Carrot Soup

 

          Carrot Soup is a very healthy and a nutritious soup, loaded with proteins and fibre. It is also low in fat, thus a guilt free soup for you. Enjoy this hearty soup with few bread sticks, croutons or grilled delicacies. This amazing comfort and soul satisfying soup can be a great start to any meal or as a light dinner. It may be served hot or cold. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this amazing and healthy carrot soup.

• 2 medium size carrots, sliced
• 1 tsp. butter
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2-3 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1" ginger, chopped
• 1 fresh red chili
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp. pepper powder
• 1 cup water
• 1-2" cinnamon stick
• coriander leaves & slivered pistachios to garnish

          Heat butter and oil in a pan. Add the onion, ginger, garlic and fresh red chili. Sauté till they turn translucent. 

          Add the carrot, salt to taste and pepper powder. Sauté for 1-2 minutes.

          Add 1 cup water and cinnamon stick. Pressure cook for 2-3 whistles. 

          Discard the cinnamon stick and allow it to cool down.

         Blend till smooth. Adjust the water and heat through before serving.

         Garnish with coriander leaves and slivered pistachios. 

          Serve hot as a healthy light meal along with croutons, bread sticks or veg./ non-veg. grilled delicacies. 

Heat butter & oil in a pan. Add onion, ginger, garlic & fresh red chili. Sauté till they turn translucent. 

     Add the carrot, salt to taste & pepper powder. Sauté for 1-2 minutes.

      Add 1 cup water & cinnamon stick. Pressure cook for 2-3 whistles. 

                    Discard the cinnamon stick & allow it to cool down.

          Blend till smooth. Adjust the water & heat through before serving.

                   Garnish with coriander leaves & slivered pistachios. 

Serve hot as a healthy light meal along with croutons, bread sticks or veg./ non-veg. grilled delicacies. 

Baby Marrow Curry (South Indian Style)

 

           This is a simple and a delicious Baby Marrow curry in a South Indian Style. Marrows are from the Zucchini family. It is a wonder veggie as it has a lot of health benefits. It lowers cholesterol, aids in weight management and is also good for diabetics.

          This is a dry preparation where I added some idli podi to the end product for a South Indian flavor. You may also substitute it with sambar or rasam powder. Serve as a side dish with either rice or chapattis. It also goes very well with curd rice or sambar rice. 

• 5-6 baby marrow, diced
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1-2 dry red chilies
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1 tsp. urad dal (split blak gram lentil)
• 1 tbsp. chana dal (Black gram lentil)
• 2-3 green chilies, slit
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp. coriander powder
• 1-2 tsp. idli podi (gun powder)
• 1-2 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped
• 1 tsp. lime juice

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with mustard seeds, dry red chilies, asafoetida, curry leaves, green chilies, chana dal and urad dal. Sauté for a few seconds or till the mustard stops crackling.

          Add the diced baby marrow, salt, turmeric powder and coriander powder. Mix well and cook, covered, on a low flame till it turns soft. 

          Sprinkle water at intervals if needed. When done, add idli podi, coriander leaves and a dash of lime. 

          Give it a stir and serve as a side dish with either rice or chapattis. It also goes very well with curd rice or sambar rice. 

                        Dice the baby marrow and keep aside.

Heat oil & temper with mustard seeds, dry red chilies, asafoetida, curry leaves, green chilies, chana dal & urad dal. Sauté for a few seconds or till the mustard stops crackling.

Add the diced baby marrow, salt, turmeric powder & coriander powder. Mix well & cook, covered, on a low flame till it turns soft. Sprinkle water at intervals if needed. 

                    When done, add idli podi, 

                   coriander leaves and a dash of lime. Give it a stir.

                     Serve as a side dish with either rice or chapattis. 

             It also goes very well with curd rice or sambar rice. 

Custard Jelly Trifle Pudding

 

           My favorite, this yummy Custard Jelly Trifle pudding hardly takes any time to prepare. Just a little bit of assembling, and you have a surprise dessert in front of you. Few Digestive biscuits, chopped nuts, custard and jelly are layered one over the other. 

          Tastes simply delicious, it is a sure hit at parties. You can always add sponge cake in place of biscuits and some chopped fruits of your choice. However, be sure to make some extra. Do check out a simple step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this amazing dessert. 

• A dozen digestive biscuits or as required
• 500 ml. full fat milk
• 1/4 cup sugar or to taste
• 3 tbsp. custard powder, any flavor
• 1/3 cup sprite or any fruit juice 
• jelly made from 1 pack
• 2-3 tbsp. almonds & pistachios, chopped
• pinch of saffron
• few dry rose petals, slightly crushed

          Mix the custard powder with 1/2 cup milk and keep aside. 

          Bring the milk and sugar to a boil. Lower the flame and simmer for 3-4 minutes. 

