Minestrone Soup

It is a thick soup of Italian origin made with vegetables, often with the addition of pasta or rice. There is no set recipe for minestrone, since it is usually made out of whatever vegetables are in season.

Ingredients (serves 4)

5 tomatoes

1 small beetroot

1/2 cup bottle gourd

1 small carrot

1 small stick celery OR Few basil leaves

½ tsp oregano

¼ tsp chili flakes

4 cups water/stock

Salt to taste

For garnish

4 tbsp stir fried vegetables (finely chopped)

2 tbsp boiled pasta (small)

Chopped coriander & grated cheese

Method

Pressure cook all vegetables with very little water and cool them.

Strain, add seasonings and stock.

Boil the soup.

Add stir fried vegetables.

Serve hot garnished with coriander & cheese.

Tips:

You can avoid celery if you don’t have, or use basil leaves instead.

Minestrone soup is little on the thinner side.

You can use any pasta in this.

I used stir fried green & yellow capsicum, beetroot, cabbage, carrot.

All stir fried vegetables should be finely chopped.

You can avoid cheese in the end.

Stir Fried Salad

This one I learned by eating many times at a popular restaurant, they denied me the recipe so I created my own, which turned out to be better then what I ate ;)

Ingredients (serves 4)

1 red capsicum chopped

1 yellow capsicum chopped

½ cup broccoli chopped

½ cup zucchini chopped

½ cup baby corn chopped

2 tbsp black olives chopped

½ cup cucumber chopped

½ cup tomato chopped

½ cup cottage cheese or tofu (squared)

Few salad leaves

½ tsp dried oregano

¼ tsp chilli flakes

Salt to taste

¼ tsp white vinegar or lemon juice

½ tsp olive oil

Method

First stir fry zucchini, broccoli and baby corn in little olive oil.

Cover the pan to make them little soft.

Add all vegetables except salad leaves & sauté for about a minute.

Put off the heat & add salad leaves.

Season with oregano, salt & chilli flakes.

Sprinkle vinegar or lemon juice.

Serve hot or cold.

Tips

Add salt to this salad only while serving or it will loose lot of water.

The veggies should be left little crunchy.

If you want you can add finely chopped garlic while frying in the beginning.

Coffee Mousse on Biscuit Crust

Mousse with Coffee.... deliciously sophisticated dessert perfect for the end of a candlelight dinner for two :)

Ingredients

1 cup roughly chopped milk chocolate
1/4 cup milk
1 tbsp powdered sugar
2 cups whipped cream
1 tbsp coffee powder dissolved in 1 tbsp warm milk

For Biscuit layer

1 cup coarsely crushed biscuits (8 to 10 pieces)

1 ½ tbsp melted butter

For Garnish
grated dark chocolate

½ cup Whipped cream

Few glazed cherries

Method

For Biscuit layer

Combine crushed biscuits and melted butter in a bowl and mix well. Divide the crust into 4 equal portions and place equal quantities into 4 individual bowls /glass. Keep aside.

For Mousse

Combine the chocolate and milk in a pan & melt on a double-boiler. Remove and mix well until no lumps remain & keep aside.

Combine the sugar and 2 cups whipped cream in a deep bowl and fold gently.

Add the chocolate-milk mixture and fold gently.

Add the coffee mixture and fold gently.

How to proceed

Pour equal quantities of the mixture into bowls over Biscuit layer and refrigerate for at least 3 to 4 hours or till the mousse sets.

Top each with a cherry and decorate with whipped cream.

Serve chilled garnished with grated chocolate.

Tips:
You can also melt the chocolate-milk mixture in microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for 30 seconds.

You can use any biscuit for the layer.
You can make this mousse without biscuit layer.

Orange & Raisin Muffins

Very nice flavour & aroma of orange :)

Ingredients (10 to 12 muffins)

1 cup plain flour (maida)
1/4 tsp soda bi-carb
1/2 cup butter
1 tbsp orange squash
1 tsp grated orange rind (optional)
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup condensed milk
1/4 cup raisins

1/3 cup cream
1/2 tsp butter for greasing

Method

Sieve the flour with soda bi-carb. Keep aside.

Cream the butter, orange squash, orange rind and sugar till smooth and creamy

Add the condensed milk, raisins, cream and flour and mix well.

Spoon the mixture into greased and dusted muffin moulds.

Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180°c for 15 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in a muffin comes out clean.

Cool slightly and unmould.

Tips

Sieve the flour thrice to trap air in the flour.

