~*~Cucumber Soup~*~

Cucumber Soup

Ingredients:

2 Cucumber 
1 Onion 
1 Potato 
1 cup Milk 
1 tbsp Butter 
Coriander leaves, chopped 
1 tsp Black Pepper powder 
Salt and Sugar to taste 

 
Method:

Peel off onion, potato, cucumber and cut into small pieces. 
Heat butter in a pan. Add cucmber, onion, potato and fry for 3-4minutes. 
Add black pepper powder. 
Add 3 cups water and bring it to boil. Reduce the heat and cook till tender. 
Add sugar and salt. 
On cooling, blend it in an electric blender with milk. 
Pour soup in individual bowls garnished with coriander leaves. 
Serve hot or Keep it in freezer and serve chill. Both taste good. 


Tip: Thickening for the Soups - Put instant mashed potato and gravies to thicken. Stir thoroughly and Keep on adding as much desired. 

~*~Carrot Soup~*~

Carrot Soup

Ingredients:

1 cup Milk 
3 tbsp Butter 
1 large Onion 
3 cups Water 
1 tsp Garlic paste 
2 tsp Lemon juice 
2 tsp Tomato paste 
½ tsp ground Cumin 
10-12 Carrots, sliced 
¼ cup Potatoes, diced 
Salt and pepper to taste 
½ tsp Coriander powder 
Coriander leaves for garnishing 

 
Method:

In a large saucepan melt butter 
Add the onion and garlic and fry on medium low heat. 
Add the carrots and fry (do not to brown). 
Add water, salt, pepper cumin, coriander powder, cumin, potato, tomato paste, and lemon juice. Bring to boil. 
Cover and simmer gently for 30 minutes. 
Blend in a food processor. 
Pour the soup in a clean pan, add milk and slowly bring to boil. 
Garnish and serve immediately.

Serves: 4 


Tip: Vegetables added to a soup taste better if you sauté them in a little butter first. 

~*~Chicken and Coconut soup~*~

Chicken and Coconut soup

Ingredients:

4 slices Ginger 
3 tbsp Fish Sauce 
¼ cup Lemon juice 
4 cups Chicken stock 
1 tsp fresh Lemon zest 
1 tbsp Red Chilli paste 
2 tbsp light Brown sugar 
Grated zest of 1 large Lime 
Coriander leaves to garnish 
500 gm boneless, skinless Chicken 
450 ml unsweetened Coconut Milk 
250 gm white Mushrooms, thinly sliced 

 
Method:

In a large sauce pan, combine the chicken stock, ginger, lemon zest (the yellow outer rind of the lemon that contains the fruit's flavor and perfume) and grated lime zest. 
Place over medium heat and slowly bring to a boil. Boil for 1 minute. 
Reduce heat to low, add the coconut milk, stir to combine and bring to a simmer. 
Add the lemon juice, fish sauce, brown sugar and chille paste. Mix well and simmer for 5 minutes. 
Add the chicken pieces and simmer until tender, for about 5 to 8 minutes, add the mushrooms and simmer until tender, about 3-4 minute. 
Serve in bowls. Garnish with coriander leaves.

~*~Chicken and Palak Soup~*~

Chicken and Palak Soup

Ingredients:

1 tbsp Ghee 
2 tsp Cumin seeds 
8 Curry leaves, torn 
250 ml Boiling Water 
1 tbsp Ginger, grated 
1 tsp ground Turmeric 
2 tsps Coriander seeds 
½ tsp Fenugreek seeds 
1.25 litres Chicken stock 
2 pods of Garlic, crushed 
300 gms Onions, chopped 
2 tsp Black Mustard seeds 
400 gms Potatoes, chopped 
2 tbsp Tamarind concentrate 
2 dried Red Chillies, chopped 
Tiny pinch Asafoetida powder 
1 kg Spinach, rougly chopped 
100 gms Coconut Milk powder 
200 gms Masoor daal (Red Lentils), rinsed, drained 


Method:

Cook cumin and coriander seeds, stirring, in dry frying pan until fragrant. Blend to process, untill crushed. 
Heat ghee in a large pan, cook onions, ginger, chillies, leaves, mustard and fenugreek, stirring, until onions are browned lightly. 
Add crushed spices, turmeric and asafoetida, cook stirring, 1 minute. 
Add that potatoes and stock to pan; bring to boil then simmer, covered, about 15 minutes or untill potatoes are tender. Stir in spinach, cook 2 minutes. 
Using a handheld mixer, blend soup mixture until pureed. 
Add tamarind and blended coconut milk powder and water, stir until soup is thoroughly heated through. 


