Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:

Cauliflower (small flowerettes) - 1/4 cup

Carrot (chopped) - 1/4 cup

French Beans - 1/4 cup

Green Peas - 1/4 cup

Mushroom - 1/4 cup

Spring Onions - 1/2 cup

Cabbage - 1/4 cup

Veg Broth - 1 can /  Veg Seasoning - 1 cube
Pepper Powder - 1 tsp.
Corn Starch - 2 tblsp.
Salt - to taste

 
(can also add baby corns/corn/capsicum to the vegetables)
 
Method :

1. Heat butter. Add all vegetables and stir fry for 2-3 minutes on high flame.
2. Add veg broth/seasoning cube, water (as required), pepper powder, salt and bring it to a boil.
3. Then reduce the heat & add corn starch paste. Keep stiring until the soup turns thick & creamy.

4. Remove from heat after 5 minutes. Serve hot.
(You can add a little hot sauce/soya sauce when having the soup)

Chicken Hot & Sour Soup

Ingredients:

Cabbage - 1/2 cup (shredded)

Carrot - 1/2 cup (shredded)

French Beans - 1/4 cup (shredded)

Mushrooms - 1/4 cup (sliced)

Spring Onions - 1/2 cup (chopped)
Celery - 1 tsp. (chopped)
(can also add baby corns/corn to the vegetables)
Chicken Broth -  (1 can) /  Chicken Seasoning Cube - 1
Soya Sauce - 1 tblsp.
Red Chilli Sauce - 1 tblsp.
Vinegar - 1 tblsp.
Pepper Powder - ½ tsp.
Ajinomoto - ¼ tsp
Chicken - ½ cup  (boiled & shredded)
Boiled Shrimps - ¼ cup  (optional)
Corn Starch - 3 tblsp.
Salt - to taste

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan. Add all vegetables and stir fry for 2 minutes on high flame.
2. Add chicken broth/seasoning cube, water (as required), soya sauce, red chilli sauce, vinegar, pepper powder, ajinomoto, salt and chicken/shrimps and  bring it to a boil.
3. Then reduce the heat & add corn starch paste. Keep stiring until the soup thickens a bit.
4. Remove from heat after 5 minutes. For garnishing use spring onions.

South Indian Chicken Soup

Ingredients:

Chicken - 1/2 lb (bony pieces)
Shallot onions - 5-8 (chopped)
Tomato - 1 (chopped or mashed up with hands)
Green Chilly - 1
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Chicken Masala - 1/2 tsp
Cilantro - 3 springs (chopped)

For tempering: 

Oil - 2 tblsp
Peppercorns - 1 tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
Red chilly - 1
Garlic pods - 5 or 6
Curry Leaves - 5 leaves






Method:



1. In a pressure cooker add the bony chicken pieces, onion, green chilly and tomato.
2. Add about 5-6 cups of water, salt and turmeric powder.
3. Pressure cook for 7-8 whistles. We want the bones to break down and release all its essence.
4. In the meantime, coarsely grind the ingredients under 'For Tempering' using the pulse mode. You can also use a motar and pestle to crush the ingredients.
5. Heat oil in a small pan, add the coarsely ground masala and fry for a minute.
6. After the pressure goes down, open the cooker and turn on the heat.
7. Add the tempering, chicken masala and chopped cilantro to the rasam.
8. Bring it to a boil and switch off. Serve it piping hot.

Creamy Mushroom Soup

Ingredients:

Mushrooms - 1.5 cup (very finely  chopped)
Onion - 1 (very finely chopped)
Pepper Powder - 1 tsp
Oregano - 1/4 tsp
Milk - 1 cup
Heavy Cream/ Fresh Cream - 2 tblsp (optional)
Maida (All Purpose Flour) - 1 tblsp
Chicken/ Mushroom/ Vegetable Stock - 3 cups
Olive Oil/ Butter - 2 tblsp

Method:

1. Chop the onion and mushrooms very finely. You can also use a food processor or the pulse mode in mixie.
2. Melt the butter in a pan. Add the onions and mushroom and saute it till it is soft and cooked.
3. Add the flour (maida) and fry for a minute to get rid of its raw smell.
4. Add the milk, chicken stock, pepper  powder and salt.
5. After it comes to a boil, reduce the flame and let it simmer for 5-10 minutes. The soup will get thickened by now.
6. Add the oregano and cream. Mix and switch off.
( You can use italian seasoning instead of oregano. Health consious people can skip the cream.)
7. Garnish with parsley/cilantro leaf or some green onions or some grated cheese or some croutons. 8. Serve hot with some toasted bread. Its a easy to make, filling and satisfying meal for a cold or rainy day. 