Beat the batter really well to make soft & spongy muffins.

You can use dried cranberries instead of raisins.

Line the muffin moulds with paper cups instead of greasing the moulds. This way they do not crumble when unmoulding.

These muffins can stay fresh for upto a week in refrigerated conditions. Warm them for 2 to 3 minutes in an oven before serving.

Whole Wheat Bread

This is Tarla Aunty’s recipe and I really like it.

Ingredients (makes 12 to 14 slices)

2 1/4 cups (250 grams) whole wheat flour

2 tsp fresh yeast OR 1 tsp dry yeast
3/4 tsp sugar
1 tsp butter
3/4 tsp salt

Method

Sieve the flour. Make a well in the centre.

Add the yeast, sugar and a little warm water.

Cover the flour & wait for at least 4 to 5 minutes. Add the butter and salt.

Knead into soft dough by adding some more warm water.

Knead well till the dough is smooth and elastic.

Cover with a damp muslin cloth and allow it to prove till it doubles in volume (approx. 20 minutes).

Knead again, shape into a loaf and place it in a greased loaf tin.

Cover with a damp muslin cloth and allow it to prove again till it doubles in volume.

Sprinkle some water over the loaf tin and bake in a pre-heated oven at 200°c for 10 minutes. Then reduce the temperature to 150°c and bake for another 15 minutes.

Cool and cut into slices. Use as required.

Tips: 

To get a soft bread you really have to knead the dough well (Very Well).

You can shape the bread in whatever shape you want.
Instead of only wheat flour, you can add multi-grain flour.

Bruschetta

Bruschetta is an Antipasto, meaning "before the meal" , from Italy. It is the traditional first course of a formal Italian meal.

Ingredients

5 slice of whole wheat bread/French bread
2 tsp olive oil
2 cloves of garlic finely chopped (optional)

For the topping
1 medium sized tomato deseeded & chopped finely

1 medium sized capsicum chopped finely
1 tsp chopped fresh basil leaves
1 tsp dried oregano

¼ tsp chilli flakes OR few drops of Tabasco sauce
salt & pepper to taste

½ tbsp grated cheese

Method

For the topping

Mix all the ingredients and keep aside for at least 10 to 15 minutes.

Drain out the excess liquid. Keep aside.

Method

Brush some olive oil and garlic onto each bread slice, cut them diagonally into two and bake in a pre-heated oven at 180°C for 3 to 4 minutes till they are lightly toasted.

Top each toasted piece with 1½ tablespoons of the topping cut into two equal pieces and serve immediately.

Tips: You can apply butter instead of olive oil & toast the slices on hot girdle. Then bake in hot oven after applying the topping.

Chocolate Oreo Truffles

Yummy & easy to make, treat for every one :)

Ingredients

8 Oreo cookies crushed

2 tbsp cream cheese softened

3 tbsp white chocolate pieces

2 tsp dark chocolate melted

Method

Mix Oreo and cream cheese together in a mixer.

Roll into walnut size balls & chill for an hour.

Melt white chocolate on double boiler.

Stick a tooth pick in an Oreo ball & dip it in the melted white chocolate.

Put on a wax paper & refrigerate for about 10 minutes.

While waiting, melt dark chocolate also on double boiler.

When balls are no longer sticky to the touch, decorate with drizzles of dark chocolate. Refrigerate.

Tips:

You can make cream cheese at home by taking out fresh cottage cheese from low fat milk, straining it & then churning it in the mixer with little whey.

If the melted chocolates are left, you can refrigerate it for later use.

Spinach & Corn Quiche

Quiche is one of those exotic European dishes that are filling and healthy meal in itself. Mostly egg is used in its filling but here I am giving out the eggless version and it tastes as good as the original French Quiche :)

Quiche is an open pie, and you can give it a new look every time that you bake one, with the vegetables of your choice.

Ingredients

For the short crust pastry
1 cup plain flour (maida)
1/2 cup cold margarine or butter
a large pinch of salt

For the stuffing
2 cups blanched and chopped spinach (palak)

½ cup corn
1 cup crumbled paneer (cottage cheese)
1/2 tsp chopped green chillies
2 tbsp cornflour
3/4 cup milk
2 tbsp cream
1/4 cup grated vegetarian cheese
1/2 tsp dried oregano

½ tsp red chilli flakes
2 tbsp butter
salt & pepper to taste

Method

For the short crust pastry
Sieve the flour and salt together.

