Moong Dal Soup for babies as a weaning food

 Introducing of soups to babies as weaning food helps in making the meal a full one. Dal soup or vegetable soup are a wholesome meal by itself. Moong Dal is very healthy digestive food. 

Ingredients:
Split Yellow Moong Dal - 1/4 cup
Salt - a pinch
Pepper powder - a pinch (optional)

Method:
Pressure cook the dal for about 5 to 6 whistles. Open mash and let it cool, Grind it to a smooth paste and add 1 cup of water and make it to a liquid consistency. Add salt and pepper powder to it. Feed the babies during lunch time or during morning breakfast or as inbetween meal in the morning. 

Variations:
Can add a twig of curry leaves or coriander leaves or a few mint leaves while pressure cooking. Ensure they are removed fully and not ground along with the dal. 
Adding pepper is definitely optional.

Onion Soup - OPOS method

A soup that requires easily and readily available ingredients. Can be made easily for unexpected guests. And that too when it is done in OPOS, it is made easily and the taste is definitely immense. 

Ingredients:

Onions - 4 nos

Butter - 1 tbsp

White sauce - 2 Cups

Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Cut the onions into thin rings. (Better grate it using potato grater or slicer)

In a pressure pan heat butter and add the onion rings. Add white sauce, salt and 1 cup of water. Pressure cook for 3 whistles. 

Let it cool remove from flame and add required water. 

Serve hot with soup sticks. This also makes a soup for a rainy day. 

How to make white sauce at home

Ingredients:

Butter - 2 tbsp

Corn flour - 4 tbsp

Milk - 1/2 cup

Onion - 1 small

Bay leaf - 1 no

Cloves - 2 nos

Pans - 2 hard bottom

Method:

Slit (donot cut it fully) the onion into 4. In a pan heat milk add onion bay leaf and cloves. When the milk starts boiling remove from flame cover and let it cool. The flavour of onion, bayleaf and cloves will be infused into the milk.

In another pan add butter and when it melts add the flour and stir constantly till the flour blends with the butter well and no lumps are formed. Cook it till it bubbles. 

Remove onion, bay leaf and cloves and add the milk to the butter and cornflour pan. Mix thoroughly untill a paste is formed. Cook again for another 5 to 10 minutes till the sauce is thickened 

Alternatively milk an be added without infusing it with onion, cloves and bay leaf. 

Lemon Ginger Soup by Shripriya

Soup recipe posted by Shripriya Ramakrishnan for Party menu - 1

Pressure cook about one cup of toor dhal with little bit if turmeric. Fry 1 table spoon of jeera and 1 table spoon of pepper in a teaspoon of oil, then powder it. Then grind the cooked toor dhal also and add about 2 cups of water. Take 3-4 inch size ginger piece, grate it and put it in this toor dhal gravy. If you want, add 2 green chillies also. Add salt. Add the pepper-jeera powder. Let it boil. The consistency should be watery....like we should be able to drink it like a rasam. Once the boiling is done, switch off the stove. Add lemon juice according to taste. This is such a yummy soup, even kids will love.

Veg Clear Soup by Uma Sridharan

Party Menu recipe posted by Uma Sridharan

Coarsely chopped cabbage, onion, carrot, spring onion and capsicum – ½ cup each

Very easy to make.

Boil 2 Ltrs of water.

Add enough salt.

Now add the vegetables. Simmer it for 5 mts. Serve hot.

Creamy Tomato Soup by Uma Sridharan

Contest Entry recipe posted by Uma Sridharan

Ingredients

 

Ripe Tomato 500 gms

Milk 1/2 cup

fresh cream 3 tbsp

onion 1 chopped

 

for white sauce

 

refined flour 2 tbsp

Butter 2 tbsp

Milk 2 cups

 

Method

 

Cut tomatoes intoi  half. In a heavy bottomed vessel, place cut tomatoes and chopped oinons along with 1/2 cup of milk. Bring it to boil. Simmer it. Let it boil till the onions become soft. Blend it in a mixie.

