Tawa Pulao

Tawa pulao

Tawa pulao is a simple and quick one pot meal which can be prepared during any busy day. The Tawa pulao can be prepared for any special occasion too. Today I’ve prepared Tawa pulao using my kids favourite veggies. I’ve added potato, carrot, beans and frozen peas. The veggies are steamed and sautéed in oil along with onion adding few spices. The prepared veggie masala is mixed well with steamed rice. Tawa pulao is garnished with roasted cashews, caramelised onions and finely chopped coriander leaves. Here I present comforting and easy Tawa pulao recipe which can be served with onion raita. Njoy Cooking, Serving n Savoring!

Author: Akshayakumbham
Course: Main
Cuisine: North Indian
Servings: 4

Ingredients:

Sona masoori rice: 1 1/2 cups

Water: 3 3/4 cups(Approximately)

Onion: 1 no. Large

Cashews: 1 tbsp

Carrots: 2 nos.

Potato: 1 large no.

Beans: Few or 100 gms.(Approximately)

Frozen/fresh beans: One fistful

Ginger: One inch piece

Garlic flakes: 5/6 nos.

Poppyseeds(Gassgasalu): 1 tbsp

Pav bhaji masala: 2 tsp

Turmeric: Generous pinch

Red chilli powder: Half tsp(Optional)

Coriander powder: 1 tsp

Cumin powder: 1 tsp

Green chillies: 1/2 nos.

Bay leaves: 2 nos.

Cardamom pods: 4 nos.

Clove: 2/3 nos.

Cinnamon stick: 1/2 nos.

Salt: As required

Oil: 1 tbsp

Ghee: 1 tbsp

Coriander leaves: Few

Method of preparation:

1. Take one and half cups of sona masoori rice. Rinse well with water and add 3 3/4 cups of water.

2. Rinse well all the veggies and chop them into required size and shape. Steam the rice and veggies in a pressure cooker for 5 whistles.

3. Meanwhile prepare Tawa masala.

4. Roast one tbsp of poppyseeds in a kadai. Transfer them into a stone mortar pestle. Crush the roasted poppyseeds into a fine powder.

5. Now add chopped ginger and garlic into it.

6. Crush them into a smooth and fine paste. Now add few coriander leaves and pound them too.

7. Now add coriander powder, Pav bhaji masala and cumin powder. Crush them and mix thoroughly. Keep aside. Add turmeric too.

8. Now heat kadai/Tawa, pour oil and ghee. Roast few cashews in the oil and ghee mixture.

9. Roast them for two minutes or till they change into light brown colour. Transfer the roasted cashews onto a plate without oil. Add the chopped onions into it and fry them till they are caramelized. Keep few caramelized onions for garnishing.

10. Open the lid of the pressure cooker. Keep the steamed rice outside.

11. Now in the same kadai add crushed masala paste and sauté for a minute. Also add whole garam masala bay leaf, cardamom pods, cloves and cinnamon stick. Now add steamed veggies, red chilli powder, green chillies and mix thoroughly. Sauté the mixture till any extra moisture present in it evaporates.

12. Now add steamed rice and mix thoroughly. Add required amount of salt too.

13. Add finely chopped coriander leaves and garnish with roasted cashews, caramelized onions. Now the Tawa pulao is ready to serve.

14. Transfer the Tawa pulao onto a serving plate and serve hot with onion raita. Drizzle few chopped coriander leaves and enjoy.

Another variation(Bread pulao):

After preparing Tawa pulao as mentioned above, just one simple step to make bread pulao. Roast the small bread pieces in little ghe and arrange them onto the Tawa pulao. If you want soft bread pieces, add them to the pulao thirty minutes before serving. Bread pulao can be served with onion/tomato raita.

 

Thank you for visiting akshayakumbham and leaving comments. Your comments are really appreciated.

