Broccoli and Cheese Soup.

Let it snow, let it snow..let it..Ok enough of snow.  I don’t least want to pretend  as if I welcome snow with utmost burst of energy and enthusiasm , no way But cooking a warm soup recipe of  Emeril lagasse..Yes I so love it.  If You are familiar with his recipes then you must already know that he loves garlic butter and extra hot peppers. Here is his recipe with few changes added with my Indian tang. Recipe follows:

• 4 tbsp olive oil.
• 1 cup yellow onions or sliced leeks (white parts only, well rinsed)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground  black pepper
• Pinch clove powder, ¼ tsp (or more) cayenne pepper or red chili powder.
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves or parsley  
• 3 tablespoons all purpose flour.
• 3 cups chicken stock or canned, low-sodium Chicken broth OR vegetable broth
• 1 (16-ounce) package frozen broccoli  thawed and separated
• 1/2 cup heavy cream ( his recipe) mine would be 1cup of whole milk or 4%
• 1 1/4 cups shredded medium Cheddar
• Croutons,  for garnish

Directions

In a medium pot heat olive oil. Add the onions, salt, pepper, and clove and cook, stirring, until soft, 3 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme or parsley cook, stirring, until fragrant, for 20 seconds. Add the flour and cook, stirring until the mixture is well blended and smells fragrant, 2 minutes. Raw smell of flour should disappear. Slowly add the chicken stock or Vegetable stock whisking constantly, ( or flour would turn to into lumps)and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes. Add the broccoli and cook, stirring, until tender, for 10 minutes.

Remove the pot from the heat and puree with a hand-held blender. (Alternatively, in batches, puree in a blender or food processor  and return to the pot.)
Add the cream/milk and bring to simmer to heat through. Add the cheese and cook over low heat, stirring, until melted. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons cold butter, stirring to blend.
Remove from the heat and ladle the soup into bowls. Sprinkle croutons over the top of the soup and serve immediately.

Mushroom Masala

Thinking of Divine it’s not always Chicken barbecue or juicy hamburgers, it can simply be  button Mushrooms. When I make this I can for sure meditate (without an ugly picture of bearded man in my head) on peace and serenity knowing another successful dish has been just created. This stress reduction process brings you peace with chappati on the side. Recipe follows
MASALA MUSHROOMS
20 white button mushrooms, quartered
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
1 Tsp All purpose flour.
1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
1 tbsp coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp amchoor powder
1/4 tsp garam masala( Shan Brand or MDH brand)
1 tbsp tomato paste
3 tbsp light cooking oil
fresh coriander leaves, chopped for garnish
salt, to taste
Boil 4 cups of water.  Drop chopped Mushrooms and let it sit for 10 minutes. This process is also called blanching. Heat oil in a deep wok and saute onions till they turn lightly brown. Add a Tsp of all purpose flour and fry for another minute. Add in ginger-garlic paste, spices and tomato paste, and fry for a minute to blend well  Add in tomatoes and salt and 1/4 cup of water approx. Cook, stirring occasionally till all moisture evaporates and becomes a thick sauce. Let oil come to surface or visible on the side of a pan. Throw in mushrooms and mix well.. Let mushrooms cook for another 15 minutes.. Season with salt, and garnish with fresh coriander leaves.
Want to make it creamer or gravy like…psst...Add 1 cup of whole milk and simmer for 15 minutes till gravy thickens. I also add 2 to 3 tbsp of butter. Dont always hesitate to use cream or butter when cooking for an occasion because you are not eating alone. A dish, splits into 6 or more...and divide this by number Tbsp...go figure!

Egg Biryani

Egg Biryani Recipe

Indian Biryani can be real complicated but basic is what we should know to start with, which also varies from home to home and region to region. Here is my version. This is basic Hyderabad biryani recipe.

.