Capsicum Soup

Ingredients:

Capsicum - 1 (red or green)
Onion - 1 small or 1/2 medium
Garlic - 2 cloves
Tomato - 1/2

Green Chillies - 2
Cilantro - handful
Chicken/ Veg Stock - 2 cups
Ground Pepper - as needed
Roasted Cumin Powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - as needed
Olive Oil - 2 tsp
Cream - 1/2 cup (optional)

Method:

1. Heat Oil in a pan, saute the garlic and onion for a minute.
2. Add the capsicum (bell pepper), tomato, green chillies and Cilantro and cook till the capsicum becomes soft. Switch off.
3. Puree the mixture using a hand blender or a mixie. Strain the pureed mixture to remove the seeds and skin. (Some people like to continue without straining but the texture will be different. This step is a must to get a smooth and creamy soup.)
4. Add this strained soup back to the pot and add the chicken/ vegetable stock to it. Switch on the stove.
5. Add required salt, cumin powder and required pepper powder. Bring the soup to a boil.
6. Add the cream to the soup to thicken it. Alternatively, mix little corn flour with some water and add to the soup while boiling.
7. Simmer for another 5 -10 minutes and switch off.
7. Garnish with heavy cream, crutons, toasted bread piece, fresh herbs etc according to your taste and imagination. Serve hot.

Chicken Manchow Soup

Ingredients:

Chicken (boiled & shredded) - 1/2 cup

Carrot (chopped) - 1/2 cup (chopped)
French Beans - 1/2 cup (chopped)
Capsicum - 1/4 cup (chopped)
Green Peas - 1/4 cup (chopped)
Mushroom - 1/4 cup (sliced)
Spring Onions - 1/2 cup (chopped)
Cabbage - 1/2 cup (shredded)
Celery - 1 tsp
Ajinomoto - 1/4 tsp
Ginger - 1 tblsp (finely chopped)
Garlic - 1 tblsp (finely chopped)
Green Chillies - 1 tsp (finely chopped)
Chicken Broth - 1 can /  Chicken Seasoning - 1 cube
Soya Sauce - 2 tblsp
Pepper Powder - 1 tsp.
Corn Starch - 3 tblsp.
Shrimp (boiled) - 1/4 cup (optional)
Salt - to taste


Method:


1. Heat oil. Fry chillies, celery, garlic & ginger for 2 minutes on high flame.
2. Add all vegetables and stir fry for another 2 minutes on high flame.
3. Add chicken broth/seasoning cube, water (as required), soya sauce, pepper powder, ajinomoto, salt and chicken/shrimps and  bring it to a boil.
4. Then reduce the heat & add corn starch paste. Keep stiring until the soup thickens a bit.
5. Remove from heat after 5 minutes.Serve hot with fried noodles. For garnishing use spring onions.

Oats Soup

Ingredients:



Oats - 1 cup
Onion - 1/2 (finely chopped)
Green Chilly - 1 (finely chopped)
Garlic - 1 clove (minced)
Salt - to taste
Pepper powder - a pinch
Water- 1 cup
Milk - 1 cup
Oil - 2 tsp
Cilantro - for garnish


Method:



1. Heat oil in a pan and saute the onions, green chilly and garlic till they begin to sweat. 
2. Now add the oats and fry along with it for 2 minutes.
3. Add salt and water and let it come to a boil. 
4. Now add the milk and pepper powder to it and bring to a boil. 
5. Garnish the rich and creamy oats soup with cilantro or green onions. Serve piping hot with a slice of bread.

Baby corn soup

Ingredients:


5-6 pieces of baby corn
1 medium size potatoes
2 tsp butter
Salt to taste
Pepper powder
1 cup milk

Method:

Pressure cook the baby corn with a mix of water and milk. Grind it along with boiled potatoes.