 

 

 

 

Tutti Fruitti Semolina Cake(Eggless)

Tutti fruitti Semolina cake(Eggless)

Tutti fruitti semolina cake is a very tasty recipe relished by all age groups. This is so easy to prepare. I’ve prepared the cake with semolina, curd, milk and powdered sugar as main ingredients. I’ve used neutral oil(sunflower oil), instead you can use ghee also. If you add ghee it almost tastes like Rava kesari. If you don’t want to use all purpose flour/maida definitely this is a very good recipe to enjoy. I’ve added cardamom powder, tutti frutti, cashews and raisins to enhance the flavour and taste. Here I present delectable and moist tutti fruitti semolina cake which can be served as a dessert anytime. Njoy Cooking, Serving n Savoring!

Author: Akshayakumbham
Course: Cakes/Desserts
Cuisine: International
Servings: 4-6

Ingredients:

Semolina/sooji/Bombay rava: 1 1/2 cups

Powdered sugar: 1 cup(If using normal sugar 3/4 th cup)

Neutral oil: Half cup or little less than that

Curd: Half cup

Milk: Half cup or as required to get right consistency

Baking powder: 3/4 th tsp

Baking soda: 1/4 th tsp

Cardamom pods: 5/6 nos.

Dry fruits(Cashews n raisins): 1 tbsp

Tutti fruitti: 2 tbsp

Salt: A pinch

Method of preparation:

1. Take one and half cups of semolina/sooji in a mixing bowl.

2. Now add one cup of powdered sugar into it. Mix both the ingredients thoroughly.

3. Now add neutral oil, crushed cardamom powder and mix well.

4. Now beat the curd with a whisk. Add this curd and mix thoroughly.

5. Add required amount of milk and mix thoroughly. Keep aside for 30 minutes.

6. After thirty minutes check the consistency. If required add little milk to get right consistency. The consistency of the batter should be like idly batter or pouring consistency. Now add baking powder and baking soda into it. Quickly fold the mixture.

7. Now add crushed cashews, raisins and tutti fruitti into the batter and mix gently.

8. Take a Pan and grease the Pan with oil/ghee and sprinkle tutti fruitti and crushed cashew nuts.

9. Transfer the semolina cake batter into baking pan. Tap the pan gently to release air bubbles. Sprinkle remaining tutti fruitti, cashews onto the batter. Now the semolina batter is ready to bake the cake.

10. Before the batter is prepared for baking cake, preheat OTG at 165 degrees centigrade for 10 minutes. After baking soda is added we have to be quick enough to keep the batter in oven.

11. Bake the cake at 165 degrees centigrade for 40 minutes. Keep the pan on centre rack of the oven/OTG. Heat both the elements. After five minutes switch off the top element and continue baking for 35 more minutes heating bottom element only.

12. Switch off the OTG and check for doneness using a toothpick. If it comes clean the cake is baked completely.

13. Allow to rest the cake for 15-20 minutes. Now the delicious tutti fruitti semolina cake(Eggless) cake is ready to serve. Invert the mould onto a plate. Slice the cake into pieces and enjoy.

Thank you for visiting akshayakumbham and leaving comments. Your comments are really appreciated.

Basic Vanilla Cake(Eggless)

Basic vanilla cake(Eggless)

I’ve started baking very recently. I’ve been planning since years for baking. Finally the day has arrived. Couple friends of mine also requested to post baking recipes in Akshayakumbham. I’ve taken suggestions from my friends who bake cakes. Today I’m posting my first baking recipe – “Basic vanilla cake“. The vanilla cake is so simple and delicious. Vanilla cake is a perfect teatime snack. We can prepare this recipe for birthday parties, small kitty parties or any gathering. Here I present eggless basic vanilla cake to relish on any special occasion. Njoy Cooking, Serving n Savoring!

Author: Akshayakumbham
Course: Cakes
Cuisine: International
Servings: 4-6

Ingredients:

All purpose flour/maida: 1 1/2 cups

Sugar: 3/4 cup or 1 cup powdered sugar

Butter: Half cup melted

Baking powder: 1 tsp

Baking soda: 1/2 tsp

Salt: A pinch

Yogurt/Curd: 4 tbsp

Water: Half cup

Vanilla essence: 1 tsp

Method of preparation:

1. Take one and half cups of maida/all purpose flour. Sift maida, baking powder and a pinch of salt into a mixing bowl. Mix them thoroughly.

