Cream of tomato soup

What's best to have on a cold rainy day? A piping hot cup of soup is my first choice. It may sound simple to say "tomato soup", but making it the right way has been a challenge to me always. The secret tip/trick here was the canned tomatoes. Somehow I avoid canned "anything", but for this, trust me, you either choose red ripe tomatoes, or else use the canned whole red tomatoes like me. Preferrably try looking for San Marzano italian canned tomatoes. Enough with the tomato talk, lets go ahead making it.....

You need
Red tomatoes - 1 big can 
Onions - 1/2-1/4 (finely chopped)
Garlic cloves -2
Celery - 1 stick (peeled and finely chopped)
Salt
Basil - Fresh/dried
Pepper
Butter - 2 tablespoons
Heavy cream 
Sugar - 1-2 tablespoons
Bay leaf - 1 optional

Method

• In a deep saucepan, start by adding 1 tablespoon butter followed by garlic cloves, onions and bay leaf. Allow the onions to sweat a little.
• Add celery followed by the tomatoes along with the tomato juice. Mash the tomatoes if they are whole and add water.
• Cover and allow to simmer until they turn soft. 
• Allow to cool and blend this mix leaving out the bay leaf.
• Strain the above blended ingredients and set aside.
• In the same saucepan add 1 more tablespoon of butter and pour in the strained soup.
• Add salt, pepper, sugar and allow to come to a simmer for about 10-15 minutes. Use a splatter screen.
• Make sure the sour taste of the tomato does not remain and the raw smell also goes.
• Add basil towards the end and turn off the heat.
• Pour into individual soup bowls and garnish with a dash of cream and some basil.
• Serve warm with croutons.

Paneer butter masala

There are many ways to do paneer butter masala. I will be posting the other methods also soon as and when I make them. This is worth a try and it is pretty simple.


You need
Tomatoes - 2 
Onions - 1/2 
Paneer - cubed
Kasoori methi - 1 tablespoon (crushed by hand)
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tablepsoon
Milk - 1/4 cup
Heavy cream - to garnish
Butter - 2-4 tablespoons
Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon
Cloves - 2-3
Salt
Chilli powder - 1 teaspoon
Coriander powder - 1 tablesoon
Garam masala - 1 teaspoon
Cashew nuts - 5-6 whole
Tomato ketchup - 1-2 tablepsoons


Method

• Blanch the onions in hot water or you can also microwave the onions for a quicker version and then puree it along with the cashew nuts.
• Make a puree of the tomatoes and set aside.
• Mix together chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala with milk and set aside.
• In a pan start by adding butter followed by cumin seeds, cloves, ginger garlic paste and the above spice paste mixed in milk. Saute for a few minutes and then add the tomato puree, onion and cashew puree
• Add needed water to bring it to gravy consistency.
• Add required salt, tomato ketchup and kasoori methi and allow to simmer covered until oil starts to leave the sides of the pan. Keep stirring half way.
• By this time make sure the raw smell of the spices and the tomato leaves the dish. Adjust the consistency of the gravy by adding water if needed.
• Add the paneer followed by heavy cream and leave for just 1-2 minutes. Turn off heat. Do not cook long after you add paneer to the dish.
• Serve warm with roti/rice

Eggplant curry (Kathrikai podi curry)

You need

Eggplant (small variety) - 10-12 pieces (half way cross section on each)
Turmeirc powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon
Urad dal -1 teaspoon
Curry leaves
Asafoetida - a pinch
Eggplant powder - 3 tablespoons
Salt
Oil


For the powder
Channa dal -4 tablespoons
Urad dal -1 tablespoon
Coriander seeds -3 tablespoons
Red chillies -3
Peppercorns -1 teaspoon


Method

• Microwave the eggplant in little water until they are done 70%. 
• Cool them and stuff every eggplant with the powder(2 tablespoons approx)
• Another alternative is you could sprinkle the powder on top and omit this step.
• In a pan add oil, splutter mustard seeds, add curry leaves, turmeric powder, urad dal and the eggplants.
• Add salt, Asafoetida and fry until the eggplant gets roasted well. You might need to pour enough oil to fry it well.
• Add one more tablespoon of eggplant powder and saute well.
• Cook until the eggplants turn like the ones in the picture.
• Serve warm 