Heat butter, add mixture, salt and pepper to it. To make the soup thinner, add milk. Allow it to come to a boil.Serve hot with croutons of your choice

Carrot Soup

Ingredients:


4 medium sized carrot cut into small pieces
1 small tomato
1/2 tsp red chilli sauce
2 tsp cornflour
Salt to taste
Pepper powder
2 tsp butter


Method:

Cook the carrot and tomato till tender. Cool and grind it to a fine paste.

Heat butter, add the carrot tomato paste into it. Add required water, salt, pepper, red chilli sauce and cook for a minute. Add cornflour paste and cook for another minute till slightly thick.

Beetroot Soup

Ingredients:


1 medium beetroot (grated)
2 small carrots (grated)
Salt to taste
2 tsp tomato ketchup
Pepper powder


Method:

Pressure cook the beets and carrots with less water. Cool and grind to a fine paste.

Heat it with some water, salt, pepper powder and tomato ketchup till it starts boiling.

Serve hot with toasted bread slices.

Palak Soup

Ingredients:


1 medium bunch spinach leaves
2 tsp butter
2 cloves
2 cardamoms
1/2 tsp ginger paste
A bit of cinnamon
1 tsp cumin seeds
Salt as per taste
Pepper powder
2 tsp corn flour

Method:

Sprinkle some water over spinach and cook for five minutes. Cool and grind it to a fine paste.

Heat butter and add cloves, ginger, cinnamon, cumin and cardamom and some water. Allow it to boil for five minutes and then strain the water. Mix this water, palak paste and cornflour paste and cook for 2 minutes. Add salt and pepper as per taste and serve hot with toasted bread pieces.

Healthy Palak  soup ready to serve

Tomato Soup

Ingredients:


2 medium sized tomatoes
2 tbsp butter
1 piece of cinnamon
2 cloves
Pepper powder
Salt to taste
1 tsp soya sauce
2 tsp cornflour


Method:

Heat butter, add cinnamon and cloves. Then add chopped tomatoes and cook till soft. Cool and grind to fine paste removing cinnamon and cloves before grinding.

Heat the paste with about 1 1/2 cups of water and add salt, pepper powder, soya sauce and finally add cornflour paste (mix cornflour with little water).

Heat for five to ten minutes. Add fried bread pieces just before serving.

Hot and tasty tomato soup ready ... 

Sweet Corn Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:

1 cup corn
3 cups water
1 tbsp Corn flour
Salt to taste
Bit of Sugar (optional)

Boiled peas and small pieces of carrot, coriander leaves (optional)
1/2 tsp Soya sauce
1/2 tsp chilli sauce


Method:

Cook the corn and keep some seperately. Grind the remaining corn with little peas.

In a pan, add water, grinded corn and corn flour and mix well on low flame.

Add the remaining ingredients and when the soup becomes thick. Now add the boiled peas, small pieces of carrot and the corn kept seperately. Garnish with very few coriander leaves and serve.

CHOCOLATE CHIP CHEESECAKE RECIPE

Ingredients:

For the Base: 

 2 cups Graham Cracker Crumbs (crushed)  ¼ cup Butter (melted)  1 tsp Vanilla Extract  ½ tsp Cinnamon Powder (Dalchini)  3 tbsp Cocoa  Nonstick Spray




For the Cheesecake Layer: 



  950 g Cream Cheese  1 cup Sugar  1 tsp Vanilla  ½ cup Sour Cream  4 Eggs  1½ cups mini Chocolate Chips




Method:
   

Preheat the oven to 300°F.

Take graham crackers, along with butter, cinnamon, vanilla extract and cocoa in a bowl and mix well. Spray nonstick spray in a springform pan and put in graham cracker crumb mixture. Press the mixture to make a base. Beat cream cheese with an electric beater in a large bowl, until creamy. Stir in sugar, vanilla extract and sour cream. Blend. Mix in eggs one by one. Beat after each addition. Add chocolate chips and mix well. Transfer the mixture to the pan. Bake in the preheated oven at 300°F for 75 minnutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

CHOCOLATE CREAM PIE

Ingredients:




 ¾ cup White Sugar  1/3 cup All Purpose Flour  2 cups Milk  30 gm unsweetened Chocolate (chopped)  Additional little Chocolate (grated)  3 Egg Yolks  2 tbsp Butter  1 tsp Vanilla Extract  19” Pie Shell (baked)




Method:

  

Take sugar with flour, milk, and chocolate in a saucepan and stir it continuously on medium flame until its     bubbling. Then cook it stirring constantly for 2 min.

