CHANA SOUP

Ingredients:
1 cup kala chana (black chick peas soup)
1-2 tbsp pure ghee or oil
1/8 tsp asafetida (hing)
1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
1"ginger grated

2-3 clove of garlic finely chopped
1 green chili slit lengthwise
2 tbsp coriander powder (dhania)
½ tsp red chili powder
1/2 tsp amchoor (dry mango powder)/chaat masala
1-2 tsp salt or as per taste
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves (hara dhania)

Method:

1. Wash and soak kala chana, for at least 4-6 hours.
2. Drain out excess water and boil chana adding salt and 4-5 cups of water in a pressure cooker.
3. Simmer the gas after two whistles and cook on low flame for 30 minutes.
4. Meanwhile heat ghee or oil in a pan add cumin seeds and as they crack, add asafoetida ,green chili,ginger,garlic and stir for few seconds.
5.  Add rest of the spices and stir for another minute add a tbsp of water to it to avoid burning of spices and keep the tempering aside.
6. Turn off the gas after 30 minutes and wait until all the pressure releases.
7. Now mash Kala Chana with the help of a hand blender of mixer to thicken the gravy.
8. Now add the tempering and cook it further for 2-3 minutes on low heat.
9. You can always adjust the consistency of the gravy by adding more water. Simmer for a few minutes after adding the water.
10. Stir in lemon juice and chopped coriander leaves, just before serving.

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SWEET AND SOUR VEGETABLE SOUP

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Serves: 4 

Ingredients:

10 french beans finely chopped
1 carrot finely chopped
1/2 capsicum finely chopped
1/2 cup cabbage finely chopped

1 spring onion finely chopped
1 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp tomato ketchup
2 tbsp tomato puree

3 cups water
1 tbsp Vinegar
3 to 4 flakes of garlic
1 tbsp cornflour
1 tbsp sugar or as per taste (optional)

1 tbsp oil
salt to taste

black pepper to taste

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan and add garlic and onions and stir for 2-3 minutes.
2. Then add choped capsicum, carrot, french beans and cabbage and stir for a while.
3. Add water and let the above mixture come to a boil.
4. Mix cornflour with half cup water and add to the vegetables. saute well.
5. Add soya sauce, tomato ketchup,tomato puree, vinegar,sugar,salt and pepper and let cook the soup for 2-3 minutes on high flame.
6. Garnish with spring onion greens and serve hot.

Note: 

You can add more vegetables as per taste and availability like mushrooms,baby corn,broccoli etc.

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CLEAR SOUP

Ingredients:
1 tsp oil preferably olive oil
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
3 cloves of garlic
1/2" piece of ginger
3 cups water
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. Crush  ginger and garlic to paste.
2. Heat oil, and add cumin seeds, when the start to crackle add ginger garlic paste, stir a while and pour in water.
3. Boil for 3-5 minutes and season with salt and pepper. 
4. Add lemon juice just before serving (optionally, soy sauce and vinegar could be added.), garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot.

Notes:

1. Mixed vegetables like finely chopped (carrots, beans, cabbage, mushrooms) can also be added while boiling the soup.

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MIXED VEG. SOUP / VEGETABLE SOUP

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time : 10 minutes
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients:
1 onion finely chopped
3-4 cloves of garlic
1/2 cup carrot finely chopped
1/2 cup cauliflower carrot finely chopped

1/4 cup capsicum carrot finely chopped
1/2 cup french beans carrot finely chopped

1/4 cup mushrooms finely chopped

1 tbsp butter

2 tbsp all purpose flower(maida)

2 cup milk

salt to taste

white or black pepper preferably white pepper as per taste

Method:

1. Heat butter in a pan and add garlic an onion and stir them for a while
2. Add all purpose flour and stir for a while, add milk and two cups water stirring continuously till the soup thickens.
3. Add rest of the vegetables,salt and pepper and cook till the vegetables become tender.
4. Serve hot.