Mix the white sauce with the tomato - onion mixture. pour 3 cups of water and heat it. Simmer it for 5 to 7 mts. Remove from the heat. Add pepper and salt according to your taste. Add the fresh cream slowly and mix.Garnish with leeks and finely chopped coriander leaves.

 

White sauce

 

Heat the butter in a heavy bottomed vessel. and add the flour.Remove from the heat.  Pour 3 to 4 tbsp milk to it and stir. Mix well. Now add the rest of the milk and stir. Again place the vessel in a low heat and the sauce thickens.

Green Peas Soup

A healthy and filling soup for early evening dinner.

Ingredients:
Peas - 1 1/2 cups
Milk or milk powder - 1/2 cup
Corn flour - 1 tsp
Butter unsalted 2 tsp
White stock - 2 cups
Salt to taste
Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
Cream for topping

Method:
Beat the butter and corn flour to a fine paste. Pressure cook the peas. Grind the peas and milk or milk powder to a fine paste. Add it to the white stock. Heat a pan add the ingedients and bring it to a boil in a slow flame till the soup becomes thick. Remove from flame. Add salt and pepper. Serve with fresh cream.

Palak Soup a healthy recipe

Ingredients:
Palak - 1 bunch
Onion - 1 no.
Tomato - 1 no.
Chillies - 2 nos
Garlic - 3 to 4 cloves
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tspn
Salt to taste
Water - 1 cup

Method:
Pick the leaves of Palak and wash them clean for about two or three times. Chop the onions, tomato and green chillies finely.

Pressure cook spinach, tomato, onion and green chillies. Let it cook for about 3 whitsles. When cold blend it with a hand mixture. Add salt and another cup of water if needed and noil it for another 5 mins.

Serve hot with a dash of butter on top. Can be accompanied by potato wedges.

Easy Tomato Soup for one person

On a rainy day if one wants to have a cup of hot soup, this can be prepared in a jiffy and had.


Ingredients:
Tomato Puree - 2 tsp
Corn flour - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Ajinomotto - 1 pinch (optional)
Water - 1 cup
Coriander leaves - a few
Mint leaves - a few
Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
Butter - 2 tsp

Method:
Mix tomato puree in 1/2 cup of water. Heat another 1/2 cup of water and when it starts boiling reduce the flame and add corn flour and mix well ensure that no lumps are formed. Add salt and the tomato puree mixed water. Bring it to boil. Remove from flame, add pepper powder, finely chopped mint leaves and coriander leaves. Serve hot with butter on top.

How to make Brown Stock at home.

Wanted to make French Onion Soup, and as I wanted to get the texture and colour that we get in eat outs, I wanted to use brown stock. I have not prepared or used brown stock till date and was wondering how to do it. On a search in the net found it could be easily made using beans like brown chick peas, kidney beans etc. So now here is the making of brown stock.

Ingredients:
Brown chick peas - 1 cup
Kidney Beans - 1 cup
Yellow peas - 1 cup
Unsalted butter - 1/4 cup or 50 gms
Cabbage - 100 gms
Carrot - 2 nos
Yellow Pumpkin - 1/4 kg (after the seeds and peel is removed, it will definitely be only 100 to 150 gms)
Cloves - 2 nos
Bay leaf - 1 no
Ginger - 1 inch piece
Salt - 1 tbsp
Water - 12 cups

Method:
Wash and soak the peas for over night or for about 12 hours. Drain the water and pressure cook it for about 5 whistles with 3 cups of water. Remove from flame and let it cool. Cut cabbage into thin strips, carrot into small cubes, Yellow pumpkin to small cubes. Grate the ginger.

In a pan add butter and melt it in low heat. Add the bay leaves, cloves and the cut vegetables and saute for a while. Add grated ginger and the cut vegetables and saute again. Add 1/4 cup of water and cover it with a lid for about 10 mins. Cook in low flame.

Add 8 cups of water and salt and bring it to boil. When it starts boiling add the pressure cooked peas and beans along with the water and keep boiling it for another hour. All the while keep mashing it with the laddle so that all the essence of the vegetables and beans comes to the water. Keep cooking in medium flame for about an hour. Strain and let it cool.