         Pour this custard mix into the boiling milk gently and keep stirring continuously till it starts getting thicker. Leave aside to cool for a while before refrigerating it.

          Prepare the jelly according to the instructions given on the pack. Leave aside to cool and then refrigerate. Slice them into small cubes. 

          To serve, take few small glass serving bowls and line the surface with few biscuits in each of them.

          Pour the sprite or orange juice over it to keep it moist. Layer with some jelly cubes and some chopped nuts.

          Now layer with some of the prepared custard, followed by more of the jelly cubes.  

         Garnish with the remaining nuts, saffron strands and dry rose petals.  Serve chilled.

Line the surface small glass serving bowls with the few biscuits. Pour the sprite or orange juice over it to keep it moist.

               Layer with some jelly cubes & some chopped nuts.

               Layer with some of the prepared custard, 

followed by more of the jelly cubes. Garnish with the remaining nuts, saffron strands and dry rose petals. 

                        Serve chilled.

Lau Patay Kacha Kolar Paturi (Raw Banana steam cooked in Bottle Gourd Leaves - Bong Style)

 

            Paturi typically is a traditional Bong delicacy were fish of any kind is steam cooked. It is sometimes steamed in banana leaf or pumpkin leaves. So this is the latter version, which is an age old recipe, not much heard of. However, such dishes are still prepared in few Bengali homes. Besides steaming, it can also be pan fried. 

          It is an extremely easy, simple and an unique recipe that is so yummy and goes well with hot steamed rice. You also get to eat the leaves as well. A drizzle of some extra mustard oil to the end product enhances the flavor of the dish. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this classic humble dish.

• 2 raw bananas, peeled & chopped lengthwise
• 1/2 cup fresh grated coconut 
• 1 tbsp. mustard seeds, soaked for 10-15 minutes
• 1-2 green chilies, chopped
• 2 tbsp. yoghurt
• 2-3 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped
• 1 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• salt to taste
• extra fresh green chilies
• extra mustard oil
• few bottle gourd leaves, washed & pat dried

           Blend together coconut, mustard seeds, green chilies and a pinch of salt in a mixer grinder into a smooth paste. Transfer to a bowl. 

           Add turmeric powder, coriander leaves, mustard oil, yoghurt and salt to taste. Add the raw banana and marinate for 10-15 minutes. 

           Take 2-3 bottle gourd leaves (depending on their size). Place few raw banana slices along with the gravy in the center along with a chili on the top. 

          Gently fold it into a parcel and tie with a thread. Do the same with rest of the marination mix.

          Arrange the parcels on a greased steamer and steam on a medium heat for 15 minutes. When done, discard the string and open the parcels. 

          Serve them with hot steamed rice with a drizzle of some extra mustard oil if you wish.

Blend together coconut, mustard seeds, green chilies & a pinch of salt in a mixer grinder into a smooth paste. Transfer to a bowl. 

Add turmeric powder, coriander leaves, mustard oil, yoghurt & salt to taste. Add the raw banana & marinate for 10-15 minutes. 

Take 2-3 bottle gourd leaves (depending on their size). Place few raw banana slices along with the gravy in the center along with a chili on the top. 

Gently fold it into a parcel & tie with a thread. Do the same with rest of the marination mix.

                      Arrange the parcels on a greased steamer.

Steam on a medium heat for 15 minutes. When done, discard the string & open the parcels. 

Serve them with hot steamed rice with a drizzle of some extra mustard oil if you wish.

Sheem Paturi (Flat Beans Curry - Bong Style)

 

           Paturi is a traditional Bengali recipe where the fish is coated in mustard paste and is steamed. It is generally cooked, wrapped in a banana leaf. But today I would like to share my version of a paturi style recipe with flat beans. 

          It is a very simple, easy and equally delicious dish. As banana leaf was not available, I cooked the flat beans, mixed with all the mentioned ingredients in a dum style. This side dish can be had with steamed rice or chapattis. So check out an easy step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this regional dish. 

• 400 gms. flat beans, chopped in half
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 green chilies, chopped
• 3-4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2-3 tbsp. fresh grated coconut
• 2 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1 tsp. nigella seeds
• 1/2 tsp. cumin powder
• salt to taste
• 1 tbsp. mustard oil

          In a pan / kadai, transfer the chopped flat beans and all the above mentioned ingredients. Mix everything well. 

          Cover and cook on a low flame by sprinkling some water at intervals till it is done.

          When the veggie turns soft, switch off the flame. Your curry is done. It is that simple and easy.  Relish as a side dish with either steamed rice or chapatti.

                   In a pan / kadai, transfer the chopped flat beans

                     and all the above mentioned ingredients. 

                       Mix everything well. 

Cover & cook on a low flame by sprinkling some water at intervals till it is done.

          When the veggie turns soft, switch off the flame. Your curry is done. 

           Relish as a side dish with either steamed rice or chapatti.