Mixed bean soup with pasta & veggies

This recipe is perfect simple to prepare, wholesome, filling hot meal. I always love to eat the healthy foods & this is the perfect simple meal. You can use anything you have in your kitchen pantry for this soup. A healthy soup packed with healthy source of protein, low in fat and cholesterol, high in fiber & lots of flavors too.  

Try this at home & I’m sure you will love it…so here we go…

Ingredients:

½ lb assorted dried beans( you can find it in any American stores)
1 onion- chopped
2-3 green chillies- chopped
1 tsp minced ginger 
1tblsp minced garlic
2tblsp veg oil
Chopped Vegetable (carrots, zucchini, bell pepper, celery)- 1cup
Corn, peas- 1/4th cup
Ground pepper- 1tsp
Lemon juice- 1tblsp
2 medium size tomatoes chopped
½ tsp turmeric powder
Boiled pasta- u can use any type of pasta , but I hav used penny pasta.
Italian herbs - 1tsp
 basil leaves- 1tsp

Method:

 Soak the beans for at least 7-8 hours or overnight.
 Now clean them well. Keep aside.


Heat oil in a cooker. Add chopped onion, minced green chili, ginger & garlic. Sauté till onions are translucent. Now add the soaked beans to it. Add 2 cups of water to it. Add salt, turmeric powder to it. 
Cover & cook for 3-4 whistles till the beans are tender. 

On the other hand take a pan. Heat oil. Add the chopped veggies carrots, zucchini, bell pepper, celery, corn & peas. Sauté till they turn light brown. 

Now put the sautéed veggies to the cooked beans, add the boiled pasta, chopped tomatoes to it. Let it boil for another 4-5 mins. Adjust salt, pepper. Add the herbs & Now add the lemon juice. 
 Mix well & switch off the flame. Your bean soup is now ready to devour.

Sweet and Sour Tofu

Perfect recipe for Meatless Monday ….Sweet and sour tofu.  You can also add broccoli pieces to this for better taste. As I’m not a broccoli fan so I didn't add.. Goes well with brown rice & stir fried noodles. So here is what I did….

Ingredients:
2 tblsp sesame oil
1tblsp Minced ginger
1tblsp Minced garlic
Minced onion- ½ cup
Sesame Seeds for garnishing

For Sauce
1 tblsp Vinegar
1 1/2 tblsp soya sauce
1 Tbs Ketchup
1/4 Cup Water

2 tsp Sugar & 1 tsp honey
1/2 tsp Salt
1 1/2 Tbs Cornstarch + 2 Tbs water

How to proceed:


Wash the tofu & Slice the tofu into small cubes. Keep them on a paper towel.
Heat oil in a pan. Toss the tofu till they turn light brown in colour.
Heat a pan. Add minced onion, ginger garlic. Sauté for a min. 

Mix sauce ingredients in a bowl. Throw in the sauce. Mix well. 

Now mix cornstarch, sugar , honey, salt & water into a small bowl and whisk until sugar and salt is dissolved.
Add cornstarch mixture and whisk until the sauce thickens. If you leave the sauce unattended now it will thicken and burn, so keep an eye on it. When thick, place gently tofu in sauce and toss to completely coat.
Top with sesame seeds and serve immediately.

Note. You can also deep fry the tofu (marinate the tofu pieces with the flour, soy sauce and salt) till they turn golden brown before adding them in the sauce.

Ras Malai

Rasmalai …King of Indian sweets..  It’s my ultimate  fav dessert.  Rasmalai is dumplings made from  homemade paneer/ cheena/ cottage cheese & shaped in to flatten balls & soaked in thickened sweetened milk flavored with cardamom, pistachios & saffron... Very easy to make & it is served chilled tastes heavenly. It tastes ever better if it sits a day or two in fridge. So here is what I did…

Ingredients:

Soft paneer (cottage cheese)-  250 gm
1 tblsp semolina/ rawa
Sugar- 2cups
Milk- 1litre
Rose syrup- 1tsp optional
Few strands of saffron
sliced almonds and pistachios 
Cardamom powder- 1tsp

Method:

Take a plate & knead the paneer & rawa for 8-10 minutes until the paneer is almost rolls into smooth soft dough & your palm will be little greasy.
Once dough is done mold it into small balls & flatten the balls to patty shape.

Take a big vessel. Add 1 ½ cup sugar & 3 cups water to it. Let it boil. Stir it till the sugar dissolves in water completely. Kep the flame high & when water starts boiling add the panner patties one by one & boil it for 18-20 mins .  The balls will be swell up to 3 times  in size. Now switch of the flame. Allow the patties to cool in the syrup.

Take out the patties from the syrup and squeeze them lightly, and keep aside.

Boil the milk in a pan on medium heat until the milk attains creamy consistency with rich flavor.Make sure to frequently stir the milk as the milk burns easily in bottom of the pan. 
 Add remaining sugar to themilk. Let it cook for 1-2 mins till sugar dissolves completely.

Add crushed saffron, rose syrup and cardamom pwder. Mix in. now add the patties. 

Let it cook for few more minutes. 

Garnish with sliced almonds and pistachios. Enjoy chilled. 

Oats and Apple crumbs

Ingredients:

2 pound apple peeled, cored and sliced
1 tbsp. granulated sugar
2-3 brown sugar to mix with apples
½ cup brown sugar
1/2  tsp cinnamon powder
¼ tsp salt
½ cup rolled oats (uncooked)
¼ cup pecans chopped
1/3rd cup all-purpose flour
4 tbsp unsalted butter (cut in to pieces)

Method:

Preheat the oven to 350 degree F. Coat a 8*8 inch pan with butter. Keep aside.

Take a pan boil the apples with 1 tbsp sugar for 5-10 mins. Don’t make it too soft.
Now remove from heat & strain. Keep aside for 10-15 mins. Let it cool. 

Take a bowl. Mix together butter, brown sugar, flour, oats, salt & pecans until evenly combined.
With your fingertips mix all until small clumps form & the butter is mixed well.
Keep aside. 

Now take another bowl. Combine apples, brown sugar and cinnamon, salt & toss well to coat. Place the apple mixture to the prepared baking dish.

Now sprinkle the topping evenly over the apples & bake for 45-50 mins till the toppings are crispy & apples are tender. Let it cool properly before serving.