Beetroot, carrot,beans soup

Soups during winter months are such a luxury! I enjoy making different types of hot steaming soups.

Here is the recipe of a spicy, flavourful and creamy soup perfect for the winter afternoons!

Beetroot carrot and tomato soup

Ingredients

1 medium sized beetroot

2 small carrots

4 ripe tomatoes

2 green chillies

An inch long ginger

10 french beans

3 small onions (shallot)

4 garlic pods

1 small cube thyme cheese

A few crushed peppercorns

1 bay leaf

salt as required

10 cups water

Method

*Wash, peel and slice all vegetables and ginger to large pieces.

*Slit the green chillies, peel and slice onion and garlic.

* In a pan add all vegetables, crushed peppercorns,bay leaf, ginger and green chillies. Pour water,add salt.

*Pressure cook for 3 whistles.

*Once done open lid, use a handblender to blend the soup. Add more salt and crushed pepper if required. 

*Grate thyme cheese and garnish soup, serve hot and it's the best you can have in the chilly winters!

Palak burnt garlic soup

Palak soup, we had a bunch of leftover red amaranth stems, palak and carrot. 

I thought of using them for vegetable  stock which can be used in many dishes.

But as I started cooking garlic and shallots, I added a handful of chopped palak. Sauteed it for a few minutes, added a small carrot to it, poured a few cups of water and let it slowly cook in croc pot. To this I further added chopped amaranth stems,a teaspoon crushed peppercorns, bay leaves and salt.

Once cooked Aru blend it with hand blender, strained it and added little more crushed peppercorns, cream, we had the most delicious soup!

The result was amazing, do try and tell us how you use the leftover pieces of vegetables.

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Kitchen garden

Having a small kitchen garden and waiting for the flowers bloom and polinate,turn into fruits and vegetables is such a relaxing and interesting activity/hobby. 

I have learnt the basics of taking care of trees, plants, herbs and shurbs by observing my dad.

It's was not less than a school project, learning to take care of the tiny saplings, preparing soil, adding manure, watering the plants, pruning and collecting dry leaves and flowers for home compost.

Once I succeed in making home compost with dry flowers and fallen leaves, I started kitchen waste compost.

Adding egg shells, tea coffee residue and carefully separate seeds from vegetables and fruits and collect peels. Adding a handful of cocopeat in between to make sure there is balance between green and brown things!

By the way I got a compost three pots from our neighbour who donated the same. I was glad I could create more compost with it and adopted!

Last Sunday our gardeners rearranged the grow bags and pots, we did a bit of repotting, trimming and planted a bunch of plants into small to big sized grow bags.

The little effort we take give us satisfaction. Self sustainable and cooking from home grown greens and vegetables is a delight. 

What are your thoughts on having a kitchen garden? 

Tea masala powder

My liking for freshly brewed tea sees a few turns. I add ginger, elaichi in my every day tea. But recently watched Ranveer Brars tea masala and thought of making it of course I have added a few more flavourful ingredients than the original recipe.

Tea masala powder

Ingredients

5 green cardamom

1teaspoon fennel seeds

2 large bay leaves

1 teaspoon peppercorns

5 cloves

1nutmeg(crushed)

3 javitri

A small piece of cinnamon

Method

*Dry roast all ingredients in a heated pan till they release aroma.

*Blend to a fine powder, store in airtight containers.

*Add a pinch of it just before you off tea, let it boil for 30 seconds, strain and serve.

Kaju,fried gram (pottukadalai) jaggery burfi

A quick sweet for Diwali, while we take time and effort to make sweets for Diwali, here is a quick and delicious sweet even your teen can try.

Kaju, fried gram burfi

Ingredients

For dry powder

1 cup whole cashew nuts

1 cup fried gram (pottukadalai)

1 cup powdered jaggery

A pinch of elaichi Powder

For  binding the burfi

3 tablespoon ghee

Method

*In a mixer add all the ingredient (for dry powder) use the pulse mode and make a fine powder.

*Sieve and keep aside.

*In a kadai pour ghee when it's melted add the sieved powder little by little until you finish all of it. Gently mix in using a spatula.

*,It will become a semi solid consistency in a few minutes. Off stove.

*Spread a parchment paper (food wrapper/butter paper) gently put the burfi into it, slowly keep folding it.

* You can use the paper to fold the burfi once it's done, place another paper and gently roll using a rolling pin.

*Remove the paper from top and use a knife to cut the burfi into desired shape.

*It's melt in your mouth burfi and I am sure you will find it hard to resist! Happy Diwali!

Notes

I have taken equal quantity of whole cashew nuts, fried gram (pottukadalai) powdered jaggery, a pinch of elaichi (cardamom) use pulse and blend in the mixer till you get a soft powder.

Sieve

In a kadai pour 3 tablespoon ghee, add the sieved powder, off stove mix well. Spread in a butter paper, fold using spatula and using the butter paper, keep folding the kaju burfi mixture which will be semi solid in consistency.

Use another equal size paper to cover, use a rolling pin gently role over the burfi , once spread well, use a knife to cut into desired shape. 

It's melt in your mouth burfi. We loved it. I am sure you will also enjoy making this burfi.

lemon mint juice

When we go for buying vegetables, we end pick picking a bunch of mint leaves. I like it's pleasant aroma today I thought of making a simple juice with a handful of fresh mint leaves, ginger, grenn chilli,water,salt and lemon juice. Add all ingredients and blend in mixer, strain and serve.

Added a pinch of chat masala before serving. 

What's your favourite juice?

Paneer matar(peas paneer gravy)