Warm & Comforting Pumpkin Soup

I am a fan of soups not salads...so when it comes to healthy and low cal food I prefer soups..and there is nothing better than a huge bowl of  homemade warm soup.Most of the people think its pretty difficult to make soups at home but let me tell you its easier than making a curry and that too without oil /butter. Just a few spices and right ingredients add a good amount of flavour without the need of any preservatives. My little one has also started liking my soups ..he just needs his favourite corn in all the soups and it becomes a corn soup for him :)

I usually make vegetable or tomato soup but this time I tried Pumpkin soup which turned out to be great and has become a weekly affair on our dinner table.Very simple to prepare with a handful of ingredients. Enjoy it with a sandwich or toast and your dinner is sorted.

Ingredients

1/2 kg pumpkin(peeled and chopped)
1/2 Onion(sliced)
2-3 cloves of garlic
5-6 black peppercorns
2-3 cloves
1 Bay leaf
1 spoon of butter

Method

Heat a spoon of butter in a grill pan and dump all the ingredients.Let the pumpkin get a nice char and then add salt and  cover and cook till its soft.Cool it down and blend it till smooth.Sieve it through a strainer.Add water/veg stock to get the desired consistency and simmer it in a pan for sometime.Add seasoning if required.Garnish with a dash of cream or butter.
Serve it with toast or breadsticks!!


Enjoy the rain not with pakodas but with this soup this time !!

Coconut Rice-Perfect accompaniment to Rajma/Curry

As a foodie I love experimenting and improvising with new combinations of ingredients and recipes.. and traveling to different countries and places has actually helped me  learn new recipes and new techniques.

Its been more than two years in Hyderabad and I truly believe its a foodie's heaven not only because of its rich food heritage but also because of the variety of cuisines and restaurants the city has.

Thanks to my colleagues I get to taste at least one Hyderabad delicacy everyday.

Cooking is all about sharing and learning...so during one of such foodie conversation my colleague shared this recipe with me and I have already made it twice in a week. Very simple yet flavourful is this Coconut Rice. Its a perfect accompaniment to your Rajma/Daal Makhani coz its very mildly spiced and the freshness of coconut goes well with the spicy curry.

Ingredients

1 Cup Cooked Rice

1 tsp Mustard seeds

2-3 Peppercorns

1 Dry Red Chilli

1 Small Onion Chopped

1/2 tsp grated ginger

1/2 tsp chopped garlic

1/4 cup fresh grated coconut

1 Bay leaf

4-5 curry leaves

Salt to taste

1 tbsp. Ghee

Method

In a wok add 1 tbsp. Ghee.Add Bay leaf,curry leaves,dry chilli and mustard seeds.Let it splutter and then add peppercorns,ginger and garlic.Add onions and fry till pink.Add cooked rice and mix it lightly.Season it with salt and add fresh coconut.Cook it for a minte or two and switch off the flame.

Your coconut rice is ready to serve.I had it with Rajma today and it was purely a match made in heaven.

Enjoy !!

Weekend Brunch Recipe~Maska Chicken Pav

There are days when a foodie's mood changes ...you plan  to cook something and then you change your mind...and then you end up  cooking  something entirely different and most of the times better than the original plan :)

So I usually plan grocery for a week and then I had these pav buns  to make some pav bhaji...but then I didn’t feel like having that ..So  just checked by refrigerator and found my fav red bell pepper and  leftover chicken from the curry made last night.

So here comes the recipe of Maska Chicken Pav! Its a very simple recipe and is perfect for breakfast or brunch !!

Recipe

So you just take boneless chicken pieces and marinate in a mixture of curd,tandoori masala,ginger garlic paste, red chilli,dhaniya powder,salt and oil. Marinate it for 4-5 hours and then grill it on a pan. Now cut it in small chunky pieces and keep it aside. Slice red bell peppers and toast it in the same pan for about a minute.Take some green coriander chutney and some ketchup.Slit the pav into slices and apply butter .Place green chutney on one and ketchup on the other slice. Stuff in the chicken pieces and red bell pepper ,close it, press it and toast the sandwich on a pan.

Enjoy it with cuppa !!!

Delicious way to use leftover pav bhaji-Dabeli !!

Leftovers are always a problem in the kitchen...coz u don't want to eat the same thing again!!And there are few dishes where we always end up with leftovers...one such is Pav Bhaji!

This recipe was given by my friend Tashi..during one our wtz app conversation she shared this recipe and I make it very often.Infact hubby likes it more than pav bhaji...so there are days when I make pav bhaji for making this dabeli !!

It may not be the authentic dabeli but we just love it as it is and its a great way to use your leftover pav bhaji!!