Ingredients:

4-5 hard boiled eggs, peeled and into half (oblong). 
Substitutes: You can add  2 cups of mixed vegetables like carrots, peas, beans, potato, cauliflower.

and Non veg, can add a pound of Boneless chicken.

o   2 large onions, one of which is finely sliced thin and another chopped fine.

o   1 large tomato, chopped (optional)

o   1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

o   1 tbsp chopped pudina/coriander leaves

o   2 tbsps ghee/butter

o   2 Tbsp  oil ( or as required)

o   3/4 cup thick curd/yogurt

o   5 green chilies make a small slit in them

o   1/2 tbsp ginger, garlic paste

o   1/4 tbsp red chili powder (adjust)

o   1/2 tbsp coriander powder

o   2 Tbsps lemon juice

o   salt as required

o   pinch of saffron soaked in 5 tbsps luke warm milk for 10 mts

Biryani Masala: (You can buy readymade shaan brand)

o   4 cloves

o   1/2″ cinnamon stick

o   2 elaichi/cardamom

o   1/4 star anise

o   1/4 tsp shah jeera

o   5 pepper corns

Ingredients to cook rice:

o   2 1/2 cups Basmati rice

o   4 to 5 cloves

o   5 cardamoms ( crush with mallet)

o   1/2″ cinnamon stick

o   1 marathi mogga( baddi elaichi)

o   2 bay leaves

o   5-6 mint leaves

o   1/2 tbsp oil

o   3/4 tbsp salt

o   water as required

Rice Prep:

In a skillet,  add few tbsp of oil, bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon stick, cardamom, Marathi mogga (baddi eliachi), mint leaves . fry for ½ a minutes then add rice. Fry rice and ingredient until Rice is translucent in color. add required  water and salt until half cooked.( This is actually half of the total time taken to cook rice) Strain the water keep half cooked rice aside.

Next step:  Gather all ingredients

Heat 1 1/2 Tbsps oil + 1 1/2 tbsps ghee/butter  in a vessel, add sliced onions, sauté for 8-10 mts till caramelized. Remove and keep aside.

pour in skillet another 2 Tbsp of oil  and add chopped fine onions, green chilies, mint leaves, coriander leaves , ginger garlic paste and saute for 2 mts. Add red chili powder, coriander powder and biryani masala powder  and salt (just enough for the egg masala) and combine well. Add chopped tomatoes and saute for 3 mts. Let oil ooze out. Add the eggs/chicken /mixed vegetable and sauté till well coated with the masala.  Simmer and Cook for 15 minutes.. Add yogurt and combine. Cook for 10 mts till oil separates. Add lemon juice and combine. Do not cook with lemon juice. Turn off heat and keep aside.
TIP:-when you add half eggs, you have to be really careful on how you mix it. Recommended method is to cook everything without eggs and add them during the last process which is..once oil is separated from the semi dry gravy with yogurt.. Add half eggs and cook for 10 minutes . Mixture  should be semi dry.

Now the layering starts: Take a wide deep vessel to prepare the biryani. Add drizzle some oil all over, add half the rice as a first layer followed by the egg masala and spread out in the vessel.

 Spread the remaining rice over the egg masala layer, pour 1/2 tbsp of ghee/butter all over rice, and add caramelized onions. Next sprinkle corianders leave and pour saffron milk over rice. Sprinkle 3 Tbsp water.

Place lid and Cook on medium high flame for 5 to 10 mts until rice are cooked. Or in oven on 350 degree for 20 minutes

serve hot with raita and curry of your choice.

Bread and Tomato soup

So here is my tomato story. Early but not real early, winter blast of snow this week and longing for warmth where ever I can derive from makes me derive from a bowl of soup with Simple readily available ingredients in my refrigerator. The recipe follows:

·         I can diced tomatoes ( you can avoid this and add more of fresh tomatoes)

·         4 to 5 fresh Roma tomatoes (or any available)

·         1 medium size onion.

·         3 garlic pods

·         1 tsp grated ginger

·         1/4  bunch of parsley Or 1 Tbsp dried parsley

·         1 tsp dried Basil

·         ½ tsp oregano

·         Red Pepper flakes

·         4 to 5 Stale whole wheat bread or any leftover stale bread. Chopped in cubes.