Notes:

1. If you want a thicker soup then add 1 tbsp cornflour dissolved in 1/2 a cup milk and cook for 2- minutes.
2. if you want thinner soup then you can add water.
3. You can add more vegetables like peas,corn, baby corn,broccoli etc. as per taste and availability.   

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CREAM OF MUSHROOM SOUP

Ingredients:

8-10 finely chopped mushrooms
2 tbsp finely chopped onion
1-2 cloves of finely chopped garlic
2 tbsp butter
2-3 tbsp cornflour
1/4 cup fresh cream
1/2 cup milk
4 cups water or vegetable stock or chicken stock
salt 1 tsp or to taste
1/4 tsp white or black pepper
a pinch or nutmeg powder

Method:

1. Melt butter in a pan and add onion, garlic and mushrooms an stir for 2-3 minutes.
2. Now add water and wait till it starts boiling.
3. Add cornflour dissolved in 1/2 a cup of water and stir continuously and cook for 4-5 minutes till the cornflour is cooked .
4. Add milk,salt,pepper powder , nutmeg powder and cream and cook for a minute.
5. Serve hot garnishing it with coriander or spring onions and fresh cream. 

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PASTA DHOKLANA

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time 15-20 minutes

Serves: 3-4

Ingredients:

For pasta

1/2 cup wheat flour

2 tbsp besan  (chick pea flour)

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp turmeric powder (optional)

2 tsp refined oil

For sauce

2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp pizza pasta sauce
1-2 tbsp Amul cheese spread(preferably) or you can use any other processed cheese (as per taste)
1/4 tbsp mixed herbs
2 tsp tomato ketchup
2 medium onions cut into cubes
1 cup red,yellow,green capsicum cut into cubes
2 florets broccoli (blanched) and cut into small pieces (optional)
2 -2 baby corn  (blanched) and chopped or corn kernels which ever is available
2-3 olives black/green or both sliced
10-12 french beans chopped
2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper or as per taste

Method:

1. Mix all the ingredients of pasta in a bowl. Add water little by little and knead soft dough as we knead for making chapattis. Cover the dough and keep it aside for 10-15 minutes on rest.
2. Divide the dough in three equal parts, greese then with little oil or dust them with some flour and roll out in to a circular disk taking one at a time. 
3.  Now cut chapati in desired shape either long strips or small rectangles or triangles. do the same with rest of the chapatis and keep aside. 
4. Boil 4 cups of water in a big vessel,add 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tbsp refined oil.
5. Add pasta when the water is boiling hot and boil for 5 minutes.When it is done drain out extra water and put the pasta in cold water.
6. When the pasta becomes completely cool,drain out the cold water as well and keep the pasta aside.
7. Heat olive oil in a pan add diced onions,capsicum ,broccoli ,baby corn or corn,french beans and salt to taste and black pepper and cook for a minute or two.
8. Add pizza pasta sauce,tomato ketchup,1/2 cup water and Amul cheese spread to it and mix well. Cook further for 2 minutes.
9. Now add boiled pasta to the above mixture and cook for 2 minutes.
10. Add mixed herbs and mix well.
11. Now the pasta dhoklana is ready to be served.

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TOMATO SOUP

Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

4 tomatoes                                                          

1 onion roughly chopped

1 potato
1 inch piece of ginger
4 cloves of garlic
1 carrot
100 gms bottle guard (ghiya)
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper or to taste
1 tsp sugar (optional)
2 tsp cornflour desolved in 1/2 cup water
few drops of fresh cream and coriander for garnisning


Method:
1. Pressure cook tomatoes,onion,potato,ginger garlic,carrot and ghiya with 6 cups of water till 3-4 whistles.
2. When the pressure releases mash the pressure cooked vegetables in a mixer or with a blender.
3. Strain the soup.
4. Add salt.sugar and black pepper and cornflour desolved in water and boil the soup for 5 to 10 minutes.
5. Serve hot and garnish with few drops of cream and chopped coriander.



