Mixed Vegetable Soup

Ingredients :

1 Tb. Sp.          Butter

1                      Leek (Cut in big pieces)

1                      Turnip (Cut in big pieces)

1                      Carrot (Cut in big pieces)

1 big                Potato (Cut in big pieces)

½ cup              Water
½ cup              Tomato puree
Cream
Salt
Pepper

Procedure:

1.      Put a pan on fire.  Add butter.

2.      Once it starts melting add leek, turnip and carrot cut in big pieces.

3.      Continue stirring from time to time. After some time add potato.
4.      Add water when you can smell the fragrance of vegetables.
5.      Add salt and pepper. Stir well.
6.      Cover. Let it cook for approximately 15 minutes. Remove the lid and see if it is well cooked. If yes, then remove from the fire. If not, then add some more water, stir and cover till it is well cooked.  Now, add Tomato puree and let it cook for 4-5 minutes.

7.      Once cooked, remove from fire and let it cool down a bit.
8.    Use a hand-held mixer to grind it into a smooth paste. If it isn't liquid enough then add some water or milk (I prefer milk). Heat it before serving.  Add finely chopped pieces of leek and serve.

Namak-ajwain wala parantha ((Fried flat Indian Bread with bishop weed)

As I’ve already explained how much I love paranthas and a bit of history, I won’t go into the whole story all over again.  Paranthas have several varieties and today I’m going to share one with ajwain or bishop’s weed as it is called in the Anglophone world.  I’ve already discussed the benefits of this medicinal plant in Masala Puri recipe.

Ingredients:

1 Cup    Wheat flour

1 Tsp     Ajwain (bishop’s weed)

1 Tsp     Salt

Water

Ghee (clarified butter) or Oil


Procedure:

Mix ajwain and salt.

Knead flour so that when you make a hole in it with your finger, it doesn’t stick to your finger.

Take a small part of it and roll it into a small ball and ensure that there’s no crack in the ball.

Roll this ball in dry flour and flatten it.

Use rolling-pin and flatten the circle further till it is around 4-5 inches in diameter.

Take ½ tea spoon oil and oil the flattened dough.

Sprinkle the ajwain and salt mix on it.

Fold it four times as shown in images.

Roll it in some dry flour and flatten it upside down i.e. the last fold should face the plate.

Use rolling pin to further flatten it and make it into a bigger square.

Put the girdle on fire.

When it is hot, put the flattened square dough on the girdle.

Once it is cooked on one side (it will become somewhat yellowish brown), turn it over and put oil on the cooked side.

After some time, turn it over again and if the other side is cooked oil it as well otherwise turn it back till it is cooked.  Once it is cooked, turn it over and oil the other side (that you’ve not oiled earlier).

After around 1 minute turn it over and let it cook for some time.

Serve it with pickle or/and vegetables or/and plain yoghurt and/or raita and/or dahipakodiyan.

I hope that you loved it as much as I do.  Enjoy your meal!

Mixed Vegetable Special

Ingredients:

1 Tb. Sp.                Sunflower Oil
2                             Green cardamoms  (use just seeds)

2-3                         Cloves
1 Tsp.                    Kasoori methi

2-3                         Bay leaves (Tej patta)

1 Tsp.                    Kalonji
1 Tb. Sp.               Cumin (jeera)

1 Tb. Sp.               Coriander seeds (dhaniya)

4-5                         Dried red chillies

Salt (according to taste)
1 pinch                 Red chilli powder (according to taste)
½ Tsp.                   Turmeric powder
2 cloves               Garlic (paste/ crushed)

1 Tsp.                    Ginger paste

1 pinch                 Asafoetida (hing)
1 big                     Onion cut along the length (big pieces)

200 ml                  Tomato puree

2 medium            Potatoes (peeled and cut into small cubes)



1 medium            Capsicum (Shimla mirch) (cut in big squares)

150 gms               Maize grains (I used a can)

100 gms               Tofu or Paneer (cut in big cubes)
1 Tsp.                    Garam masala
Water
25 gms                 Green coriander, finely chopped.
5-6 drops            Lemon juice (optional)

Procedure:

1.                   Heat oil in a pan.
2.                   Add kalonji, cumin and coriander seeds.
3.                   When the seeds start sputtering add red chillies.  Stir fry till they are golden brown.
4.                   Add asafoetida, bay leaves and kasoori methi.

5.                   Garlic and ginger paste.
6.                   Once it turns golden brown, add onions.

7.                   When the onions are well done, add salt, red chilli powder and turmeric powder and
                mix well.
8.                   Add potatoes and capsicum.  Mix well.
















9.                   Cover and let it cook at low flame for 15 minutes.
10.               Add tomato puree and mix.
11.               Let it cook for another 10 minutes.  Keep stirring from time to time.
12.               Add tofu (or paneer) and mix well.
13.               Cover and let it cook.
14.               Add maize seeds and mix well.  Keep at low flame for another 5 minutes.
















15.               Add garam masala and mix well.  Leave it on fire for another 5 minutes.
16.               Take off the heat and garnish with green coriander, mix.

I love to add a few drops of lemon juice.  When serving to guests, it is a good idea to put a piece of lemon as a garnish. 

I love to have it as side-dish with rice, poories, chapattis and parontheys.  It’s up to you to choose your favourite way to have it.

Feel free to add carrots or other vegetables.