Tip: Prepare cold soups with degreased chicken stock. 

~*~Fudgy Valentine Cake~*~

 

Fudgy Valentine Cake

Ingredients: 

2/3 cup butter or margarine, softened

1-3/4 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa or HERSHEY'S SPECIAL DARK Cocoa
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups dairy sour cream
PINK BUTTERCREAM FROSTING(recipe follows)
Maraschino cherries or chocolate curls(optional)

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch heart-shaped pans.*

2. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl on medium speed of mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; add to butter mixture alternately with sour cream, blending well. Beat 3 minutes on medium speed. Pour into prepared pans. 

3. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Prepare PINK BUTTERCREAM FROSTING. Spread frosting between layers and over top and sides of cake. Garnish with maraschino cherries or chocolate curls, if desired. 10 to 12 servings. 

PINK BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened

4-1/4 cups powdered sugar
4 to 5 tablespoons milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon red food color

Beat butter in medium bowl until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar alternately with milk and vanilla until smooth and of desired consistency; stir in food color. 

*NOTE: One 8-inch square baking pan and one 8-inch round baking pan (each must be 2-inches deep) may be substituted for heart-shaped pans. Prepare, bake and cool cake as directed above. Cut round layer in half, forming 2 half circles; place cut edge against adjacent sides of square layer to form heart. Frost entire cake.

~*~Egg Masala~*~

Egg Masala 

Ingredients:

6 Eggs, hard boiled 

2 tbsp Oil 
1 cup Water 
Salt as per taste 
2 chopped Onions 
1 tsp Lemon juice 
2 chopped Tomatoes 
Coriander leaves, chopped 

Make a paste of:

1" Ginger 
5 Garlic flakes 
2 Green Chilli 
1 tsp Chilli powder 
1 tsp Garam Masala 
½ tsp Turmeric powder 
1 tsp Coriander powder 
½ tsp Cumin seeds powder 

 

Method:

Prick the eggs with the fork and keep aside. 

Heat a oil in pan. 
Fry onion till golden brown. 
Add tomatoes and simmer for 5 minutes. 
Add the grounded paste and salt. 
Simmer for 3-4 minutes. 
Add water and eggs in the pan. 
Bring to boil. 
Let it cook for 10 minutes till gravy is thickens. 
Add lemon juice and stir well. 
Remove from flame and garnish with coriander leaves. 
Serve hot. 


Tip: While cutting hard boiled eggs,the egg yolk often tends to break so to avoid this dip the knife in cold water for a few seconds and then cut smoothly. 

~*~Egg Korma~*~

Egg Korma
 

Ingredients:

6 Eggs 

6 Onions 
6 Cloves 
¼ cup Milk 
3 tbsp Ghee 
A piece of Ginger 
1 stick Cinnamon 
Some Green Chilli 
2 Cardamom pods 
1 tbsp grated Coconut 
½ tsp Turmeric powder 
3 tbsp Coriander powder 
2 tbsp chopped Cashewnuts 
Salt to taste 

Method:

Chop the onions coarsely. Grind together the green chilies, grated coconut, coriander powder, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and turmeric powder. 

Separate the Egg yolks and egg whites. Beat them separately. Mix altogether the egg yolks and milk to the egg white mixture and adjust salt according to taste. 
Again beat the mixture for 10 minutes and place the egg mixture vessel into a large vessel containing a little water and boil till the egg is set. Turn out the egg and cut into cubes. 
For korma, heat the ghee in a saucepan and fry the chopped cashewnuts till golden brown. 
Put onions, ground masala paste and salt and cook on a low flame, till the onions turn light brown. Stir occasionally till the ghee floats to the top. 
Now add half a cup of water and bring to a boil. 
Add the egg cubes and cook gently till the korma thickens. 
Use freshly cut coriander for garnishing and serve hot with rice or parathas and chutney. 


Tip: Do not boil eggs in the microwave as pressure builds up and there are chances of the eggs exploding.