Here s how you can make it

Ingredients

1/2 Cup Leftover Bhaji

2-3 tbsp. Green Coriander Mint Chutney

2-3 tbsp. Imli sweet chutney

3 tbsp. Sev/Bhujia

1/4 cup Grapes / pomegranate

1/4 cup Peanuts

3-4 Pav

Method

Spread little butter on the paav and toast it lightly on the pan.You can omit butter depending on your choice.Spread leftover bhaji on one slice .Take the other slice and spread green chutney and imli chutney.Then add pomegranate ,add peanuts and sev bhujia and put everything together.

The combination of all these ingredients make it realy tangy and yumm and very easy to put together as well.

Try this with your leftover bhaji and let me know how you liked it !!

Till we meet next enjoy and wish you all a very happy Holi !!

toddler recipes -Ragi wholewheat banana muffins !!

Every kid loves cakes and muffins and  we all know that there are a lot of sinful ingredients which go into our regular cakes ...so here's healthy twist ..it will not taste the same though but your toddler will certainly be excited to have it!!With the goodness of ragi,wholewheat,banana and almonds this is great for  breakfast, evening snacking and lunch box !!

Try this and don't forget to share your feedback with me !!

Ingredients

1/2 cup Ragi flour

2/3 cup Whole wheat flour

1 Egg

1 Banana(mashed)

2 tbsp Almonds(powdered or chopped)

2 tbsp Oil

1/4 cup Milk

3 tbsp Brown Sugar

1 tbsp Chocolate chips (optional)

1 tsp Baking powder

1/2 tsp Baking Soda

1 tsp Vanilla essence

A pinch of salt

Method

Preheat oven at 180 degrees and line the muffin cup with liners.In a bowl sieve ragi and wholewheat flour.Add baking soda,baking powder,salt and mix in.Add almond powder as well,You can even use chopped almonds.I didn't use coz my son doesn't like chopped nuts.

In another bowl beat egg,oil,vanilla essence and sugar well.Add mashed banana and milk.Mix it well.

Now mix the dry ingredients into wet gently.Stir in the chocolate chips and scoop out the mixture in muffin moulds.Bake it for 15-20 minutes depending on your oven.

I have used very little sugar..you can add more !!These muffins will not be as fluffy as the usual ones but will  be yumm and guilt free for sure !!

Enjoy these muffins with your little ones !!

The most healthy Soup ever with the goodness of Bottle Gourd,Carrot and Corn !!

Can you think of a healthy recipe which is delicious too...well the list is not very long for me...and so I always keep experimenting to get the best out of healthy and nutritious ingredients.

Bottle gourd is one of the most nutritious vegetable and most disliked too..But you just try this soup and  I bet you will not be able to guess that there is lauki in it ...seriously !!

Here is the recipe

Ingredients

2 cups chopped Bottle gourd
2 tbsp Moong Daal
Half Onion
2-3 cloves Garlic
1 Bay leaf
1/4 cup Corn
Half Carrot  finelychopped
1/4 cup finely cubed Paneer
1 tsp Cumin seeds
Black pepper
Salt
1 tbsp Butter

Method

In a pressure cooker add bottle gourd ,moong daal,onion,bay leaf and garlic.Add half cup of water and boil it until its done.Blend it till smooth and simmer it in a heavy bottomed pan.Add butter and let it cook for five minutes.Add pepper,salt and fresh cumin powder.(Dry roast cumin seeds and crush or grind)Please use fresh cumin only for a better flavour.Add corn and chopped carrot and cook for another five minutes.Just before serving add chopped paneer and a little pepper.

Serve hot.

Toddler Recipes-Spinach Corn Rice !!

Starting with a new series "Toddler Recipes" with an objective to share healthy and yummy dishes for your little ones.As a mom I am always looking for ways to introduce nutrition in my son's diet and I keep on experimenting in my kitchen.
The recipe which I m going to share today is Spinach Corn Rice.I learnt this from my friend Ruby In London ..This rice dish was always a part of our potluck dinners.I just loved it the first time I had and have made umpteen times as its healthy and delicious too.Thanks Ruby !!Trust me you will love it too..Its a great way to include greens in your kid's diet.I made it for my son and its his favourite now.


Ingredients

2 Cups of  Spinach
1/4 cup Boiled Corn
1 small onion
A small piece of Ginger
Salt to taste
Black pepper
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
1 Bay leaf
Paneer cubes for garnish (optional)
2 cups of cooked rice

Method

Blanch  Spinach and grind it with  ginger into a smooth paste.Take oil in a pan and add cumin seeds and bay leaf.Add chopped onion.Once the onion turns brown add the spinach puree.Cook it for 10 minutes and add corn.Add salt and pepper and cook.Add a little water if required.Add cooked rice and mix it lightly.Garnish with paneer cubes and a dollop of ghee.
A healthy meal is ready for your toddler!!