TOFU AND BOK CHOY SOUP

Ingredients:
Bok choy – 3 cups, coarsely chopped
Mushrooms – 2 big, coarsely chopped
Firm Tofu cubes – 1-2 cups
Oil – 1 tsp
Ginger garlic paste – 1 tbsp
Soy sauce – 2 tbsp
Red chili flakes – 1/8th tsp
Salt
Ground black pepper – ¼ tsp
Chicken bouillon – 1
Water – 6-8 cups

Cooking procedure:
Cut the store bought tofu into small cubes. Dry the cubes using paper towel, try to remove as much water as possible. Roast the tofu cubes on all sides on a non-stick cooking pan and keep aside.
Heat the oil in a big pot. Add the ginger garlic paste and sauté for a minute. Then add the chili flakes and mushrooms. Sauté till all the water from mushrooms evaporates and they become brown. Add the bok choy, black pepper and soy sauce. Sauté for 2 mintues and then add salt, chicken bouillon. Add the boiling water and bring the soup to a boil. Simmer for 6-7 minutes. Then add the tofu and let simmer for 5 more minutes. Serve hot. You can also add noodles to this soup.

CREAMY VEGETABLE PASTA

Ingredients:
Any shape pasta - 1lb
Zucchini - 1
Broccoli - 2 big florets
Red bell pepper - 1/2
Green bell pepper - 1/2
Corn kernel - 1/2 cup
Mushrooms - 4-5, I used canned
Butter - 1 tbsp
Extra virgin olive oil - 1 tbsp
Garlic - 3-4, finely chopped
Dried oregano - 1/2 tsp
Red chili powder - 1/4 tsp
Black pepper - 1/8 th tsp
Salt
Cream - 1/2 cup
Freshly chopped parsley - 1-2 tbsp
Grated Parmesan cheese - 2-3 tbsp

Cooking Procedure:
Wash all the vegetables. Clean the mushroom using a damp towel. Cut the zucchini, red bell pepper, green bell pepper into small pieces, as shown in the picture. Seperate the florets of the brocolli.

In a big pot bring 5-6 cups of water to a boil. Add 2 tsp of salt to it and add the pasta. Cook the broccoli for a minute and keep aside. Cook the pasta as per the package instructions. Drain the water and keep aside.

In a big pan, heat the butter and olive oil. Add the garlic and let cook for 2 minutes. Then add the mushrooms and let cook till the mushrooms gets soft. Then add the zucchini, bell peppers, corn kernels, dried oregano, salt and black pepper. Mix everything well and let cook for 2 minutes. Don't over cook the vegetables. Then add the red chili powder. Then add the cream and mix everything well. Then add the paste and broccoli. Mix well and then finally add the cheese and parsley. Serve hot.

SARSON KA SAAG

Sarson (mustard greens) – 1 bunch
Radish greens – 1 bunch
Spinach – 5 oz, 142 gm box
Methi – 1 small bunch
Onion - 1 ½ medium size, chopped
Ginger – 1 ½ “
Garlic – 5-6
Green chilies – 1-2
Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
Asafetida – a pinch
Red chili powder – ½ tsp
Yellow corn flour – 1 ½ tbsp
Salt

Cooking Procedure:
This is how the sarson greens looks like

Blanch the sarson, radish greens, spinach and keep aside to cool. To blanch the vegetables take a big pot full of water and bring it to a boil. Add the vegetables one at a time and let it stay in boiling water. Sarson and radish greens needs more time to blanch so keep it for 2 minutes and spinach for a minute. All the greens should retain their green color. Then transfer the vegetables to iced water. Then drain the water and puree them. Grind ginger garlic and green chilies to a paste.
Heat 2-3 tbsp of oil in a pan. Add the chopped onion and sauté till translucent. Then add ginger garlic green chili paste and fry for a minute. Then add turmeric powder, asafetida, red chili powder and salt. Mix everything well. Then add the pureed vegetables. Mix well and bring it to a boil. Dissolve the corn flour in a cup of water. Remove the pan from heat and add the corn paste to the vegetables mixing continuously for a minute, so that lumps are not formed. Return the pan to heat and let cook on medium heat for 5-10 mins. Serve hot with a tablespoon of butter and makai (corn) roti.