Keerai kozhambu (Spinach in soupy gravy)

You need
Spinach leaves - 1/4 bunch (finely chopped)
Tamarind - 1/2 teaspoon
Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Salt
Red chilly - 1
Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon
Asafoetida - a pinch
Sambar powder - 1 tablespoon
Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
All purpose flour/rice flour - 1 tablespoon
Oil


Method

• In a medium saucepan start by adding oil, splutter mustard seeds, add fenugreek seeds, red chilly, Asafoetida, turmeric powder, spinach leaves and saute until spinach shrinks a little.
• Add tamarind paste and required water to bring it to soup consistency.
• Add salt and sambar powder and bring this to a boil.
• Allow to boil until the raw smell of leaves and powder go away. This will take about 15-20 minutes.
• Combine little water in the flour mix well and pour it into the kozhambu to thicken it.
• Allow to thicken and bring it to a boil for 5 more minutes and turn off the heat.
• Serve warm over rice.

Milagu kozhambu (Spicy peppercorns in tamarind gravy)

Peppercorns and sesame oil are the most important ingredients that go into making milagu kozhambu. Though a spice peppercorns have a healing property on the body. Don't hesitate to use the needed amount of sesame oil for this dish. Since it is going to be a spicy dish you will not end up consuming all the oil you pour into the dish. Besides sesame oil has healing properties for your tummy when compared to other oils. And remember apart from garlic which is optional you won't need any vegetable for this.


You need
Coriander seeds -1tablespoon
Channa dal - 1tablespoon
Urad dal - 1 tablespoon
Red chilly -1
Pepper corns - 8-10
Curry leaves 
Asafoetida - a pinch
Tamarind paste - 1 teaspoon
Sesame Oil - 1/4 -1/2 cup 
Salt
Garlic cloves - 4-5 (optional)
Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon

Method

• In a little oil, roast the coriander seeds, channa dal, urad dal, red chilly, peppercorns and curry leaves until they become light brown.
• Cool the above spices and grind them into a paste with required water.
• In a medium saucepan start by adding oil followed by mustard seeds, Asafoetida, curry leaves and garlic (optional). 
• Now add the above paste, tamarind paste, salt and required water and bring it to a boil on medium heat. Boil until the oil leaves the sides of the container and oozes out. 
• Serve warm over rice.

Poricha Kozhambu

When you are tired of making sambar or kootu every other day this comes to rescue. It has the ingredients that go into kootu and kozhambu and hence the name. It sure is worth a try if you don't like kootu, like me....hehe.


You need
Vegetables - White pumpkin/snakegourd/ chow chow/ eggplant/ anything that goes into kootu can be used. A medley of 2-3 vegetables can also be used.
Tamarind paste - 1/2 teaspoon
Coconut - 2 tablespoons
Urad dal - 1 tablespoon
Toor dal - 1/2 tablespoon
Pepper corns - 4-5
Red chilly - 1
Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon
Curry leaves - 4-5
Asafoetida - a pinch
Salt
Turmeric powder
Oil


Method

• In a little oil roast the urad dal, toor dal, pepper corn, red chilly, cumin seeds, curry leaves and coconut until light golden brown.
• Allow to cool and grind this into a fine paste and set aside.  
• In a medium saucepan boil the vegetable that you choose in required water and cook until it is almost done. 
• Now add the tamarind paste and continue to cook for more time. Make sure the vegetable you choose does not get overcooked and squishy.
• Now add the coconut spice paste, salt, asofoetida and mix well. Add water as it might turn thick and bring it to kozhambu consistency.
• Cook on medium heat, mixing between until the raw smell of the spices go away which will take about 8-10 minutes.
• In a separate pan use little oil and temper mustard seeds and curry leaves and pour it over the kozhambu in the end.
• Serve warm over rice. 

Paruppu Thogayal (Toor dal chutney)

You need
Toor dal - 1 cup
Red chilly - 1
Asafoetida - 1 pinch
Salt

Method

• In a pan start by adding little oil and roast the dal and red chilly until golden.
• Towards the end add salt and Asafoetida.
• Cool and grind into a paste with required water. 
• For tempering use mustard seeds and curry leaves and pour over thogayal.
• Serve over rice.