The One with French Onion Soup

Hola Amigos !!!

                Today's menu is French Onion Soup !! It is quick ,easy and very delicious  soup. It is perfect starter for this winter . This is one of my Hubby's favourite starter. I wish to tell you that I have created a Facebook page for my blog. Do like my page here.

This is what you need :

Onions (Medium) - 3

Butter - 2 tbsp

Plain Flour - 1 tbsp

Sugar - 2 tbsp

Vegetable Stock - 500 ml

Salt - to taste

Pepper - to taste

This is how you do :

1. In a pan add butter and after it starts melting add onions and fry them till they become soft and turn golden brown.

2. Now add sugar and mix them well. After few minutes the whole mixture will start turning light brown.

3.Add plain flour and after a quick mix add vegetable stock and salt and simmer flame for 10 -15 mins.

4. When the soup starts to thicken , turn off the flame and add salt and pepper as required.

Serve it hot with toasted bread or baguette :)!!!!

Sending this to Healthy Diet Event - Warm Soups By Priya's Easy N Tasty Recipes.

Note:
I used ready made vegetable stock blocks for this soup but it can also be done with vegetable stock from boiled vegetables and in that case add some dried oregano or basil to this stock.

The One with Sweet Potato Halwa

Hola Amigos !!

    This is my first Pongal after my marriage and it was simply sweet. So I thought of posting a sweet recipe to celebrate my joy  with you all !! Healthy and quick Recipe to make ....

Nutrients : A very good food with high content in fibre and rich in Iron, Vitamin C. Helps to reduce cholesterol and a excellent alternative to potato. In short one of the good guys for Optimal health :).

This is what you need :

Sweet Potato - 1 (medium size)

Milk - 1 cup

Sugar - 1/2 cup

Ghee - 1 tbsp

Cardamom Powder - 1/2 tsp

Nuts - 1-2 tbsp

This is how you do :

1. Boil Sweet Potato and mash them well.

2. In a kadai add ghee and after it starts melting add mashed sweet potato and milk together and  simmer the flame. Since sweet potato is already boiled, it will not take much time for it to boil together.

3. After they get boiled add sugar and mix them. Now mix them together until the ghee oozes out of the edges of the potato mixture. It will not take more than 10 Mins to reach this consistency.

4. Finally add the cardamom powder, nuts and turn off the flame.

Yummy and Healthy Sweet Potato Halwa is Ready !!!!

Sending this recipe to Zesty Palette Series #3 - New "U" Event  by Vardhini.

The One with Avocado Cous-Cous Salad

Hola Amigos !!!

                          Another fine day, I was out of all options to prepare dinner and it just struck me "How about a  Cous-Cous Salad" . It is very light and tummy filling recipe , more importantly very easy to make as there is no cooking part involved .

Origin : CousCous has different names in many countries and its early history dates back to the 13th century Moroccans. As for Avocado its the home to native Mexico.

Nutrition :  Well any dietician would say Cous Cous is the best food during a perfect diet. Its high Vitamin content makes it a step higher than Pasta and also rich in Proteins. Avocado is a rich fibre fruit, helps in reducing cholesterol . Both together makes an ideal light meal.

This is what you need :

1. Cous Cous - 1 cup

2. Avocado - 1 (cut into cubes)

3. Cucumber - 1/4 cup(cut into cubes)

4. Carrot - 1/4 cup( cut into cubes)

5. Olives - 10

6. Tomato - 1/4 cup

7. Corn  - 1/4 cup(Boiled)

8. Bell Pepper - 1/4 cup( cut into cubes)

9. Onion - 1/4 cup(optional)

10. Lemon Juice - 2 tbsp

11. Salt - to taste

12. Olive Oil - 1 tbsp

13. Hot Water - 3/4 cup

This is how you do :

1. Add 3/4 cup of boiling water to Cous Cous in a bowl and add a pinch of salt to it.Keep it aside for 5 - 10 Mins.

2. In another bowl mix all the vegetables together by adding required salt and Olive oil.

3. After Cous Cous is ready, add the vegetable mixture and mix them well. Finally add lemon juice and garnish with cilantro . Enjoy yummy Salad !

The One with Chocolate n Strawberry Mousse Cake!

Hola Amigos !!!


Wish you all a Happy and Prosperous New Year 2012. As a sweet start to this wonderful year, I decided to post a cake recipe as my first post this year.I tried this recipe on New Year's Eve with my friend  Sowmya and it came out like a treat.Today am not going to mention the nutrition facts :).

This is what you need :

For the Chocolate Cake layer :

Plain Flour - 1 cup

Sugar - 1 cup

Baking Soda - 1 tsp

Vanilla Essence - 1 tsp

Eggs - 2

Plain Chocolate - 50 gms

Butter - 50 gms

For the Chocolate Mousse Layer:

Whipping Cream - 1 cup

Plain Chocolate - 50 gms

Egg Yolks - 3

Sugar - 2 tbsp

Water - 2 tbsp

For the Strawberry Mousse Layer:

Whipping Cream - 1 cup

Fresh/Frozen Strawberries - 200 gms

Sugar - 2 tbsp

Strawberry Jelly - 1 packet

Water - 2 tbsp

This is how you do :

Step 1 : Chocolate Cake Layer :

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees .

