CREAM OF CARROT SOUP

Ingredients:
Carrots – 3, medium size
Shallot – 1
Tomato – 1 small
Rice – 1 tbsp
Butter – 1 tbsp
Salt – 1 tsp
Sugar – 1 tbsp
Black pepper – ¼ tsp
Cream – 2-3 tbsp

Cooking procedure:
Peel the carrots and cut them into slices. Also slice the shallot. Cut the tomato into half. The reason to keep the tomato in big pieces is that, after the tomato gets cooked in the soup the skin will automatically separate and will be easy to remove. Wash the rice and keep aside.
Heat the butter in a pot and add the shallots. Sauté the shallots till they become translucent. Then add the carrot and stir fry on medium heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring continuously. Then add the tomato, rice and mix well. Then add salt and pepper. Add 1-2 cups of boiling water. Cover the pot and let cook till the carrots become tender. Then blend everything to form a smooth soup. Add sugar and mix well. Then add cream and let boil for a minute or two. Serve hot. I use to make this soup for my son since he was 7-8 months old. I use to make a thicker version, by adding less water.

VEGETABLE MANCHURIAN WITH GRAVY

Ingredients for Manchurian balls:
Cabbage – 1 cup, finely chopped
Spinach – 1 cup, finely chopped
Carrot – 1 cup, shredded
Spring onion – 7-8, chopped
Ginger paste – 1 tsp
Soy sauce – 1 tsp
Chili sauce – 1 tsp
All purpose flour – 1 cup
Baking soda – ¼ tsp
Cooked noodles – 1 cup
Salt
White pepper powder – ¼ tsp

For sauce:
Onion – 1 big, roughly chopped
Green bell pepper – 1 medium, roughly chopped
Green chilies – 3-4
Garlic – 1 tbsp, chopped
Ginger – 1 tbsp, chopped
Soy sauce – 1 tbsp
Vinegar – 1 tsp
Chili sauce – 1 tsp

Tomato ketchup - 2-3 tbsp
Salt
Corn flour – 2-3 tbsp
Water – ½ cup
Green onions – 3-4 chopped for garnish

Cooking procedure:
Mix all the ingredients for the ball in a big bowl. Make ping pong size balls and deep fry on medium heat till they become golden brown. I make these balls in bulk and freeze them for a month or two. I just make the sauce and add the balls to it.
For the sauce, heat 1 tsp oil in a pan and add the onion. Sauté the onions for a minute then add the green bell pepper and sauté for a minute. Then add the garlic, ginger and sauté for a minute. Dissolve the corn flour in water and add it to the pan. Keep on stirring after you add the corn flour mixture. Adjust the consistency of sauce by adding as much or as little water as required. Then add the soy sauce, chili sauce, vinegar, salt and pepper. Let the sauce boil for 2-3 minutes. Then add the Manchurian balls to the sauce and simmer for 2 more minutes. Garnish with fresh chopped green onions. Serve hot over boiled rice or boiled noodles.

VEGETABLE CUTLET

Ingredients:
Potato – 2 big, boiled
Onion – 1 big, chopped
Carrot – 1 big, chopped
Green peas – ¼ cup
Corn kernels – ¼ cup
Green chilies – 2-3, finely chopped
Ginger – 1”, chopped
Chopped coriander leaves – 1 tsp
Cumin powder – ¼ tsp
Turmeric powder – a pinch
Bread crumbs – 3-4 tbsp or as required ( I grinded fresh bread in blender and used the crumbs)
Salt

Cooking procedure:
Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a pan and add the onions. Sauté the onions till they become translucent. Then add the carrot and sauté for a minute or till the carrots become little tender. Remove the pan from heat and keep aside to cool. Take microwave safe bowl and add the green peas and corn kernel to it and microwave covered on high for 2 minutes. Then remove and keep aside to cool. Cut the potato into very small pieces and add them in a big bowl. Mix in the sautéed onions, carrots, green peas, corn kernel, green chilies, ginger, cumin powder, turmeric powder, chopped coriander leaves and salt. Mix everything well using hands. Then add the bread crumbs and combine everything. Make small patties of the mixture and shallow fry them on medium heat till they become golden brown. Serve with green chutney or cabbage salad.