Can be used for soups and also while making Chole or Rajma curry. The remaining stock can be refrigerated and used. (Ensure it is used with a week).

Note: Can also be made in lesser quantities by reducing the ingredients.

Masoor Dal Soup

Ingredients:
Masoor Dal - 1 cup
Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup
Mint Leaves - 1/2 cup
Onion - 2
Tomato - 2
Ginger - 1/2 inch piece
Green chillies - 2 nos
Garlic - 8 pods
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tbsp
Saunf - 1/2 tsp

Method:
Cut onion and tomato into fine pieces. chop coriander leaves, mint leaves too finely. Heat ghee in a pressure pan add mustard seeds and when they splutter add cumin seeds, saunf and saute for a few mins. Slit the green chillies, crush the garlic, chop the ginger finely and add it to the pan. Add onions, tomato and saute well again. Add masoor dal and 2 cups of water to it and pressure cook it for about 3 to 4 whistles. When cool mash it thoroughly. If it is thick add another cup of water and serve hot. This is a wholesome soup for a cold evening.

Channa Dal Soup for the rainy day evenings

During rainy season, every one prefers something hot to drink. One such is soups. Here is a simple and easy to make soup.

Ingredients:
Channa Dal - 1 cup
Tomato - 2 nos
Gren chillies - 3 nos
Red Chilly - 1 no.
Pepper Powder - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Ghee - 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - a few
Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup finely chopped
Salt to taste

Method:
Pressure cook channa dal with about 2 cups of water. Remove and drain the water. Mash 1/2 of the channa dal to a fine paste. To the channadal water add finely chopped (better pureed) tomatoes, green chillies, finely chopped coriander leaves and cook well. If using chopped tomatoes wait till they get soft. When it comes to a boil add the mashed channa dal remove from flame add salt and pepper powder and mix well. Garnish with finely chopped curry leaves.

In a seasoning laddle add ghee, mustard seeds. When they splutter, add cumin seeds, asafodeita, red chilly and pour it on top of the curry leaves.

Serve hot as a evening time soup. Just before serving add a spoon or two of the cooked whole channa dal.

Ginger Rasam

Ingredients:
Ginger - 2 inch piece (50 gms)
Tomato - 6 nos (preferably the sour ones)
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Curry leaves - 1/2 cup
Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup
Asafodeita - 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Green chilly - 1 no
Rasam Powder - 1/2 tbsp
Salt to taste

Method:
Grind the tomatoes along with curry leaves, coriander leaves, asafodeita, rasam powder and salt. Peel and mash the ginger coarsely and add it to the ground paste. Add 2 cups of water and bring it to a boil. When the bubble starts appearing on top, remove from flame.

In a seasoning laddle add ghee, and when hot add mustard seeds and when it splutters add green chilly slit into two. Saute for a few seconds and add it to the rasam.

Though this can be had with rice, it is good to have as a soup too.

Drumstick Soup

Ingredients:
Drumstick - 12 nos
Onion - 4 big
Green chilly - 4 nos
Coriander leaves - 1 cup
Milk - 2 cups
Curd - 1 cup
      or
Cheese - 1/2 cup grated

Method:
Chop onions finely. Cut drumsticks into reasonable sized pieces. Pressure cook onion, green chilly and coriander leaves together with milk. Pressure cook drumstick pieces separately. Open the drumstick pieces and remove the fleshy parts and seeds. Separate the seeds and keep them aside. Blend the drumstick flesh with the remaining cooked ingredietns and grind them. Add the drumstick seeds, salt and pepper and bring it to a boil. Before serving add either curd or grated cheese.

How to make Brown Stock for soups at home

Certain soups ask for Brown stock. It is easy to make it at home.

Ingredients:

Carrots - 2 nos

French Beans - 12 nos

Onion - 1 big

Potato - 1 big

Tomato - 2 large

Cabbage - 100 gms piece

Method:

Cut all the vegetables into medium sized cubes and pieces. Add these vegetables to about 6 cups of water and pressure cook it for 5 whistles. When warm, remove from cooker and blend it in a blender. Drain through a sieve.