2. Mix the baking soda, plain flour and sieve them together.

3. Beat the eggs until they are fluffy, then add vanilla essence, sugar and mix them well.

4. Melt the Chocolate and Butter together either by double boiler method or in the microwave .

5. Now add the melted chocolate mixture to the beated eggs and fold them well.

6. Finally add the flour to the folded mixture and mix them well without any lumps.

7. Transfer the cake mixture to the greased cake tin and bake them in preheated oven for 10-15 mins.

8. Check if the cake is ready by inserting a tooth pick and it should come out clean.

9. After the cake is ready allow it to cool for some time.

Step 2 : Chocolate Mousse Layer :

1. Melt the chocolate either by double boiler method or in the microwave.

2. Separate the egg yolks and beat them until they are fluffy .

3. Beat the whipping cream until we get small peaks from them (Refer to the end of post)

4. In a vessel add 2 tbsp of water, 2 tbsp of sugar and heat them until the sugar dissolves completely.

Now add the sugar syrup the egg mixture slowly and mix them well.

5. Add the melted chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and fold them well.

6. Now add 1/4 of whipped cream to the chocolate and egg mixture and beat them together until everything is mixed completely. Finally add the remaining whipped cream and fold them all together.

7. Now pour this chocolate mousse layer above the baked chocolate cake layer and refrigerate for about 1 hour until the mousse layer is completely set.

Step 3 : Strawberry Mousse Layer:

1. Beat the whipping cream well until we get small peaks from them (Refer to the end of this post)

2. In a Blender add the frozen/fresh strawberries and 4-5 tsp of water and blend them well. Then strain them completely and remove the solid parts . Now we have the extracted puree of the strawberries.

3. Cut the strawberry jelly into small pieces. In a vessel add extracted puree and add 2 tbsp sugar and allow it to boil until it reduces to half of its volume. Now add the jelly pieces and simmer the flame.

4. After the jelly pieces are completely dissolved turn off the flame and keep it aside for some time and allow it to cool.

5. Add this fruit mixture to the whipped cream and fold them together.

6. After the chocolate mousse layer is set, pour this mixture above the chocolate mousse layer and refrigerate again for at least 1 hour. Check the cake occasionally for consistency.

Serve chill and enjoy with your family !!!!!

Note :

This is how the soft peaks in the whipping cream will look :

 Recipe Source : Hungry Happenings

The One with Muthia

Hola Amigos,

    I saw this recipe in a TV show once and thought of trying it. It came out very well in my first attempt itself and ever since we are having this tea time snack regularly.

Origin : This typical Gujarati dish has its name derived from the way it is made, from the 'gripping' action of the hand .

Nutrition : Muthia is a very nutritious snack, which is rich in dietary fiber and helps a lot in digestion. 

This is what you need :

Wheat flour - 1 cup

Oil - 1 tbsp

Peanuts - 2 tbsp(coarsely ground)

Poppy seeds - 2 tsp

Cabbage - 1/2 cup(grated)

Curd - 1-2 tbsp

Ginger - 1/2 inch piece

Green Chillies - 2

Water - 1/4 cup

Salt - to taste

To temper : ("Temper List")

Musturd Seeds - 1 tsp

Jeera - 1 tsp

Oil - 1 tsp

Curry leaves - 2 strings

Asafoetida - a pinch

Grated coconut - 1 tbsp(optional )

This is how you do :

1. Grind the ginger and green chillies into a fine paste .

2. Add salt and oil to the wheat flour and mix them well until it is blended completely. Then add the ground ginger green chillies paste, peanuts and poppy seeds to the floor and also add the grated cabbage.

3. Add curd to the flour and mix them well. Add water as required, and the dough formed should be little harder  than the usual Chapathi dough.

4. Make small dumplings out of the dough and steam it in a idly cooker or steamer for 10 Mins . Can allow for 1 or 2 Mins more if the dumplings are not cooked yet.

5. Allow them to cool for some time and cut into bite size pieces.

6. In a kadai, add the oil and after it is hot add all the ingredients in the "to temper" list except grated coconut .Now add the bit size dumplings to them and fry for some time, until they are golden brown and turn off the flame. 

7. Finally add grated coconut to garnish and serve Muthia hot !!!


Sending this recipe to New Year New Dish Recipe Event By Nupur

The One with Pasta in Tomato Sauce

Hola Amigos ,

Origin :The word "pasta" comes from the Italian word for "paste", meaning a combination of flour and water.

Nutrition : Pasta is very low in sodium and cholesterol-free. Per cup, enriched varieties provide a good source of several essential nutrients, including iron and several B-vitamins.

    Today I am here with our favourite dish Pasta in Tomato Sauce. We make it at least once in a week for our dinner. I tried this dish with some veggies so that it can be a healthier version.

