Carrot Soup

which carrot is better raw or cooked?

Clearly a raw carrot has more goodness in it when it is raw and therefore you would assume it is the healthiest way to eat it. But unless the carrot is juiced then consumed, the body cannot break down the goodness because of the cellular nature of the carrot. Carrots are more nutritious when eaten cooked than eaten raw (except when juiced). Because raw carrots have tough cellular walls, the body is able to convert less than 25 per cent of their beta carotene into vitamin A.Cooking, however, partially dissolves cellulose-thickened cell walls, freeing up nutrients by breaking down the cell membranes. So long as the cooked carrots are served as part of a meal that provides some fat the body can absorb more than half of the carotene. Also, it usual for Carrots to be cut into pieces and eaten after boiling or steaming, but done in this way, half the proteins and soluble carbohydrates will be lost so it is more advisable to cook them whole and then cut up.

Content and photo taken from carrotmuseum

1 big Carrot

1 medium Tomato

1sp thinly chopped Garlic,

1 Chilly chopped

1/2sp Pepper powder

1tsp Cornflour

1tbsp Lemon juice

1 tbsp Butter

Salt

1. Boil carrot and tomato in 400ml water until tender.(dint waste this leftover
water. keep it aside. we can use this for soup)
2. Allow to cool and blend boiled carrot and tomato until smooth.

3. Mix cornflour in 1tbs water. keep it aside.

4. Heat the butter in a saucepan and fry the chopped garlic and chilly.
5.Add pureed tomato,carrot,salt and leftover water(for better taste, u can use

vegetable stock instead of this)

6.Cook a further 10 mints.

7. Add cornflour water to this. stir well and cook for 2 mints.

8. Remove from heat and mix the pepper powder to it.

9. Before serve, mix the lemon juice.

HEALTHY BOILED FRUIT CAKE

           There are hundreds of different recipes for fruit Cake,  all with slight variations 

on the same theme. In all cases is it a rich and little spicy cake crammed with sultanas, raisins, currants, Orange peel, etc.... mixed dry fruits.

This is a small treat for Christmas.

2 cups Mixed dry fruits

1 cup   Plain flour

1 cup   Self raising flour

1 cup   Brown sugar

1/4 sp Nutmeg powder

1/4 sp Cloves powder

100 g  Butter

1/2 sp Soda bicarbonate

2          Eggs

1. Place the mixed dry fruits, brown sugar, nutmeg powder, cloves powder, butter and 1/2 cup 

    water in a large saucepan and bring to the boil for 5 mints in low flame. remove from heat and     allow to cool.

2. Meanwhile lightly beaten the eggs.

3. Add the flours, soda bicarbonate and boiled dry fruit mixture to the beaten egg, mixing well.

4. Place mixture in a greased cake pan.

5. Bake in oven (at 200 degree c) for one hour or until skewer comes out clean.

Mushroom Curry

             Past one month I have been showering with awards. But, I was busy with my personal works these days and so the awards are making delayed. Iam really honoured to receive all the awards from You. Thanks to you all for your nice co-operation and encouragement.

First follow the recipe:

Mushrooms 500 gm

Onion 1 big
Tomato 3
Ginger&Garlic past 1 sp

Coriander powder 1 sp
Chilly powder 2 sp

Garam masala powder 1tsp
Cilantro stems 1 small bunch
Cooking oil 1 tbs
Salt

1. Make it past these three items separately: Tomato, cilantro stems, onion.

2. Clean mushrooms and cut stems into slices and caps into quarters.
3. Put the wok one stove and pour cooking oil.
4. Then add ginger, garlic, onion past saute the raw smell goes.

5. Add cilantro stems past fry for a while.
6. Add tomato puree followed by all powders, salt and saute for 2 mints.
7. Now add the mushrooms, cover the lid and cook for 3mints., pour 1/2 cup of water 
8. Allow it cook until the water will evaporate.  
    If you want finally add chopped cilantro leaves.

Lemon Couscous

Couscous is a tiny pasta that is delicious, nutritious, and incredibly easy to prepare. The traditional North African dish known as couscous was originally made by hand. Large grains of semolina were prepared in several steps by dampening smaller grains of semolina with water and working them between the hands to break up clumps into smaller and smaller granules until finally being ready to cook. This is a very time taking process. Commercially made couscous does the above described hand processes by machine, what you buy is at the stage that is ready to cook.

The word couscous might derive from the Arabic word kaskasa, it means 'to pound small'.

Couscous can be used instead of rice, pasta or potatoes as an alternative carbohydrate. It is the perfect food for health conscious people and easy to make. Couscous contains proteins, fibre, vitaminB. It’s incredibly simple to prepare. Just add hot water and bring to a simmer. Turn off the heat, add seasoning and mix some lime juice. Its  a great tasting meal.

Couscous           1 cup

Water                1 cup

Lemon juice      2tbs

Cumin                1tsp

Mustard seeds 1tsp

Black gram       1tsp

Bengal gram     1tsp

Red chillie         1

Green chillies   2 (chopped)

Cilentro            1tbs(chopped)

Cahewnuts       1tbsp

Oil                     2tbs

Turmaric powder

Curry leaves  

Salt

Place the water and salt in a pan and bring to the boil. Pour over the couscous, making sure it is completely wet. Stir in couscous and reduce heat until liquid is absorbed and couscous is tender.