2. Preheat oven at 180 degrees centigrade(C) for ten minutes. Meanwhile keep  the necessary ingredients ready to bake the cake.

3. Grease the pan with butter or oil. We can also line the pan with butter paper and then grease the butter paper with oil or butter.

4. Take half cup of butter and just melt it. Now add powdered sugar to the melted butter. Mix thoroughly and keep aside.

5. Now in a cup take 4 tbsp of yogurt and whisk well. Add baking soda to the yogurt and mix vigorously till it becomes frothy.

6. Now add the frothy yogurt, half cup water and butter sugar powder mixture to the sieved flour. Also add vanilla essence into it. Quickly fold the mixture using a whisk to get lump free batter. The consistency of the batter should be like idly batter.

8. Immediately pour the batter into the greased pan and tap gently to release air bubbles.

9. Keep the pan in a preheated oven and bake the cake at 180 degrees centigrade(C) for 30-35 minutes or till the cake comes out clean when a toothpick is inserted.

10. Keep the pan on centre rack of the oven while baking. Heat both the elements while using an OTG. Oven to oven temperatures change, so follow your oven settings and proceed.

11. When the cake is baked completely, allow the cake to cool down completely for 8-10 minutes(Approximately). Keep the pan on wired rack to cool rapidly.

12. Invert the pan onto a plate and gently tap the mould and let the cake slid onto the plate.

13. Now the delicious basic vanilla cake is ready to serve. The cake can be served as plain. I’ve topped my cake with few gems and fruit jellies. Enjoy the vanilla cake along with tea or as a dessert.

Tips:

1. The baking time and temperature depends on the type of oven. I’ve used an Indian OTG to bake the cake.

2. If the curd/yogurt is thick add little water and whisk it. I’ve added sour curd.

3. After adding curd mixture to the ingredients, gently fold the mixture to get best results. Do not over mix.

4. Pinch of salt enhances the taste of the cake.

5. I’ve used one cup of powdered sugar, instead you can use 3/4th cu of regular sugar. Icing can be done with powdered sugar too.

Thank you for visiting akshayakumbham and leaving comments. Your comments are really appreciated.

 

Steamed Dosa

Steamed dosa

Steamed dosa sounds interesting! Yes, absolutely!! This recipe is served in “chutneys” restaurant with varieties of chutneys. “Chutneys” is a famous vegetarian restaurant in Hyderabad. Steamed dosa is very easy to make. All you need is idly dosa batter. I’ve prepared steamed dosa with idly dosa batter which is very well fermented. The steamed dosa came out very nicely. Steamed dosa is very tasty and oil free, which can be served with any chutney or sambar. I’ve served steamed dosa with jaggery syrup, sweetened grated coconut and coconut chutney. This is a perfect Pooja/Vrat recipe. Here I present a very delicious, spongy, oil free steamed dosa which can be served as a breakfast or evening snack or dinner too. Njoy Cooking, Serving n Savoring!

Author: Akshayakumbham
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: South Indian
Servings: 2/3

Ingredients:

Idly/Dosa Batter: 5/6 ladles(Small cup) or as required
{please click on the recipe link for detailed recipe}

Sweetened coconut:

Grated Coconut: 2 tbsp

Sugar: 1 tbsp

Jaggery syrup

Organic jaggery powder: 1 small cup

Water: 1 1/2 cups

Cardamom pods: 1/2 nos.

Method of preparation:

Jaggery syrup:

1. Firstly, we prepare Jaggery syrup as an accompaniment to steamed dosa.

2. Take one small cup of organic jaggery powder.

3. Transfer the Jaggery powder into a vessel. Add approximately one and half cups(Small) of water.

4. Allow the jaggery to melt and boil it.

5. Boil the syrup on low flame. When it starts boiling add crushed cardamom pod into it and boil furthermore.

6. Boil for five more minutes or till thin syrup consistency is achieved.

7. Strain the jaggery syrup using a strainer and keep aside.

Sweet coconut:

This is a simple recipe which goes well with idly, dosa or poori too.