This is what you need (Serves 2 ):

For the Pasta:

Pasta - 1 cup( can be any shape of pasta that we prefer)

Olive Oil- 1/2 tsp

Italian Seasoning (Or Dried Oregano or Basil ) - 1/2 tsp

Grated Cheese - 1tbsp (optional)

Salt - to taste

For the Pasta Sauce :

Tomato Puree(Italian Passata) - 1 and 1/2 cup

Tomatoes - 2 ( diced )

Italian Seasoning (Or Dried Oregano or Basil ) - 1/2 tsp

Red Chili Flakes - 1 tsp

Olive Oil - 1 tsp

Salt - to taste

Vegetables for sauce :

Carrot - 1 (cubed )

Beans - 1/4 cup (sliced)

Bell Pepper - 1 ( cubed )

Mushrooms - 1/4 cup

Olive Oil - 1 tbsp

Salt - to taste

This is how you do :

Preparing the Sauce :

1. Add the olive oil in kadai and after the oil is hot, add the vegetables one by one except the mushrooms and add the salt.

2. Close the kadai and boil the vegetables in simmer for 6-8 Mins.

3. After the vegetables are done ,add the mushrooms and mix them well for another 1 -2 Min until all the vegetables are cooked but not mushy .(Sprinkle some water if needed )

4. Transfer the vegetables to another bowl and allow them to cool.

5. Add 1 tsp of oil in the same kadai and after it is hot add the red chili flakes and Italian herbs .

6.Then add the diced tomatoes and  add the tomato puree and salt.

7. If the puree is thick add 1-2 tbsp of water to it and then bring it to boil.

8.After the sauce starts boiling add the fried vegetables to it and allow it to boil for another 2-3 Min.

Preparing the Pasta:

1. Boil the Pasta according to the instructions in the pack with salt

2.After it is cooked, take a sauce pan and add the olive oil to it and then add the boiled pasta and give it a toss .Finally add some Italian Herbs to finish the preparation.

Final Preparation :

1. Transfer the Pasta to the serving bowl and add the required amount of Pasta sauce to it . Garnish it with some grated cheese and serve it hot.

 Kids will love this yummy pasta and the plate will be empty in seconds !!!!!!!!!!!!

Some Notes:

1. Add few drops of olive oil when boiling the pasta so it will not stick together.

2. After the pasta is cooked , strain the water and immediately cool it by washing it in running water to prevent further cooking of Pasta.

3. Add some red chili flakes at the time of serving the pasta to make it bit spicy...

The one with Broccoli Stuffed Paratha

Hola Amigos!!!!
Etymology :  Paratha comes from Indian Roti which in Sanskrit is known as rotika. Broccoli is derived from broccolo a cabbage sprout.
Origin : Broccoli has a history of 2000 years being considered as a very valuable plant. Paratha is a traditional North Indian breakfast.

I tried this dish when I bought broccoli from market for the first time. I had no knowledge on how to cook broccoli and suddenly I thought of trying broccoli stuffed paratha and it came out very well. From then on broccoli has become one of my to - buy list in the market every week. I love the different tastes of broccoli and it has a lot of nutrients.The calcium content is good for growing children.

This is what you need :
For paratha :
Wheat Flour - 1 cup
Salt - to taste
Oil - 1/2 tsp
Water -1/2 cup (or may be less than 1/2 cup)


For stuffing:
Broccoli  - 1 cup (shredded )
Onion -1
Green Chillies -2 (de seeded and chopped)
Ginger - 1 inch piece (Shredded )
Jeera - 1 tsp.
Salt - to taste
Oil - 1 tbsp


This is how you do :
Preparing Paratha Dough :
1. Mix the wheat flour and salt together and add the oil and mix them well till we get the consistency on bread crumbs.
2. Now slowly add the water to the flour and mix well until we get  the perfect chapati dough.
3. Apply few drops of oil to the top of the dough and keep it aside in a closed vessel for at least one hour.
This will make the paratha soft.


Preparing the Stuffing :
1. Meanwhile , Heat the kadai and add oil to it.
2. Once the oil is hot, we should add the Jeera and after it splutters, add the onion and ginger and chillies and fry until the onions become translucent.
3. Then, We add the shredded broccoli and mix them well . Close the lid of the kadai and keep it in simmer for 3-5 until the broccoli gets cooked and stir them occasionally. As we have shredded them finely, it will not take more than 5 Min but if required we can keep it for 1 or 2 more minutes until all the mixture is well cooked.
4. After the stuffing is done ,allow it to cool for some time.

Preparing the Paratha:
1. Take a lemon size of the dough and roll into in a small circle not more than the size of the CD.
2. Place 2 -3 tsp of filling inside the dough and close it like we close the puranam for the modhagam.

3. Dust it in dry wheat flour and roll it again as usual we do for the chapathi but be bit careful as the stuffing may come out if we press it too hard.
4. Repeat the same for all the paratha s and make them ready to be toasted.
5. Heat the tawa and toast the stuffed paratha on both sides in a simmer flame and now stuffed broccoli paratha is ready to eat
    I served it with  Mushroom Do Pyaza  from Sharmi's Passions.

    It goes well with Raitha and Pickles too..


I am sending this recipe to LGSS Stuffed Paratha Event conducted by Vardhini(Zesty Palette), wish me luck everyone :) !