CABBAGE SALAD
Ingredients:
Shredded cabbage – 1 cup
Tomato – 1 big, thinly sliced
Mayonnaise – 2-3 tbsp
Red chili sauce – ¼ tsp
Salt
Pepper

Add all the above ingredients in a bowl and mix everything well. Keep aside for flavors to combine. Serve cold or at room temperature.

KING FISH DUM BIRYANI

Ingredients:

King fish – 900 gms
Rice – 600 gms
Onion – 1 big, chopped
Garlic – 6-7
Ginger – 1”
Tomato – 1 can, 14 oz petit diced
Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
Asafetida – a pinch
Cumin powder – 1 tbsp
Coriander powder – 1 tsp
Shahijeera – 1 tsp
Red chili paste – 1 tsp (optional)
Garam masala* – 2 tsp
Salt
Chopped mint – 2 tbsp
Chopped coriander leaves – 3-4 tbsp
For Ground masala:
Coriander seeds – 1 tbsp
Black pepper corns – 10-15
Cinnamon stick – 2”
Cloves – 4-5
Cardamom – 3-4

Cooking procedure:
I bought king fish steaks about 1.5 inch thick and cut them into half. Wash the fish; drain them in colander for 5-10 minutes. Then transfer the fish to a bowl and rub them with turmeric powder, salt and keep aside. Grind all the ingredients for masala powder, using a coffee blender. Make ginger garlic paste. Take 5-6 cups of water in a big pot and bring it to a boil.
Meanwhile, heat 3-4 tbsp of oil in a pan, add the bay leaf and chopped onions. Sauté the onions till they become translucent. Then add the ginger garlic paste and sauté for 2 minutes. Then add the chopped tomato, salt and mix everything well. Cover the pan and let cook for 10-15 mins. Then add the turmeric powder, red chili powder, cumin powder, garam masala and sauté till the oil seperates. Then add the masala powder, shahijeera and mix well. After adding the masala powder, don’t cook it too long. Then remove the pan and keep aside. As fish takes less time to cook, the onion tomato masala should be cooked completely. After like 5 minutes add the fish and completely cover it with the masala. Top it with half of the chopped mint and coriander leaves.
Then add salt to the boiling water and then the rice. Cook the rice on medium high heat, till the rice gets more than half cooked. Then drain the excess water and transfer the rice in the pan, above the fish and masala. Level the rice and sprinkle remaining chopped coriander leaves, mint leaves and fried onions. Pour 3-4 tbsp of ghee over the rice and tightly cover the pan and let it steam on medium low heat for 30 mins. This was the first time I made fish biryani and we loved it a lot. The fish was very moist.

* I have red chilies in my garam masala powder so I did not add red chili paste. If you wish you can add red chili powder.

TOOR DAL WITH BEET GREENS

Ingredients:
Toor dal – ½ cup
Beet greens – 2 cups finely chopped
Garlic – 2-3, chopped
Green chilies – 2-3 chopped
Tomato – 1 small, chopped
Mustard seeds – ¼ tsp
Cumin seeds – ¼ tsp
Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
Asafetida – a pinch
Salt

Cooking Procedure:
Wash the toor dal till the water runs clear. Add double the amount of water to the dal, salt and 1 tsp of oil and pressure cook the dal till it becomes tender. I use the presto pressure cooker in which I cook the dal for 15 mins and let it rest till the cooker is cooled completely.
In medium pot, heat 2-3 tsp of oil and add the mustard seeds. As the mustard seeds start to crackle add the cumin seeds, then the garlic and green chilies. Fry for a minute and then add the beet greens. Mix well and then add the turmeric powder, asafetida and salt. Mix well and cover the pot and let the greens cook till they become tender. Now add the cooked dal and mix well. The consistency of the dal should not be too thick or too watery. Adjust the water as required. Let the dal simmer for 7-8 mins. Serve the dal with 1 tsp of ghee. This dal taste very good with naan and amazing with rice.