1. Take two tbsp of grated fresh/frozen coconut. Add one tbsp of sugar and mix thoroughly.

2. You can use pulse button once in a mixer grinder for binding. Now the sweetened coconut is ready to eat.

3. Transfer the sweetened coconut into a serving bowl.

Steamed dosa:

1. Take one cup of idly dosa batter or required quantity in a vessel.

2. Heat non stick tawa. When it becomes hot pour two ladles of batter onto the tawa. Spread the batter to get thick dosa. Do not use oil.

3. If the batter is well fermented we get nice spongy dosas.

4. Keep the lid and cook on low flame till the dosa is done completely.

5. This dosa has to be cooked on one side only. Do not flip the other side.

6. Transfer the dosa onto a serving plate which contains banana leaf. The banana leaf enhance the taste and flavour of the dosa.

7. Likewise pour required number of dosas and serve them hot.

8. Now the yummilicious steamed dosas are ready to serve hot with Jaggery syrup, sweetened coconut and coconut chutney.

Tip:

If you are using iron tawa for preparing dosas, just use one drop of oil for seasoning. This avoids dosas sticking to the tawa/pan.

Thank you for visiting akshayakumbham and leaving comments. Your comments are really appreciated.

 

Veg Manchurian Dry

 

Veg manchurian dry

Veg manchurian is much savoured by majority across globe, especially by kids. My kids are also no exception. This is a recipe from Indo Chinese cuisine. The ingredients I’ve used completely suit my family’s preference. I’ve used carrot, cabbage and spring onions. You can use beetroot, capsicum or cauliflower too. Grated Carrot, finely chopped cabbage and spring onions are combined with equal quantities(Approximately) of maida/all purpose flour, corn flour. I’ve added ripe red chilli paste(Home made) and black pepper powder too. All the ingredients are mixed thoroughly to get a dough. Small balls are prepared and deep fried in oil. The fried balls are sautéed in little oil adding finely chopped spring onions, garlic, ginger, ripe red chilli paste, soya sauce and corn starch. The prepared veg manchurian is garnished with spring onions, carrots n cabbage(Julienne). Here I present very attractive, glossy and lovely starter or evening snack veg manchurian dry to relish any day. Njoy Cooking, Serving n Savoring!

Author: Akshayakumbham
Course: Starters/snacks
Cuisine: Indo-Chinese
Servings: 2

Ingredients:

Carrots: 2 nos. medium sized

Cabbage: one fourth piece or small cup chopped

Spring onions: Small bunch

Soy sauce: 2-3 tsp

Ripe red chilli paste: 2 tsp(This is not spicy so I’ve used 2 tsp, if it’s spicy only half tsp is enough)

Maida: 2 tbsp

Corn flour: 2 tbsp + 2 tsp

Ginger: One inch piece

Garlic flakes: 2 nos.

Black pepper powder: Half tsp

Oil: For deep frying(Approximately 10-15 tbsp).

Method of preparation:

1. Take two carrots, small piece of cabbage and small bunch of spring onions. Keep aside.

2. Rinse the carrots thoroughly with water. Peel the skin and trim the edges. Grate carrots using a grater into a broad vessel. Finely chop few spring onions and cabbage too into the same vessel. Keep remaining spring onions for garnishing and also to sauté the fried balls. I’ve used only spring onion greens for preparing veg balls.

3. Now drizzle 2 tbsp of corn flour and 2 tbsp of maida flour evenly onto the veggies.

4. Sprinkle black pepper powder and add ripe red chilli paste too.

5. Mix thoroughly all the ingredients with hand to form a dough. Do not add any water, because the veggies release some amount of water. Do not add salt too because soya sauce contains good amount of salt.

6. Make small round balls out of prepared dough. Grease palms with little oil to make balls.

7. Heat kadai and pour oil for deep frying. {I don’t reuse the oil which I’ve used for deep frying. So I use 10 – 15 tbsp of oil for frying and fry them in 3/4 batches}.

8.  When the oil becomes hot, drop each prepared veg balls into the oil carefully.

9. Fry them on low to medium flame stirring at regular intervals. Use slotted spoon for deep frying.

10.  When they turn into brown colour, transfer the fried veg balls onto a plate containing kitchen paper towel to absorb excess oil.