	Put egg yolks with little chocolate mixture in a bowl and beat quickly to ignore the egg yolks from getting cooked.
	Add it to the remaining chocolate mixture and cook it for 90 sec. Then take it from heat and mix in butter with vanilla extract.
	Fill the pie shell with the mixture and refrigerate until it is well set.
	Add on grated chocolate and serve it.

Fruit pizza recipe

Ingredients:


 1 (18 oz) Sugar Cookie Dough (package refrigerated)  1 (8 oz) package Cream Cheese (softened)  1/3 cup Sugar  ½ tsp Vanilla Extract  4 cups fresh Fruits (sliced)  ¼ cup Orange Marmalade  1 tbsp Orange Juice




Method:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

	Slice the dough into 1/8-inch slices; line a (14-inch) pizza pan with slices and press to shape into a crust.
	Bake for 12 minutes until light brown. Let cool.
	Mix together cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla and spread over cookie crust. Arrange fruits over cream cheese mixture.
	Mix orange marmalade with orange juice and drizzle over fruits. Chill for 1 hour. Serve cool.

Corn Rolls

Ingredients:




 2 cup boiled Corn Seeds  ½ cup All-Purpose Flour  4 Green Chilies  3 tbsp Coriander Leaves (chopped)  Salt and Pepper (to taste)  ½ tsp Sugar  1 tbsp Lemon Juice  1/3 tsp Baking Soda  Bread Crumbs (to coat)  Ghee or Oil (for frying)

For Batter:



 ¼ cup Rice Flour  ¼ Gram Flour  ¼ tsp Baking Soda 

1.  Salt (to taste) 

 2 cups Water




Method:

Combine all the batter ingredients to obtain a thin batter. Keep aside.

	Grind corn seeds with green chilies, until smooth, adding little water.
	Transfer into a bowl and add flour, coriander leaves, baking soda, lemon juice, sugar, salt and pepper.
	Add some water and mix to make smooth dough.
	Divide into balls and shape into cylinders.
	Dip each roll into the batter and then roll into bread crumbs.
	Heat oil/ghee in a frying pan.
	Fry the corn rolls, until golden brown on all sides.
	Remove and transfer on tissue paper to absorb excess oil.
	Serve hot with your favorite sauce.

Aloo Bonda

Ingredients:


1/2 kg boiled potatoes
1/2 tsp lemon syrup
2 tsp oil for cooking and more to fry
1 cup bengalgram flour (besan)
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
Few curry leaves
Green chillies as per taste
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
Finely chopped coriander leaves
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
2 tbsp rice flour
Salt as per taste
Bit of asafoetida


Method:

Heat oil, add mustard. When it splutters, add green chillies, turmeric, curry leaves and boiled mashed potatoes. Add salt and cook for 2 minutes. Add lemon juice and finely chopped coriander leaves. Make balls of these.

Make a thick batter of bengalgram flour, rice flour, salt, asafoetida and red chilli powder. Heat oil, dip the potato balls in the batter and deep fry till golden brown all over.

BANANA BALLS

Ingredients:




 ½ kg fully ripe Bananas  ½ cup Coconut  4 tbsp Sugar  ½ tsp Cardamom Powder  Few Cashew Nuts  Few Raisins  4 tbsp Maida  Corn Oil (for frying)  2 tbsp Ghee




Method:

	Place bananas in a pan and steam them. Remove and slice into round pieces.
	Heat ghee in a pan and add bananas, sugar, cardamom powder, coconut, cashew nuts, and raisins. Mix well and cook covered on low flame for 3 minutes.
	Remove from heat and mash the mixture finely.
	Shape into small round balls.
	Mix maida with little water in a bowl to make a smooth thin paste.
	Dip the banana balls into the maida mix.
	Heat oil in a frying pan and fry the balls until golden on all sides.
	Serve hot.

French Fries

Ingredients:


Potatoes
Salt to taste
2 tsp rice flour
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
Oil to fry


Method:

Cut potatoes into long slices and soak in cold water for 1/2 hr. Drain out the water and wipe the potato slices with a clean cloth. Mix all other ingredients except oil.

Deep fry the potato pieces in hot oil till golden brown.

Serve with sauce or chat masala.