Mixed Vegetables Pasta Soup

Ingredients:
Pasta - 1.5 cup
Onion - 1 (chopped)
Mixed vegetables - Corn, peas, carrot, cabbage and beans (chopped)
Spinach - few leaves (torn)
Basil leaves - 15 very small leaves (torn)
Oregano - 1 tsp. (dry)
Pepper powder
Salt (to taste)
Olive oil
Red chilli flakes - 1 tsp.

Method:
Cook pasta as per instructions and keep aside.
Heat olive oil and add the onion pieces. Saute till translucent.
Add the vegetables and saute. Pour required water and cook till they are tender.
Now add the spinach and basil and cook for 4 minutes. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Mash the vegetables and greens coarsely.
Again keep it in the heat.
Now add the oregano, red chilli flakes, pepper powder, pasta and salt. Mix.
Cook again for 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
Enjoy piping hot.

Sent off to Joey's "Winter Warmers" event and the Doctor's "Soup Recipes" event.

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Plantain Oats Vadai

Ingredients:
Plantains (boiled and mashed) - 1 cup
Oats - 1/2 cup
Onion - 1 (chopped)
Ginger - 1/2 inch
Green chillies - 2
Fennel seeds - 1 tsp.
Coriander leaves - few
Salt (to taste)
Oil (for deep frying)

Method:
Grind ginger, green chillies and fennel seeds without adding water.
In a mixing bowl, add the mashed plantain, oats, fennel seeds mixture, coriander leaves and salt. Mix well.
Divide them into equal-sized balls and flatten them.
Heat the oil for deep-frying in medium flame.
Fry the vadais till golden brown colour in batches.
Enjoy hot with a cup of coffee/tea.

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Broccoli Usili

Ingredients:
Broccoli florets - 1 (medium size)
Moong Dal - 1/3 cup
Dry red chillies - 3
Hing/asafoetida - a big pinch
Turmeric powder - 2 pinches
Salt (to taste)
Mustard seeds - 3/4 tsp.
Cumin seeds - 3/4 tsp.
Urad dal - 3/4 tsp.
Oil
Grated coconut - 2 tbsp

Method:
Steam broccoli and keep aside. Soak moong dal for half an hour.
Drain the water. Grind the red chillies, moong dal, a little salt and hing into a coarse paste. If it becomes a fine paste, no problem.
Grease an idli plate and add the moong dal in each mould. Steam for 10 minutes.
After few minutes, crumble the steamed moong dal.
Heat the oil in a non-stick pan and add mustard, cumin seeds and urad dal. When the mustard crackles, add the crumbled moong dal and saute.
Saute for 7 to 8 minutes. In between, you may have to add an extra little oil every 3 minutes.
Now add the steamed broccoli, grated coconut and salt and saute for 2 minutes.
Remove and enjoy hot as a side dish for rice.

Note: You can skip the process of steaming. Add the broccoli florets after sauting the dal. Saute the broccoli for 4 to 5 minutes and enjoy as a 'half-crunchy' side dish.

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Oats Pongal

Ingredients:
Oats - 2 cups
Moong dal - 1/3 cup
Ginger - 1/2 inch (chopped)
Cumin seeds - 1.5 tsp.
Peppercorns - 3/4 tsp.
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Asafoetida - a pinch
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Ghee - 1 tsp.
Oil
Salt (to taste)

Method:
Grind the cumin seeds and peppercorns coarsely. Keep aside.
Cook the moong dal till soft and mushy.
Heat the ghee in a non-stick pan and add the oats. Saute for 3 to 4 minutes.
Pour 3 cups of water and bring it to a boil.
Add the moong dal and turmeric powder and mix.
In another small pan, add the oil, cumin, pepper powder, ginger, curry leaves and asafoetida.
When they sizzle, add them to the oats mixture. Add salt and mix.
Enjoy hot with chutney and sambar.

Sent off to "CWF-Oats" hosted by Priya (started by Kiran) and Kurinji's "Pongal Feast" event.

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Pumpkin Oats Kheer

Ingredients:
Yellow pumpkin - 1 cup (chopped)
Quick cooking oats - 1/2 cup
Milk (boiled) - 1 1/2 cup
Granulated sugar - 1 cup (or as per taste)
Green cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp. (heaped)

Cashew nuts - 10
Golden raisins - 8
Ghee - 1 tsp.

Method:
Pressure cook the pumpkins till 3 whitsles. Cool. B-) Blend.
In a kadai add milk, oats, ground pumpkins and sugar and bring it to a boil while stirring in between.
Reduce the heat to medium-low flame and add the cardamom powder.
Fry cashews and rai'sins in ghee and add to the kheer including the ghee.
Enjoy warm in winter and cold in summer.

Sent off to Sent off to "CWF-Oats" hosted by Priya (started by Kiran) and Kurinji's "Pongal Feast" event.

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Cream of Mushroom Soup

Ingredients:
Button mushroom - 200 gm (sliced)
Milk (low-fat) - 1 cup
Bay leaves (big) - 1
Cloves - 4
Cinnamon - 1 stick
Pepper powder - 1/4 tsp. (or as per taste)
Salt (to taste)
Garlic - 3 pods
Onion - 1 (sliced)
Olive oil

Method:
Heat oil in a pan and add bay leaf, cloves, cinnamon, onion and garlic.
Saute till the onions turn translucent.
Add sliced mushrooms and saute for 2-3 minutes.
Pour 2 to 2 1/2 cups of water. Bring it to a boil.
Cover and cook for ten minutes.
Remove from heat and cool it slightly.
Discard cinnamon, bay leaf and cloves.
Strain the mushrooms and reserve the liquid.
Blend the mushrooms by adding the liquid little by little.
In a pan, add the blended mushroom, milk and bring it to a boil.
Remove from heat and add salt and pepper.
Enjoy the hot piping soup with any bread of your choice.

Sent off to Joey's "Winter Warmers" event.

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