11. Likewise fry all the veg balls in batches and transfer them onto a plate. Keep aside.

12.  Now heat kadai and pour little oil. Add finely chopped spring onion greens and whites, chopped ginger and garlic too. Sauté them well for few seconds.

13. Now add soya sauce, ripe red chilli paste. Mix well and sauté for a minute. 

14. Take two tsp of corn flour and mix with little water to get a paste. Now add this paste to the sautéed mixture. Sauté them for two more minutes.

15. Now add the deep fried balls to the mixture and sauté for a minute.

16. Switch off the flame and add few chopped spring onion pieces. Mix thoroughly.

17. Transfer them onto a serving plate. Garnish with carrot, cabbage and spring onion juliennes. Now the delicious veg manchurian is ready to serve hot.

Tips:

1. I’ve prepared two portions of veg manchurian. One is mildly spiced specially prepared for kids as described above. In the second variation  finely chopped green chilli  and one more tsp of soya sauce are added to enhance the flavour and spice. This is super tasty when served hot.

2. I’ve added ripe red chillies paste/pickle(Home made). Instead of that you can add chilli sauce. Tomato ketchup can also be added for tanginess. To prepare red chilli pickle, take 250 gms of ripe red chillies. Remove the stalks and rinse well with water. Dry them completely. Approximately 50 gms of tamarind is used. My red chillies are not at all spicy. The quantity of tamarind varies on the spiciness of ripe red chillies. The ripe red chillies are sautéed for just one minute in little oil. Sautéed red chillies and tamarind are ground to a coarse paste adding required amount of salt and turmeric. The mixture is kept for two days and then ground to a smooth paste. Tempering is done in 3 tbsp of oil adding mustard and generous pinch of asafoetida. Mix thoroughly and can be stored in refrigerator. The shelf life of this pickle is two months if refrigerated. The pickle can be used as an accompaniment to steamed rice, idly/dosa(It can be used as a substitute to chilli sauce). To prepare tomato/onion chutneys this pickle can be used instead of dry red chillies.

 

 

 

Dondakaya Gutti Kura/Stuffed Ivy Gourd Curry

Dondakaya gutti kura

Dondakaya gutti kura is from Andhra cuisine. This curry is as popular as Gutti vankaya kura. The recipe is simple and very tasty. It goes well with hot steamed rice or pulka. Dondakaya/Ivy gourd is cut into four parts lengthwise keeping base intact. Ivy gourds are shallow fried. Masala is prepared with chopped onion, grated coconut, cumin red chillies along with required amount of salt. The ground masala is stuffed into the shallow fried Ivy gourds and then sautéed till raw smell goes away. Here I present flavourful dondakaya gutti kura to relish anytime. Njoy Cooking, Serving n Savoring!

Author: Akshayakumbham
Course: Side dish
Cuisine: Andhra, India
Servings: 4

Ingredients:

Dondakaya/Ivy gourd: 250 gms(Approximately)

Onions: 4 nos. medium sized

Grated fresh coconut: 2 tbsp

Red chillies: 8/10 nos.(Adjust according to your preference)

Salt: As required

Cumin: 1 tsp

Coriander Leaves: Few for garnishing

Oil: 3 tbsp.

Method of preparation:

1. Take 250 gms of Ivy gourd, rinse well with water thoroughly. Slit them lengthwise into four parts keeping base intact.

2. Heat kadai and pour oil. This curry requires more oil compared to other curry dishes.

3. Put the Ivy gourds in hot oil and shallow fry them on medium to high flame. Stir them frequently 

4. Fry them till they are completely done.

5. Transfer them onto a plate and allow them to cool down completely. Keep the remaining oil in the kadai itself to fry the stuffed Ivy gourds.

6. Meanwhile take four onions, rinse them well with water. Roughly chop them.

7. Take a mixer grinder put the chopped onion pieces, grated fresh coconut, red chillies and cumin seeds. Add required amount of salt too.

