Saturday, January 14, 2012

Spinach and Sweet corn soup



Today my hubby wanted  to have something hot  and little bit spicy to beat this chilly winter noon and my son is also unwell so i wanted to prepare something which both of them can have. so when i opened my fridge and i got these 2 vegies. For the first time i tried this combo in my soup and it was a really good. I had prepared only 6 bowls of this soup and everybody wanted to have more.I really felt very bad especially for my son.So next time when i prepare this make sure to make  double the quantity . 
My daughter's exams are  going on so her friend was here for combined studies.I offered her the soup and you know what did she say"its much  more better then that of packet soup".  She really made my day.So thought of sharing this simple,yummy and quick soup with you.It hardly take 15 mins to prepare.

Ingredients:-
Sweet corn(frozen)-1 cup
spinach-2 cups( chopped)
spring onion-1/2 cup chopped
garlic-1 big pod(chopped finely)
ginger-1inch piece( chopped)
pepper-2tsp(crushed)
maida-2tsp
butter-3tsp
milk-2cups
Method:-

  • Boil sweet corn for 5mins or cook till tender.
  • In the mean time chop both the vegetables, garlic and ginger and keep aside.
  • Take a deep sauce pan and add 1tsp of butter.
  • Saute white part of the spring onion along with giner and garlic.
  • Now add spinach and crushed pepper. Saute for  about 2mins.
  • Add Maida and 2tsp of butter and fry again for a min.
  • Now slowly add  in milk and bring it to boil.
  • Take half of the boiled  sweet corn and blend it in a blender just for a second.
  • Now add the same along with the remaining sweet corn to the sauce and bring it to boil .
  • Once it is done switch of the fire and serve hot.
  • you can have it with garlic toast.



Brinjal podi or bajo(vaigana podi in konkani,baigan baja in bengali)



Podi or bajo is a fried dish which is usually served at tea time as a snack .In mangalore every other corner of the street you will get one shop who sells different kinds of fried podi's.We konkani GSB's want something in the evening along with our tea.So we prepare different types vegetable  podi's or bajo's in the evening.
                 
Ingredients:-
Brinjal(egg plant or vaigan)-1 Big(cut into triangle pieces)

chik pea flour(besan)-1cup
chilly powder-1tsp
asafoetida -1/2tsp
turmeric powder- a pinch(optional)
soda-bi-carbonate-a pinch(optional)
salt to taste
oil for frying.


Method:

  • Mix all the ingredients.Add little water to make thick batter(should be dropping consistency ).
  • Now heat a oil in a deep frying pan .
  • Dip the brijal slices in the batter and deep fry till light brown in color or till crisp.Serve hot with spicy tomato sauce or with mint chutney.

bottle gourd halwa(duddi,lauki,garduddey halwo

As we all know bottle gourd has many properties that are valued in traditional healing.Bottle gourd is low in fat. cholesterol yet high in dietary  fibre. It contains 96% water ,rich in iron and very good source of vitamin as it contains vitamin B and C. It is low in sodium  and potassium making suitable for hypertensive patients.It is excellent for light ,low -cal diets,as well as for children and for people with digestive problems, diabetes and convalescents.
       Its high water content makes it very cooling.Bottle gourd is very valuable in treating urinary disorders.It serves as an  alkaline  mixture for treating burning sensation in urinary passage due to high acidity of urine and this vegetable is very much recommended for jaundice patients.
     

Ingredients:
Bottle gourd-1(about a kg)(grated)
sugar-1cup
jaggery-1/2 (grated)
ghee(clarified butter)-1 cup
cardamom-5 pods(powdered)
cashew nut fried in ghee for garnishing 
Method :-
  • Take a deep pan and start cooking bottle gourd till all the water dries up (normally water is squeezed from the gourd to make the process faster but i prefer this way because of the health benefit )
  • Now add sugar and  jaggery ,stir till both sugar and jaggery  dissolves .
  • Now add ghee and continue frying till its dry and leaves the sides of the pan.
  • Now add cardamom powder and mix it nicely and switch off the gas.
  • Garnish with fried cashew nuts.
Try this  tasty healthy dish and you really like this and for your queries leave your comments . I will be glad to help if you have any doubt about this recipe.

chicken fried rice

Chinese fried rice
This Chinese dish is easy, tasty and healthy too.Awhole some meal by itself. Whenever i am tired or in a hurry i just prepare this dish.My kids love this dish.YOU can have it without any side dish too.

Ingredients:-
chicken mince:-1 cup
carrot-1 finely chopped
spring onion-3-4 springs chopped
capsicum-1chopped
soya sauce-1tsp
basmathi rice-2 cups(short grain )
Pepper powder-1tsp
Egg-2nos
ajjinomotto(mono sodium- glutamate)  -a pinch(optional)
oil-2tbsp
salt to taste.
Method:-
chopped veg for fried rice
  • Boil 2lts of water in a sauce pan to prepare rice.
  • when it come to boil drop rice and salt ,cook till done.Rice should not be over cooked.So keep on checking the rice.
  • Now drain the water and allow the rice to cool.
  • Now keep ready all the  vegetables chopped. 
  • Make  the scrambled eggs ready for the rice.
  • Heat the oil in a wok or take a big sized pan.Now drop white part of the onions chopped and fry for few seconds.
  • Add chicken mince and  salt to taste.stir until its cooked.
  • Now add carrots and capsicum along with ajjinomotto if you are using.Now give it a quick stir.
  • Add soy sauce, and pepper powder.Do not add too much salt as we have already added some salt to the rice and soy sauce too contains salt.so just a pinch of salt is more than enough.
  • Now add cooked rice and again give it a quick stir.
  • At last add scrambled eggs and chopped green part of the spring onion.Mix it well and serve hot with soy sauce,chilly vinegar.



chicken fried rice
Note:- The rice grains will not  be sticky if you use little lime juice while cooking the rice.

crispy babycorn fingers

Ingredients:-
babycorn- 6-8
chilly powder-1tsp
soya sauce-1/2tsp
maida-1tbsp
cornflour-1tbsp
wheat flour-1tbsp
ginger-garlic Paste-2tsp
soda-bi-carbonate-a pinch(optional)
salt to taste



Method:-
  • cut the baby corn into two pieces as shown in the photo.
  • Now mix all the ingredients  add little water along with baby corns and  so that the it mixes  nicely coated with the corn.
  • Now heat oil in a deep frying pan and drop one by one.
  • Fry till golden brown.
  • Serve hot with tomato chilly sauce.