Brown stock is ready.

Drumstick Soup - Kerala style

Ingredients:
Drumstick - 6 nos
Green chillies - 2 nos
Ginger - 1 inch piece
Small Onions (shallots) - 6 nos
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Grated coconut - 1/4 cup
Curry leaves - a few
cocout oil - 1 tbsp (this will give the typical Kerala taste)

Method:
Cut drumsticks into small pieces. Pressure cook it along with green chillies, ginger, small onions and cook it for about 3 to 4 whistles. When cold, remove all the solid particles and drain the liquid using a strainer.

In a seasoning pan, heat coconut oil, add mustard seeds and when they splutter add curry leaves and grated coconut and add it to the soup.

This will taste yummy and is also rich in iron. Can be given for pregnant women.

Clear Onion Soup

Ingredients:
Onion - 2 nos
Green chilly - 1 no
Corn flour - 1 tbsp
Grated cheese - 1/4 cup
Butter - 2 tbsp
Water - 4 cups
Salt to taste
Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp (optional)

Method:
Chop onions very finely. Heat butter in a shallow pan. Saute the onion and green chilly for a few minutes till the onions become brown in colour. Add 1 cup of water and bring it to boil in a medium flame. Mix corn flour in 2 tbsp of water and make it a paste and add it to the boiling mixture. Add the remaining water and bring it to a boil.

Serve hot with grated cheese and a dash of pepper powder.

Cauliflower Soup

Ingredients:
Cauliflower - 1 small
Onion - 1 big
Oil - 1 tsp
Ginger - 1 inch piece
Green Chilly - 1 no
Toned Milk - 1 1/2 cup
Salt and Pepper powder to taste
Corn flour - 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1 pinch

Method:
Cut cauliflower into small florets. Put them in boiling water added with a pinch of turmeric powder. Keep it in water for about 5 mins. Drain and remove excess water. Slit the green chilly into 2, chop the onions finely.

 In a pan heat oil and fry the onion till they become glassy. Add the cauliflower and saute well. Add cornflour to 1/4 cup of water and add it to the pan. Add 1 cup of milk and 1/2  cup of water and reduce the flame. After a few mins add the chilly and ginger. Close the pressure pan and cook for about 1 whistle. When cool remove ginger and chilly.

Grind the cooked vegetable in a juicer grinder. Add the remaining milk and another cup of water. Heat the mixture again in medium flame. Let it not go to a boil.

Add salt and pepper powder to taste. Serve hot.

Tomato Rasam

Ingredients:
Tomato - 1/4 kg
Garlic - 4 flakes
Green chilly - 2 nos
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Black pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - 1/4 cup
Coriander leaves chopped - 1/4 cup
Ghee - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cumin - 1 tsp
Asafodeita - 1`pinch

Method:
Grind the tomatoes in a juicer grinder. Add cumin powder, pepper powder, garlic flakes and green chillies and salt and boil all of them together. When it bubbles up on top remove from flame.

Chop the curry leaves into two halves and sprinkle it on the rasam. In a seasoning laddle add ghee and when hot add the mustard seeds and when it splutters add the jeera seeds and asafodeita. Garnish it with coriander leaves.

Simple and tasty Rasam

Ingredients:
Tamarind paste - 2 tsp
Tomatoes - 2
Coriander seeds - 1 tsp
Pepper - 1/2 tsp
Jeera - 1 tsp
Thuvar Dal - 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1 pinch
Curry Leaves - a few
Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup
Ghee - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Red chillies - 2 nos
Asafodeita - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Water - 3 cups

Method:
Grind tomatoes, tamarind paste, curry leaves, pepper, 1/2 tsp of Jeera, coriander seeds and thuvar dal to a fine paste. Add 3 cups of water, salt and turmeric powder and mix well. Keep the vessel inside a pressure pan and cook for one whistle.

In a tempering ladle heat ghee, add mustard seeds and when it splutters add jeera, red chilly and asafodeita. Add it to the rasam. Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves.

Can be had with rice and also as a soup.