopped) - 1 cup
Green Chillies - 3
Grated Coconut - 1/2 cup
Curd/Yogurt - 1/2 cup
Cumin seeds - 1 pinch
Mustard seeds - 2 pinches
Red chillies - 2
Curry Leaves - 4-5
Oil (preferably coconut oil) - 2 tsp
Salt to taste

Method:

Grind grated coconut, green chillies and cumin seeds into a smooth paste. Add some water if required. Keep aside. In a pan, cook chopped cucumber with 2-3 tbsp water. Cook for few minutes until cucumber turns soft. Add the ground paste to it and cook again in low-medium heat. Turn off before it starts to boil. Now add curd to the mixture. The curry should be at medium consistency.
In another pan, heat oil and splutter mustard seeds, red chillies and curry leaves. Add this to the mixture and close the lid. Switch off the flame.
Serve with rice.

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Kadai Vegetable

Kadai vegetable is a mildy spiced, creamy dish and goes well with rotis and naan.

Ingredients

Carrot (cubed) - 1 cup
French Beans ( cut into bits) - 1/2 cup
Cauliflower Florets - 1 cup
Potato (cubed) - 1 medium
Green Peas - 1/4 cup
Onion (sliced) - 1 large
Tomatoes Puree - 2 cups
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tbsp
Red Chilly Powder - 1 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
Cumin Powder - 1/2 tsp
Green Bell Pepper - 1
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Red Chillies - 2
Cilantro (chopped) - 1 tsp
Cashews (soaked in water) - 1/4 cup
Oil - 2 tbsp
Water - As required
Salt to taste

Method

Heat oil in a deep pan and splutter the mustard seeds. Add onions and green bell pepper and saute till onions are translucent. Add ginger garlic paste and saute for few minutes. Add turmeric powder, chilly powder, coriander powder and cumin powder. Saute it for few seconds. Add tomato puree and water. Grind the cashew to fine paste. Add garam masala and cashew paste to the curry. Add all the vegetables and reduce the flame to medium-low. Cover and cook for 8-10 minutes until all the vegetables are cooked. Add salt to taste and garnish with cilantro leaves.

Serve hot with rotis and naan.

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Kadala Curry

Being a keralite, I thought to begin with an authentic kerala cuisine, "The Kadala Curry". The main ingredient is Karutha Kadala which is known as Bengal Gram or Black Chick Peas and Kala Chana in Hindi. Kadala curry makes a best combination with Puttu and this is my husband's favourite dish for breakfast.

Ingredients

Black Chick Peas/Kadala (soaked overnight in water) - 1 cup
Onion (sliced) - 1 large
Garlic Pod (chopped) - 3
Green Chillies (sliced) - 2
Tomato (sliced) - 1 medium
Curry Leaves - A few
Grated Coconut  - 1 tbsp
Red Chilly Powder - 1 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1 tsp
Garam Masala - 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Oil - 2 tbsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Chopped Cilantro - 1 tbsp
Salt - As required

Method 

Soak Chick Peas overnight in water. Cook it in pressure cooker adding enough water and salt. Heat little oil in a pan and fry grated coconut till golden brown. Remove from pan & keep aside to cool. When it is cooled, grind it until it turns into a fine paste. Now add oil into the same pan and splutter mustard seeds. Add curry leaves, sliced onions and sliced garlic pods. Saute till onions are translucent. Add all the masalas and tomato into it. Saute till tomatoes are cooked well. Add cooked chick peas along with water into the pan. Mix well and allow it to boil for 5 minutes. Add the ground paste into the curry & mix well. Simmer it for 2-3 minutes. Garnish with cilantro leaves.

Serve along with puttu, upma, appam, idiyappum or puri as well.

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