8. Grind them to a smooth paste without adding any water. Transfer the ground paste into a bowl.

10. Now stuff the Ivy gourds with ground paste one by one.

11. Heat kadai and place the stuffed Ivy gourds back into the kadai.

12. Carefully mix them and fry on low flame. After stuffing the Ivy gourds put the remaining masala too onto them.

13. Fry them on low flame stirring occasionally. Keep the lid.

14. Fry the stuffed Ivy gourds till the raw smell goes away.

15. Now the tasty dondakaya gutti kura is ready to serve. Transfer the curry into a serving bowl.

16. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with steamed rice.

Tip:

1. I’ve not added ginger and garlic. If you prefer both can be added.

2. Instead of shallow frying in oil, Ivy gourds can be cooked in enough water for five minutes keeping on high flame  and proceed the same as above.

Thank you for visiting akshayakumbham and leaving comments. Your comments are really appreciated.

 

Paneer Butter Masala

Paneer butter masala is commonly prepared side dish for roti, naan pulka from North Indian cuisine. Now it’s become famous all over India. Paneer butter masala is prepared with paneer(Cottage cheese) as main ingredient. Gravy is prepared with onions, tomatoes, cashews and spices. Paneer cubes are added to the prepared gravy and simmered for two minutes. The taste of this dish is absolutely phenomenal with the richness of fresh cream. Here I present delectable paneer butter masala which can be served as an accompaniment to chapathi, naan or pulka. Njoy Cooking, Serving n Savoring!

Author: Akshayakumbham
Course: Side dish
Cuisine: North Indian
Servings: 4

Ingredients:

Paneer(Cottage cheese): 200 gms

Butter: 1 tbsp

Oil: 1 tbsp

Onions: 2 nos. medium sized

Ginger garlic paste: 1 1/2 tsp

Tomatoes: 3 nos.

Cashews: 1 1/2 tbsp or 20 nos. (Approximately)

Salt: As required

Garam masala: 2 tsp

Coriander powder: 1 tsp

Cumin powder: 1 tsp

Red chilli powder: 1 1/2 tsp

Kasuri methi: 1 tsp

Fresh cream: 1 1/2 tbsp

Coriander leaves: Few

Method of preparation:

1. First soak 15-20 nos. of cashews in hot water for 15-20 minutes.

2.  Heat kadai/pan and put the butter in it.

3. Allow the butter to melt and add chopped onions into it.

4. Fry the onions on low flame till they turn into translucent. Now add ginger garlic paste. And sauté till the raw smell goes away. Also add tbsp of oil.

5.  Meanwhile rinse tomatoes well and roughly chop them. Take a mixer grinder and put the chopped tomatoes into it.

6.  Grind the tomatoes into a puree.

7. Add the tomato puree to the onion mixture.

8.  Add half cup of water into the grinder, pour that water too and mix thoroughly.

9.  Keep the lid and cook on low flame for five minutes.

10.  Now open the lid and mix thoroughly.

11. Now grind cashews in a mixer grinder into a smooth paste.

12.  Add this paste to the cooked onion tomato mixture.

13. Mix well and cook furthermore on low flame for three minutes. If required add little water into it.

14.  Now add garam masala, red chilli powder, coriander powder and cumin powder.

15. Mix well and again add half cup of water and cook well.

16. Also add kasuri methi and mix well.

17. Meanwhile take 200 gms of paneer and cut it into small cubes of desired shape. Keep aside.

18. Now add one tbsp of cream and stir continuously. Also add chopped coriander leaves.

19. Now add paneer cubes and mix carefully.

20. Cook for just two minutes and switch off the flame.

21. Now the delicious paneer butter masala is ready to serve. Transfer the paneer butter masala into a serving bowl. Garnish with half tbsp cream and chopped coriander leaves.

22.  Serve the paneer butter masala with hot chapathi, onion rings and lemon wedges. Drizzle little salt,  black pepper powder and squeeze lemon juice  on onion rings.

Thank you for visiting akshayakumbham and leaving comments. Your comments are really appreciated.