Cut the margarine with a knife. Rub into the flour with fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

Gradually add ice-cold water (approx. two to three tablespoons) and make dough of rolling consistency.

Lightly flour the rolling pin and the pastry board.

Roll the pastry into four 120 mm (5") diameter circles.

Line the base and sides of four greased 100 mm (4") diameter pie dishes.

Prick with a fork and bake in a hot oven at 230°C (460°F) for 10-12 minutes. Keep aside.

For the stuffing
Heat the butter in a pan; add green chillies, corn and sauté for 1 minute.

Dissolve the cornflour in the milk and add this to the mixture.

Cook till the mixture thickens, add all the remaining ingredients and mix well. Keep aside.

How to proceed
Spread the spinach corn mixture over the baked pastry in the pie dishes.

Bake in a hot oven at 230°C for 10 minutes or until the mixture becomes firm. Serve hot.

Tips:

Before baking decorate with sliced tomatoes or any other vegetable of your choice.

Short crust pastry can be made using half maida and half whole wheat flour OR full whole wheat flour OR half oats and half whole wheat flour. It will taste different but will be healthier.

Fruit Custard Tarts

Yummy !!

Ingredients

For the tarts
2 tsp low fat butter
1 tbsp castor sugar
3/4 cup plain flour (maida)
pinch of baking powder
1 tbsp custard powder

For the low fat custard
1 cup low fat milk
1 tbsp custard powder
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla essence

Other ingredients
1/2 tsp oil for greasing
plain flour (maida) for dusting

For the garnish
Slices of fruits (I used Grapes & Strawberries)

Method

For the tarts

Sieve together the flour and baking powder.

Cream the low fat butter and sugar in a bowl with a wooden spoon till light and fluffy.

Add the flour and custard powder in 2 batches and mix lightly to form a dough.

Knead the dough on a light dusted surface until smooth.

Divide the dough into 8 equal portions.

Press each portion into greased tart moulds (approx. 25 mm. (1") diameter).

Prick with a fork.

Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180°C for 15 minutes or until the tarts are golden in colour.

Remove, unmould and cool. Store in an air-tight container.

For the custard
Mix the custard powder in ¼ cup milk and keep aside.

Heat the remaining milk with the sugar and mix well.

Add the custard powder mixture and vanilla essence and cook over a low flame, stirring continuously till the mixture coats the back of the spoon.

Cool and keep aside.

How to proceed
Fill the tarts with the custard, and refrigerate until the custard is set.

Serve garnished with slices of kiwi, strawberry and orange segments.

Tips:

Set the custard in tarts 2 hours before you want to serve, keeping them filled longer will turn them soggy.

Tomato Beetroot Soup

I experimented with vegetables & got this.... It Looks lovely and tastes yum !!

Ingredients (serves 4)

6 tomatoes chopped

1 beetroot chopped

1 cup chopped bottle gourd

1 cup chopped carrot

1 stick celery chopped

½ tsp jeera (cumin) powder

4 cups water/stock

Salt & pepper to taste

Chopped coriander for garnish

Method

Pressure cook all vegetables with very little water and cool them.

Strain, add seasonings and stock.

Boil the soup.

Serve hot garnished with coriander.

Tips:

You can avoid celery if you don’t have, or use basil leaves instead.

Bisi Bele Bhath

This is a rice-based dish with its origins in the state of Karnataka, India.

Ingredients  Serves 4

1/2 cup Toor dal

1 cup Rice

50 gm Green peas

100 gm Carrot

100 gm Beans

200 gm Bottle gourd

Small lime size Tamarind (Soak in a little water and extract juice & keep it aside).

2 tsp Mustard seeds (rai dana)

20 gm Cashew nuts

For Powder

1 tsp Chana Dal

1 tsp Urad dal

1/4 tsp Asafoetida (Heeng)

1/2 tsp Fenugreek seeds (Methi dana)

3 tsp Coriander seeds (Sabut Dhaniya)

3 tbsp Dry coconut powder (copra)

3 Dry red chillies (you can reduce or increase as per your taste)

Few Curry leaves

Few Coriander leaves

oil for roasting & for seasoning

Salt as per taste

Method

For Powder

Heat the pan & dry roast chana dal & urad dal & then heat little oil in a pan. Add red chillies, fenugreek, coriander seeds and grated dry coconut. Fry until fenugreek turns golden brown in color.

Powder the above things and keep it aside.

Chop the vegetables into 2.5 cm pieces.

Wash rice and dal. Soak them in enough water.

