Pasta Peas Soup

When life takes you through a roller coaster you have no time to see to your sides, as  you are too busy looking at the ups and downs about to come in front of you....Saying those words I would love to move on with my soup recipe after a break of more than six to seven months.....
This soup is filled with colours, textures and spices and it makes a perfectly filling lunch/dinner.

Carrot- 2(chopped)
Celery- 2 sticks(chopped)
Dried Green peas- 3tbsp(cooked)
Onion-1/2 of small one.(chopped)
Garlic-1 or 2 cloves(chopped fine)
Tomatoes-3 nos(Pureed)
Tomato-1 (Chopped to pieces)
Water- 3 to 31/2cups
Pasta-1/4 cup(cooked)
Oregano- 1 tsp
Olive oil-2 tsp
Chilli flakes-1 tsp
parsley-1tsp(chopped)
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste

Method of preparation:
1. Heat oil in a deep vessel and add the chilli flakes and oregano to it. Add ingredients from carrot through garlic into it and then cook covered for 3 to 4 mins.
2. Add tomato pieces into this along with pinch of salt and pepper. Add the tomato puree along with water into it and boil it till ra taste goes for 5 minutes on medium low heat.
3. Once boiled add pasta and cooked green peas into it and continue cooking for 5 more minutes.
4. Season with salt, pepper and parsley. Turn off the heat.Serve warm.

Notes:
1. Cook pasta according to package instructions till al dente. Add little salt while cooking. Drain and set aside.
2. You can use chick pea instead of green peas.
3. I used the dry green peas and thus cooked it till soft before using.
4. Amount of peas and pasta can be increased or decreased.

Tomato Celery Soup with Coconut milk....

Hoping that winter would end any sooner is just a dream and so is my sons cold going to last till the sun shines strong and warm. Every time the suns rays enter the house through the large patio window my heart feels to go outside and hold it as much as possible..A step outside,  chill wind hits your face and  you get to know that sun is there just as an object without a meaning..This is what is happening for the past few days/weeks..Hope things get better soon..
For time being here is a trail that worked pretty well...Being from land of coconuts(ok we have many other things too..:)) I have a big affection/love to these fruits/seeds and love to have them in any form..Adding coconut milk here was a nice try and we enjoyed the new taste...

Tomatoes-4 nos
All purpose Flour/ Maida-1 tbsp
Onion-2 tbsp(chopped)
Celery-2 stalks
Coconut milk-1/4 cup
Garlic-1 clove(chopped)
Butter-1 tbsp
Salt and pepper to taste
Chili flakes for added heat.

Method of Preparation:
1. Microwave tomatoes for 5 minutes.
2. Grind to smooth liquid.
3. Heat butter, add garlic and onions and fry till raw smell goes.
4. Add APF and heat for a minute. Then add celery, tomatoes, water about 1 to 1 and 1/2 cups and cook along with pepper and salt. Continue it for some time till celery becomes soft and till the raw taste of tomato goes.
Notes: Use water according to the thickness of soup you need.Not less than 1 cup.
5. Add coconut milk to this and simmer on low flame for 3 to 5 minutes.
6. Remove from heat and serve with bread or crackers.

Quinoa Tabbouli/Tabbouleh

Feb has been a rough month for me until now(later part is yet to come)...There has been no time to do anything..was buried in work and health related issues..The first thing I abandon at these time is this little space..and it is evident when you see only 2 recipes for this whole month. Now I cant redo it but to remove the guilt feel I have finally drafted a recipe and here it is...

Lightly tangy with loads of herbs and crisp and juicy veggies makes this a perfect,  filling and healthy salad that you want to make  for your snack, lunch or dinner...Do try this simple quick preparation...