 

Cream of Tomato Soup

Cream of tomato soup

Who says no to a tongue tickling cream of tomato soup. The soup is so delicious with tangy tomatoes and richness of cream. Fresh ripen tomatoes are used. Tomatoes are  blanched and puréed. Corn starch is added to the boiling tomato soup. Fresh cream is also added and garnished with bread croutons. Here I present hot and delicious cream of tomato soup with a hint of dry basil to relish as an evening snack for school going children or a starter. Njoy Cooking, Serving n Savoring!

Author: Akshayakumbham
Course: Soups/Starters
Cuisine: Indian
Servings: 2

Ingredients:

Tomatoes: 500gms or 6/7 nos.

Bay leaf: 2 nos.

Corn flour/starch: 1 tbsp

Fresh cream: 1 tbsp

Coriander leaves: For garnishing(Optional)

Salt: As required

Butter: 2 tsp

Garlic flakes: 2 nos.

Dry basil: 1 tsp

Black pepper powder: Half tsp.

Bread slices: 4 nos. or as required

Method of preparation:

1. Take 500 gms or 6 nos. of medium sized tomatoes. Rinse them well with water.

2. Boil three cups of water adding two bay leaves.

3. Trim the edges of tomatoes. When the water comes to boiling point switch off the flame and immerse the tomatoes in hot water for 15-20 minutes(Blanching). Keep the lid.

4. Allow them to cool down completely. Discard the bay leaves and peel the skin of them. Use this  water for consistency of the soup.

5. Take a mixer grinder and transfer the peeled tomatoes into it. Make them into a puree.

6. Heat pan and put butter into it. Add finely chopped garlic flakes and dry basil. Fry them for a minute.

7. Now strain the tomato puree directly onto the sautéed garlic flakes and dry basil. Add required amount of salt.

8. Take one tbsp of corn flour and mix with little water to become smooth paste. Add this paste to boiling tomato mixture. Add one cup of water. Also add black pepper powder and sugar.

9. Mix well and boil for three minutes.

10. Now add fresh cream and boil for two more minutes.

11. Meanwhile take four bread slices and trim the edges. Cut two bread slices into small pieces and the remaining two into thin strips.

12. Heat pan, drizzle melted butter and place the bread pieces.

13. Toast them on low flame till they change into brown colour and turn them the other side.

14. Transfer them onto a plate and keep aside.

15. Now toast the other thin bread slices on both sides.

16. Now transfer the boiled soup into a serving bowl.

17. Now keep the bread croutons onto the soup. Sprinkle one pinch of black pepper onto the soup.

18. Now garnish with fresh cream and coriander leaves.

19. Now the perfect cream of tomato soup for this weather is ready to serve hot.

Please check my other soup recipes.

AB(Almond Broccoli) Soup

Carrot Tomato Soup

Spinach/Palak Soup

Simple Sweet Corn Soup

Thank you for visiting akshayakumbham and leaving comments. Your comments are really appreciated.

 

Carrot Menthikura Pachadi/Fenugreek(Methi)Leaves Chutney

Carrot menthikura pachadi

Carrot menthikura pachadi is a delicious and perfect combination. Bored of eating carrot fry and menthikura pappu(Methi dal), Then this recipe is a colourful and flavourful duo to tantalize our taste buds. My kids love to eat pachallu(chutneys) anytime. So I’ve prepared a healthy recipe to make them eat both carrot and methi leaves together. The recipe is mildly spiced. Carrot and methi leaves are sautéed in little oil with green chilli and few garlic flakes. Sautéed mixture is seasoned with salt and turmeric. The mixture is ground to a coarse texture and tempering is done. Here I present a wholesome recipe carrot menthikura pachadi  to relish as an accompaniment to hot steamed rice or roti. Njoy Cooking, Serving n Savoring!

Author: Akshayakumbham
Course: Chutneys
Cuisine: Andhra
Servings: 4

Ingredients:

Carrot: 2 nos. big

Fresh menthikura/fenugreek leaves: 3 small bunches

Oil: Half tbsp

Green chilli: 1 no.
Garlic flakes: 3 nos.

Salt: As required

Turmeric: Generous pinch.