 

In a pan heat oil and add one bye one cumin, mustard seeds, black gram, bengal gram, red chillies, cashewnuts, green chillies, curry leaves and turmaric powder and mix well.

Once fried all well, add cooked couscous and stir well for a while. Mix the chopped cilentro and switch of the stove. Allow to cool for 5 mints then add lemon juice and mix it well.  

Now its ready to serve.

A SWEET LAMP FOR DIWAALI

Sarva mangala maangalye shive sarvaartha saadhike
sharanye tryambake gaurii naaraayani namostute.

Meaning:
Salutations to the consort of Sri Lakhmi Devi, who is all-auspicious, who is the mastress of all, who blesses devotees succeed in their efforts and who is the refuge of all.

May the glow of lamps fill your life with newer joys.. and the year ahead brings good fortune, happiness and good times to cherish forever.
wish you a happy diwaali.....

Follow the recipe:

1 cup Condensed milk(sweetened)
1.5 cup Milk powder
2tbs Milk
2tbs Sugar
8 Strawberries( make it past)
10 Pistachios(shredded)

Take the condensed milk,condensed milk, strawberries past, sugar, milk into a deep microwave container and mix well together.

Microwave for 2 or 3 minutes.


Take out from the microwave and stir well. Again micro wave for 3 minutes. Every minute stir well.

By this time, you mixture should have started to thicken and come off the sides.

At this stage,again you have to put in microwave for 20 seconds (because we need thick constancy then normal pedha).

Let the dough become luke warm.

Take the small lemon sized dough and shape it into ball. And push your thumb into the center of the ball to make bowl shape.

In one side press this bowl shaped dough with two fingers.

Do the same process for remaining dough.


For white thread:

Now take one 1sp condensed milk and 1.5 milk powder mix together and keep it in microwave for one minute and shape this dough like thread.


Put this thread shaped dough in that prepared lamps. And spread some shredded pistachios in each lamp.

We can get 20 Sweet Balls within 10 mints.!

Easy-to-find ingredients make this homemade sweet. These puffed rice balls are very nutritious + fat free + easy dish + less time taking +limited ingredients + kids friendly snack.
Years ago it was a popular kids treat in India. Now it comes here with honey(western touch) instead of jaggery. Its a wonderful snack for kids occasions. But there is one important factor in this balls making. That is the consistency of honey syrup. If syrup is not cook enough (until the thread consistency) the mixture will not be hold like a ball. If its too cook, syrup will be burnt.

Time: 10minutes
Ingredients for twenty Balls:

Puffed rice 2 Cups
Honey 1/4 Cup
Cardamoms 4 (powdered)

To prepare the delicious puffed rice balls we can follow the given recipe.

Heat a kadai on stove add honey and water (1/4 cup) mix together. Simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the honey turns to thread consistency. Add cardamom powder and remove from heat. Stir the puffed rice into the honey mixture until everything is thoroughly coated. Roll this mixture into balls with greased hands ,when cool enough to handle. Or spread on a greased sheet/plate and let it cool a few minutes and cut into bars.

Pesara Punuklu (Moong dhal dumplings) curry

Short Blogging Break:
As many of you may have noticed, posting has been a little light over the past few weeks. Iam busy with shopping and packing...Yes, Iam going to India for four weeks. This would be my last post until September. I will be on a blog break from Aug 9th until September. I will share all of your posts after my break.
I would like to thank every one for all their support and visits. I will be back with India trip photos and our traditional recipes.
Enjoy This month's one and only dish

Pesara punukula kura:


Moong dhal 1cup
Sago 1sp

Red chilly powder 1tbs
Corriender powder 1sp
Cumin powder 1sp
Turmaric powder1/4sp
Green chillies 2
Sugar 1Sp
Milk 1/2 cup
Oil 2tbs
Salt

Onion 1big
Ginger 1"
Garlic 2
Pappy seeds 1Sp
Cardamons 2

Tomato 2

Grated coconut 1tbs

Cashew nuts 1tbs

Curd 1.5 tbs

Soak the moong dhal, sago for 1 hour and grind together, add salt. Make rounds of the moong dough. Deep fry that till golden brown. Drain and keep aside.

Now we have to make 4 pasts for gravy:
1. Make smooth past soaked cashews with 1/2tbs curd.
2. Pureed the tomatoes.
3. In a grinder, make it past with coconut and 1tbs curd.
4. Blend together the onions, ginger, garlic, cardamoms and the poppy seeds.




Fry the onion past in oil till brown and the oil begins to separate. Add the pureed tomatoes, chopped green chillies and the all the powders. Add coconut past, stir fry for 2 mints. Add the sugar and the cashew nuts past. Mix in some water. When the gravy comes to a boil, add the fried moong dumplings. cover the lid and heat through. Add milk, when the gravy will begin to thick. Let it cook for 2 mints without lid and switch of the stove.