Quinoa-1 cup
Cucumber-1/2 cup
Carrots-2 medium
Onion-1 small
Pomgranate arils-1/2 cup
Flat leaf parsley-1/4 cup
Coriander leaves-1/8 cup
Mint leaves-1/8 cup
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
Olive oil-1/8 cup
Lemon Juice-1/8 cup

Method of Preparation:
1. Cook quinoa with required water for 15 mins or until you see a thread like stuff from them. Then drain the remaining water and keep aside to cool. Or you can cook quinoa(the above given amount) with just 2 cups of water,  till the water is completely evaporated and quinoa is cooked..
2. Finely dice cucumber,onion and carrots. Extract arils from pomegranates. Mince herbs.
3. Mix all ingredients together except oil and lemon juice.
4. In a bowl whisk lemon juice,salt,pepper and olive oil together and pour over the quinoa mixture.
5. Mix well and serve immediately

Notes:

1. You can add green peppers, tomatoes,nuts to this.

2. Quinoa can be replaced with bulgur/bulgar or couscous.

Carrot Orange Soup

Soup is perfect choice for these cold windy days...Here is a lovely combination of carrots and orange to warm up..

Baby carrots-3 cups
Orange-1 medium sized
Yogurt-2 tsp(beaten)
Bay leaves-2 nos
Cloves-4 nos
Garlic-1 no
Ginger-11/2 tsp(minced)
Onion-3 tbsp(small pieces)
Butter-1 tsp
Red Chili flakes-1/4 tsp
Salt & pepper to taste

Method of preparation:
1. Pressure cook carrots with  water, bay leaves and cloves for one whistle.Let cool
2. Grind to soft texture and then add the water used to cook carrots about 1 cup and set aside.
3. Heat the butter and add the onion, garlic and ginger. Fry till the raw smell goes. See that you don't brown the garlic.
4. Add the carrot puree along with salt and chili flakes and cook till it starts to boil.
5. Reduce heat and add the freshly squeezed orange juice and mix well. Just heat it for a minute or two.
6. Add pepper powder and turn off the heat. stir the yogurt into it and mix well.
7. Garnish with coriander leaves and a dollop of yogurt.Serve with bread.

Notes:
1. Do not boil after adding orange juice.I used oranges that were sweet and tart.
2. Use yogurt that is not much tart else add less or you will have a very tangy soup.
3. You can cook carrots in any way till it is tender.
4. Use vegetable stock if you have instead of water.
5. While grinding the carrots grind it coarsely so that you have few pieces to bite.

Quinoa Salad

Salad has become a kind of regular stuff here these days...YYYY...Just to make sure that I eat all other stuffs(read as yummy stuffs that are buddies with waist line..) Less.. Now dont ask me if its working...;)
So here is a simple salad...quick to make and delicious...Everyone in blogging world is familiar with Quinoa...For those who are not...I think this person will help you understand more than me...So here is the simple salad..

Ya I made that rosemary chili flavored olive oil...

Quinoa-1/2 cup
Water to cook quinoa-1 cup.
Green Peas/Sweet peas-1/4 cup(cooked till soft)
Carrots-1 medium sized
Green chili-1 (de-seeded and sliced)
Onion-1/2 of big one
Cucumber-1/2 of medium
Lime juice-2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Olive oil-1/2 to 1 tsp(I used chili and rosemary flavored oil)
Pepper freshly crushed to taste.

Method of Preparation:
1. Cook quino with required water and pinch of salt for 15 min or until you see a thread like stuff from the quino. Then drain the remaining water and keep aside to cool. Or you can cook quino(the above given amount) with just 1 cup water till the water is completely evaporated and quino is cooked.
2. Cook the sweet pea/green peas with required water and pinch of salt till soft and set aside to cool.
3. Cut all the veggies to small pieces and keep aside.
4. Mix all the above stuffs together in a large bowl and sprinkle salt and pepper powder.Drizzle the lemon juice, olive oil and mix well.Adjust salt, lemon juice,pepper as required. Serve

Notes:
1. While cooking quino you can add a few drops of olive oil to it.
2. Adding salt while cooking quino keeps it fluffy.
3. You can drizzle plain olive oil along with lemon juice in the dressing or you can just leave it altogether.
4. I have added a pinch of salt while cooking peas and quino so add salt at the end accordingly.

How my son helps me to photograph...oh he just woke up from sleep..He thought that when I was looking through camera eye piece I dint see him putting hand into the seed...and he was enjoying doing that..