Pressure cook dal, rice and vegetables along with salt and turmeric powder.

After about 15 mins, Open the lid & put some more water for the right consistency & keep it to boil & add tamarind juice and powder masala. Mix thoroughly.

Heat little ghee and fry cashew nuts until golden brown in color. Add to the Dal-Rice mixture.

Heat little oil, mustard, Hing & curry leaves. Temper the Bhath.

Serve hot with salad, Cucumber rayeta, papad or potato chips.

Tips:

If you want to use less Tamarind, add ½ cup of tomato puree with less Tamarind.

Stuffed Spinach Leaves in Tomato Gravy

Something different :)

Ingredients

15 to 20 spinach (palak) leaves , blanched
1/4 tsp oil for greasing

For The Filling
1 cup paneer (cottage cheese)

½ cup boiled corn crushed

2 tbsp chopped onions

1 slit green chilli finely chopped

1tbsp chopped coriander

1 tbsp butter

Salt to taste

For the tomato gravy
3 large tomatoes, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1/2 tsp chilli powder
2 pinches of dried oregano
1 tbsp fresh cream
2 tsp sugar
salt to taste

1 tbsp Grated Cheese

For the filling
Heat the butter in a pan, add the onions and sauté till they turn translucent.

Add the green chillies and sauté again for ½ a minute.

Add the paneer, corn, coriander and salt and cook for 2 minutes.

Keep aside.

For the tomato gravy
Cook the tomatoes and onion in hot water until soft. Blend in a liquidiser.
Add the chilli powder, oregano, sugar and salt and boil for a few minutes.
Add the cream.

How to proceed
Keep the spinach leaves in hot water for 2 minutes & transfer to a bowl of cold water immediately. Pat dry leaves completely.

Put a little filling on each leaf and roll it up tightly.

Arrange the rolls in the baking dish.

Pour tomato gravy on rolls & sprinkle grated cheese.

Bake at 180◦C for 10 minutes.

Serve hot.

Tips:

Take bigger leaves of spinach as they are easier to handle.

You can use mixed vegetables for filling instead of paneer.

You can use white sauce instead of tomato gravy.

This dish can be made without baking by using flowing tomato gravy recipe and just pouring it on the rolls.

Here I’m giving recipe of another tomato gravy, you can use any one you like :)

Tomato Gravy

1/2 cup roughly chopped onions
2 large tomatoes
1/2 cup low fat curds
2 tsp besan (bengal gram flour) mixed with 2 tbsp water
1 tsp green chilli paste
1 tsp ginger-garlic (adrak-lehsun) paste
1/2 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp oil
2 cloves (laung / lavang)
1 bay leaf (tejpatta)
1/4 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
1/4 tsp fennel seeds (saunf)
salt to taste
1/4 cup low-fat milk
2 tbsp chopped coriander (dhania)

Method

Blend the onions in a mixer to a smooth paste. Keep aside.

Boil a vesselful of water and add the tomatoes to it.

Remove after a few minutes, peel and blend in a mixer to a smooth purée. Keep aside.

Combine the curds, tomato purée, besan, green chilli paste, ginger-garlic paste, turmeric powder, garam masala, sugar and 1/4 cup water in a bowl and mix well. Keep aside.

Heat the oil in a non-stick kadhai, add the cloves, bayleaf, cumin seeds and fennel seeds and sauté on a medium flame for 1 minute or till the seeds crackle.

Add the prepared onion paste and sauté on a medium flame till it is light pink in colour.

Add the prepared curds-tomato mixture and salt and boil till the gravy thickens.

Remove from the flame, add the milk and coriander, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 1 minute.

Dates & Walnut Cake

Kids love this in their snack box and it also taste awesome when served with evening tea :)

Ingredients (makes single 1 Kg cake)

20 deseeded dates (soak in just enough water for 30 mins)

1 ¼ cup plain flour (maida)

¼ cup chopped walnuts

120 gm soft butter

1 tin condensed milk (400 gm)

1 tsp baking powder

1 ½ tsp baking soda

Method

Sieve flour, baking powder and baking soda thrice.

Blend dates in a blender with enough water to get a paste.

Mix together in bowl butter, dates paste & condensed milk.

Add flour and walnuts slowly and mix well.

Pour in a greased baking tin.

Bake at 180˚C for 40 minutes.

Tips:

Sieving the flour thrice really make a difference in softness of the cake.

Colour of cake depends on colour of dates you use.

You can substitute Dates with pineapple & avoid Walnuts if u want.