VEGETABLE SWEET CORN SOUP

Ingredients:

Fresh corn kernels – 1 ½ cup
Onion – 1 small, diced
Carrot – 1 big, cut into small pieces
Cabbage - ½ cup finely chopped
Green bell pepper – ½ cup finely chopped
Green chilies – 1
Tomato – 1 medium, chopped
Black pepper powder – ¼ tsp
Salt
Sugar – 1 tsp
Corn flour – 1-2 tbsp
Green onions – 2-3 for garnishing

Cooking procedure:
Place the corn kernels in a container and add 3 cups of water to it. Add the diced onions and green chilies. Pressure cook the kernels for 10 minutes. Let it cool. Remove ¼ cup of kernels and the cooking liquid aside and grind the remaining corn to a fine paste. Strain the paste and keep aside.
Heat 2 tbsp of butter in a medium pot. Then add chopped carrot, cabbage and green bell pepper. Sauté for a minute. Then add the tomato, salt and black pepper powder. Mix everything well. Then add the corn paste, sugar, the reserved corn kernels and cooking liquid. Adjust the water as required. Bring everything to a boil and continue boiling for 3-4 minutes. Dissolve the corn flour in ½ cup of water. Remove the pot from the burner and add the corn flour water stirring continuously. Return the pot on the burner and let boil for 2 more minutes. Serve hot and garnish with green onions.

MASOOR AMTI (LENTIL CURRY)

Ingredients:
Sprouted masoor – 1 cup
Onion – 1 medium, chopped
Garlic – 3-4 cloves, chopped
Fresh grated coconut – ¼ cup
Mustard seeds – ¼ tsp
Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
Cumin powder – ½ tsp
Coriander powder – ½ tsp
Asafetida – a pinch
Red chili powder – 1 tsp
Garam masala – ½ tsp
Salt

Cooking Procedure:
Wash the masoor till the water runs clear. Fill three to four times more water to cover the masoor and soak them overnight. The other day drain the water using a colander. Dampen a muslin cloth or clean kitchen towel and put the masoor in centre of the cloth. Gather all the ends in the center and tie them together, to form a pouch. Keep this pouch in a container, cover it and keep it in a warm place. You can see sprouts coming out of the cloth in 7-8 hours.

Heat 2-3 tbsp of oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds start to splutter add the chopped garlic and onions. Sauté the onion till it becomes translucent, and then add the turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, red chili powder, garam masala and salt. Mix everything well and then add the sprouted masoor. Mix well and then add 2-3 cups of boiling water, or as per required consistency. Bring the curry to a boil, cover it and let cook on medium heat till the masoor becomes tender. Then add the grated coconut and continue cooking for 5 more minutes. Garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves. Serve with plain rice or roti/chapatti.

CRAB CURRY

Ingredients:
Uncooked Crab – 1 dungeness cut into pieces
Tomato – 1 small, chopped
Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
Cumin powder – ½ tsp
Coriander powder – ½ tsp
Red chili powder – 1 tsp
Garam masala powder – 1 tsp

Salt
Kokum- 3

For masala paste:
Fresh grated coconut – ½ cup
Shallot – 2, roughly chopped
Ginger – 1”
Garlic – 4-5
Green chilies – 3-4

Cooking procedure:
Wash the crab properly with running water. If you find any sand in the joints, use a brush to scrub the sand. Grind all the ingredients for masala to a fine paste. Heat 3-4 tbsp of oil in a pan. Add bay leaf and masala paste. Fry the paste on medium heat, stirring continuously till the oil separates. Then add the turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, red chili powder, garam masala and salt. And mix everything well. Then add 2-3 cups of boiling water to the masala. Adjust the water as per the required consistency. Add tomato and bring the curry to a boil and let it boil on medium heat for 5-6 mins or till the oil separates. It is important to boil the curry before you add the crabs, because it helps to cook the spices. The separating of oil indicates that the spices are cooked. Then add the crab, kokum and mix everything well. Now cover the pot and let the crab cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves. Serve with hot roti or plain boiled rice.