Chickpea Salad

Chickpea-1 cup(Boiled and drained)
Red Onion-1 small(Chopped fine)
Grape/Cherry tomatoes-4 to 5(Chopped to small pieces)
Green Chilies-2 no(Chopped fine)
Coriander leaves-2 tbsp(chopped fine)
Salt to taste
Black pepper-2 tsp(Crushed coarsely)
Orange-1/2 of large one(Juiced)
Lemon Juice-2 tsp
Olive oil-1 tsp

Method of Preparation:
1. Wash and cook the chickpea with enough water till it is tender.Drain the excess water and keep aside to cool.
2. Juice the orange and mix with lemon and olive oil and keep aside.
3. Add all the chopped veggies to cooled chickpea and mix well with the orange dressing along with required salt and pepper.Serve.

Notes:
1. Cut veggies and prepare dressing when it is time to eat them.They are best when its fresh.
2. I used dried chickpea, cooked in a pressure cooker for up to 6 whistles on medium. You can soak the chickpea overnight and then the cooking time will be less. If using canned ones drain and wash them.

Tomato Soup

Hi friends...Long time right? hmmm...ya I was too busy and on my toes for the past two weeks...and will continue in that state for 3 more weeks...:)
There are worst and good things going around.First the worst one...My kiddo burnt his hand by holding an iron box. Burn is pretty bad on the inner hand. Looks like it will take some time to recover. So with him, visiting doctors, his dressing, and looking around his plays and pranks...but should say...he is strong...:) He has resumed his normal routine, but I need to take care of him and his hand...

Now the good one...I am visiting India end of this month/next month..Looking forward to meet parents, friends and spending some quality time in all our fave places..:)..Started purchasing and preparing for the trip/packing/cleaning/making to do lists..

So now its too much of explanation why I am not here..:)

Anyways this soup is my hubby's and kiddo's fave...Made this many times...Here is the recipe..

Method Of Preparation:


1. Heat butter in a vessel/pressure cooker.Add the cumin, bay leaf,cloves and  fry for 30 sec. Add the ginger garlic paste and fry till raw smell goes. Add the onion and fry till it turns light brown.
2.Then add the tomatoes and carrots along with 1/2 glass water, salt,pepper and pressure cook till one whistle on medium.
3.When pressure goes open and discard the bay leaves and cloves, and grind the remaining ingredients to smooth puree. Now Heat a pan and simmer it for 2 to 3 mins.Serve warm with croutons/bread sticks.

Notes:
1. You can discard the leaves and cloves before pressure cooking it.
2. Straining the soup after grinding is optional.I dint do it.

Tapioca Salad/Kappa Salad

Hi All...
Hope everyone is doing good...Here things are going a bit rough with my whole time revolving around my kiddo... Cooking, reading, blogging and even chatting has been held behind for him...I feel that these days I am neglecting this space very much...so decided to stop blogging for a while....;(...but  if got a chance will surely peep in here....
This is a Salad recipe that was discussed by me and my lecturer(lucky me..:))..The recipe is a bit twisted according to our preferences...We enjoyed it...

Tapioca/yuca roots- 1 medium sized
Carrots-5 (baby cut)
Onion-1 medium(cut lengthwise)
Spring Onion-4 no(chopped to small pieces)
Birds eye chilli-2 no(cut to small pieces)
Coconut pieces-1/2 cup(cut to small pieces)
Crushed pepper-2 tsp
Salt to taste
Red chilli flakes-2 tsp
Olive oil-3 tbsp
Lemon juice-2 tsp

Method Of Preparation:
1. Clean the tapioca and cut to small pieces. Par boil it with a pinch of salt.It should be soft but firm. It shouldn't be too soft and mushy.Drain the water and allow to cool.
2. Clean and cut the carrots, onions, green chilli to medium sized pieces.
3. Now mix all the veg and tapioca together in a bowl.Add the crushed pepper and coconut pieces.
4. Now mix the olive oil, lime juice and add the required amount to the salad bowl with salt and crushed red chilli flakes.
5. Mix everything together and serve.

Notes:
1. Add lemon juice according to ur tastebuds. We like it with minimal sourness.