Tempering:

Oil: 2 tsp

Bengal gram: Half tsp

Split black gram with husk: Half tsp

Mustard: Half tsp

Cumin: Half tsp

Asafoetida: A pinch

Method of preparation:

1. Take two big carrots and three small bunches of fenugreek leaves.

2. Rinse the carrot thoroughly. Cut the edges and peel the skin of them. Chop them into fine pieces.

3. Remove the roots and separate leaves from the stems. Keep tender stems with leaves. Rinse them well with water for twice and keep aside.

4. Heat kadai pour half tbsp of oil. Put the chopped carrot pieces into it. Mix well and shallow fry them on low flame for five minutes.

5. Now add fenugreek leaves and stir well.

7. Shallow fry carrot and fenugreek leaves on low flame for two minutes.

8. Now add green chilli and garlic flakes.

9. Add turmeric and required amount of salt too.

10. Mix well and shallow fry furthermore till the raw smell goes away. Switch off the flame and allow to cool down to normal temperature.

11. Take a mixer grinder, transfer the cooled ingredients into it.

12. Use only pulse button two or three times to get perfect texture and consistency. Don’t add any water.Texture plays important role for this pachadi.

13. Transfer the pachadi into a serving bowl.

14. Heat same kadai for tempering and pour oil. Put Bengal gram, split black gram with husk, mustard and cumin seeds. When mustard splutter add a pinch of Asafoetida and switch off the flame.

15. Pour this tempering onto the ground pachadi and mix thoroughly.

16. Now the tasty, healthy and flavourful carrot menthikura pachadi is ready to serve. Serve with hot steamed rice and melted ghee or roti.

Thank you for visiting akshayakumbham and leaving comments. Your comments are really appreciated.

Fruit Salad With Honey N Cream Dressing

Fruit salad with Honey n cream dressing

Fruit salad with honey n  cream dressing is an extraordinary dessert which gives instant energy. This is a great recipe during fasting days. Maha Shivarathri(The great night of Lord Shiva) is forthcoming. On Maha Shivarathri day fasting and vigil is observed throughout the day. Devotees visit the God Shiva temple and do special prayers, chant “Ohm Namah Shivaya” Maha mantra. Only fruits are consumed throughout the day. Today I’ve prepared special recipe which can be prepared for Maha Shivarathri day(This year it is observed on February 13th). The recipe is so quick and easy yet very healthy. Tropical and seasonal fruits, dry fruits are used. Dressing is done with fresh cream and honey. Here I present fresh and juicy fruit salad with honey n cream dressing to relish during festive days or anytime. Njoy Cooking, Serving n Savoring!

Author: Akshayakumbham
Course: Desserts
Cuisine: Indian
Servings: 4

Ingredients:

Red Apple: 1 no.

Green apple: 1 no.

Banana: 1 no.

Kiwi: 1 no.

Orange: 1 no.

Cardamom pods: 1/2 nos.

Fresh cream: 2 tbsp

Honey: 2 tbsp(Optional)

Dry fruits(Almonds, cashews, pistachios, raisins, walnuts and dried blue berries): Few

Sugar: 2 tsp

Method of preparation:

1. Take tropical and seasonal fruits of your choice from available fruit basket.

2. I’ve taken red apple, green apple, banana, kiwi and orange(Each 1 no.).

3. Rinse them thoroughly with water. Peel the skin of them including apples. Chop them into tiny pieces. Sprinkle sugar on the chopped fruits to avoid oxidation.

4. Put the chopped fruit pieces into a bowl. Mix them thoroughly.

5. Now heat pan and dry roast the dry fruits except dry blue berries for two minutes to get nice crunch. Switch off the flame and keep aside.

6. Now transfer the chopped fresh fruits into individual serving bowls. Pour required amount of fresh cream onto the chopped fruits. Garnish with roasted dry fruits and dried blue berries.

7. Crush the cardamom pods and drizzle cardamom powder onto the fresh fruits. Pour honey too.

8.  Now the delicious and divine fresh fruit salad with honey n cream dressing is ready to serve. Refrigerate the remaining chopped fruits and can be consumed within two hours. Before serving cream and honey dressing can be done.

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