·         Olive Oil 3 Tbsp for frying onions and other 3 Tbsp for frying Bread.

·         4 cans (120z or 8) of vegetable broth.

·         Salt to taste.

·         1tsp black pepper powder ( all of the dried ingredients above can be adjusted to your taste)

In a skillet pour 3 Tbsp of oil and add chopped and cubed stale bread. Let it turn brown in color but not burnt. Might take like 20 minutes.

In other skillet pour 3 Tbsp of oil, add chopped garlic and ginger. fry till translucent. Stir in chopped parsley and all other dried ingredients. Add canned and fresh tomatoes chopped, + fried bread. Stir  and simmer with lid on for 15 minutes until tomatoes soften.  Mash with potato masher. Now add broth and equivalent cans of water. Let it come to boiling point and simmer medium low for another 15 minutes. Serve hot in soup Bowl . This is a complete meal  by itself.

Simply Cabbage

 Cabbage Poriyal/ sabji/ Vedupu..Call it whatever you want, is one of the simplest low calorie food you can eat. Its cooked more or less the same way all over India with few ingredient more or less added to enhance the taste based on region. I like it best in Maharashtrian style This is a mix of two region.

1 or 2 tbsp peanut or canola oil
pinch of asafetida ( hing)
1 tsp whole brown mustard seeds
1 tsp urad dal (black split lentils), chana dal (yellow lentils), or yellow split peas
5 to 6 whole fenugreek seeds
2 to 3 dried hot red chilies
10 fresh (or dried) curry leaves (fresh basil leaves work too)
1 3/4 lb green cabbage, shredded

1/4 cup Shredded coconut
1 tsp salt

Measure and shred every ingredient before you turn the burners on.

2) In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat.

3) Once the oil is hot, add the asafetida. Immediately - like, a second later - add mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds start popping, add all dal /lentils.

4) Once the color of lentil turn lightest brown add fenugreek seeds and chilies, curry leaves..Stir. Curry leaves and green chilies (has water content) makes oil splutter so be careful.

5) Few seconds  later, add cabbage, shredded coconut. Stir a couple of times so everything is thoroughly mixed.

6) Add salt. Stir. Cook about 60 seconds.

7) Cover. Drop heat to low. Cook until cabbage is wilted.  I like it crunchy, Steamed and leave it when still green. It takes about 10 to 12 minutes.
Eat with Rice or Steamed broken wheat ( dalia)

eggplants with potatoes.

Ah! The goodness of eggplants:     Rich in Dietary fiber, potassium and manganese, also called brain food because it has Nasunin, a potent antioxidant and free radical scavenger that has been shown to protect cell membranes from damage. And now from my personal experience which goes something like this: wrap big size eggplants in aluminum file rest them on baking tray, switch the oven at 350 degrees and if like me, happen to remember after 8 hours, you will find a hollow eggplant with fibers. Experiment shows its 90% water;-D

FYI ..I love eggplants and now that my mom is with me, I get to eat my delicious and favorites. One of such dishes happens to be Brinjal /eggplant and potatoes. Simple and very Yum!!

 1 pound eggplant small variety and not green ones.

2 potatoes medium size

1 medium size Onions

1 or 2 green chilies

Coriander leaves ¼ bunches

Few Curry leaves  

1 tsp Garlic ginger paste

Dry spices

Turmeric powder ½ tsp

Red chilies powder

Salt to taste

Cut eggplant in square pieces and potatoes of same size.  In pan, add onions, coriander leaves, curry leaves, garlic ginger paste and salt, eggplants, potatoes (all of it). Add 4 to 5  tbsp of oil on top (and not before as we all do.) Add dry spices and add ¼ cup of water simmer till done. Stir once a while. Its done once potatoes are soft and eggplants are not mushy. You are now eating my favorite dish.. enjoy! :-)