Notes:
1.You can cut the bread slices into cubes and toast them in an oven or in a frying pan to make croutons and put them in the soup while serving soup.
2. You can add tempering of one tablespoon heated oil with 1/4 tsp cumin seeds to the soup if you like spicy soup.

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SWEET CORN SOUP

Ingredients:

1/2 cup corn kernels

4-5 french beans very thinly sliced

1/2 carrot finely chopped

2-3 finely chopped florets of cauliflower
2 tbsp cornflour
4-5 cups water
1/4 tsp white/black pepper powder
1 tbsp white or yellow butter

Method:

1. Take butter in a pan and stir fry corn along with all the vegetables for 2-3 minutes.
2. Add water and wait till it starts boiling.
3. Dissolve cornflour in 1/2 cup of water and add this to the boiling water stirring constantly.
4. Keep stirring and let the mixture boil for 4-5 minutes till the cornflour is cooked.
5. Add salt and pepper and mix well.
6. Garnish with spring onions and coriander leaves.
7. Serve hot with Chinese sauces.

Note:

1. If you want to have a thick soup you can take 1/2 a cup more of corn kernels churn them in a mixer and add along water. 
2. Adding vegetables is optional you can add more (peas , finely chopped cabbage, onion or garlic) or less of vegetables as per your choice.
3. To make it richer you can use milk or a mixture of milk and water instead of  water only.

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STUFFED CAPSICUM , BHARWAN SHIMLA MIRCH

Preparation time : 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20-25 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

4 small or medium sized capcicums
3-4 boiled and mashed potates
2 tbsp grated cottage cheese
1 small onion chopped, finely chopped
1 green chili, chopped
1/4 tsp degi mirch powder
1/4 tsp dry mango powder/amchur powder
1/2 tsp catch sabzi masala
1/2 tsp dhania powder
2 tsp chopped coriander leaves
1 or 1.5 tbsp oil for sauteing the capsicum
salt to taste

Method:

1. Slice off the tops of the capsicums and remove the seeds.wash them and keep aside.
2. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl accept oil and capsicums and make a filling.
3. Stuff the potato mixture in the cavity of capsicums with the help of a spoon.
4. If baking, then brush some oil outside the bell peppers, before you stuff them with the spiced mashed potatoes.
5. Heat oil in a pan or kadai/wok and place the stuffed capsicum in the pan.
6. Cover the pan and allow the stuffed capsicum to cook on a low flame.
7. Check after every 5 to 6 mins and keep on changing the sides of the capsicums, so that all sides are cooked well. check, turn the sides and cover the pan again.
8. You also have to place the open potato side touching the pan. the capsicum will get golden and wrinkled. It may take about 25 mins to cook these on a low flame.
9. If baking then preheat your oven to 200 degrees C. and place the stuffed capsicum on a greased baking tray and bake at 200 degrees C for 20 to 30 mins or till the capsicums become golden and wrinkled.
10. Garnish with coriander or mint leaves and serve these potato stuffed bell peppers hot or warm with rotis, bread or as a side dish.

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MOONG DAAL PAKORE

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

1 cup moong dhuli daal
1 onion finely chopped
1/2" ginger finely chopped
1-2 green chillies finely chopped
1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
1/2 tsp catch sabzi masala
1/2 tsp dhania powder
1/4 tsp degi mirch powder or red chili or black pepper powder
1/4 tsp amchoor powder / dry mango powder
salt to taste
oil for frying

Method:

1. Wash and soak moong daal for 2-4 hours or over night.
2. Drain out all the water and coarsely grind the daal in a mixer add very littile water if required. Stir the batter with a spoon for few minutes to aerate.
3. Add rest of the ingredients and mix well.
4. Heat oil in a kadahi and drop spoonfuls of the moong daal batter in medium hot oil and fry till crisp and golden brown in color.
5. Drain the moong daal pakoras on paper napkins or kitchen towel to remove excess oil.
6. Serve moong dal pakoras hot with coriander chutney, tamarind chutney or tomato ketchup.

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