Author: Antara Chakraborty

Food for Friends!

I love cooking for my friends. I bake cakes, make chocolates, and cook some delicious schezwan panner or even the Chicken & Veggie Wrap that I learnt from my sister-in-law a couple of months back. Whatever suits my fancy, really. My school friends used to adore my Vegetable Cutlet Sandwich and Garlic Paneer Noodles. Recently, I made fish biriyani for my to-be-graduate college mates. It was Ma’s recipe and as usual, it was a hit. Quite the little cook, ain’t I? Jokes apart, cooking for my friends make me happy. Watching them enjoy every bit of my dish and ask for a second (or even a third) helping – simply melts my heart.

Vegetable Cutlet Sandwich

Serves: 4

Ingredients: 8 slices multigrain bread

For the cutlet- 1 and a ½ cup mixed veggies (which includes carrots, French beans, cauliflower, celery), ½ cup mashed potato, 1 tsp cumin powder, 1 tsp coriander powder, 1 tsp chilli powder, 2 tsp lime juice, a pinch of turmeric, 2 green chillis (finely chopped), 1 tsp oil, salt (to taste)

Method: Lightly steam vegetables, until cooked but slightly crunchy. Mix into mashed potatoes. Add all the masalas and salt. Cook this mixture on a slow fire for about 5 minutes, until masalas are cooked and the water evaporates completely, to form a dough-like consistency. Shape the mixture into four cutlets. Heat oil in a non-stick pan. Fry the cutlets till golden brown on both sides. Place each cutlet between 2 slices of bread, into a sandwich. Serve with mint chutney.

Chicken & Veggie Wrap

Serves: 4

Ingredients: 8 rotis – for the wraps

For the filling- 4 pieces boiled or roasted chicken (each 3 inch x 3 inch in size), 3-4 stalks celery (chopped), 2 small onions or green onions (chopped), ¼ cup coriander (chopped), 4-5 olives (chopped), ½ tsp pepper, 1 tsp prepared mustard dressing

Method: Combine all the filling ingredients to make a spicy chicken mixture. Lay out the 8 rotis and place the chicken fillings on the rotis, dividing equally. Roll up each roti, folding in the top and bottom edges to seal in the filling. Wrap in tin foil. (Chicken can be substituted with roast turkey or water-packed tuna)

Garlic Paneer Noodles

Serves: 4

Ingredients: 2 cups boiled cooked noodles, 2 stalks celery (diagonally sliced), 1 white onion (sliced), 4 cloves garlic (minced), 1 tsp hot chilli sauce, 1 tsp light soya sauce, 1 tsp white vinegar, 16 cubes low-fat paneer cubes ( of 1 inch x 1 inch size), 1 tsp sesame oil

Method: heat oil to high heat in wok or deep skillet. Add onion, celery, garlic and cook, stirring often, for 3 to 5 minutes. Add paneer, soy sauce, hot sauce and vinegar. Immerse the noodles in boiling salted water for 1 minute, or until tender. Drain noodles and toss into the wok, mix well. Serve hot.

Aparna is my best friend and she simply cannot live without dosas. Like seriously. A true Dosa-o-holic. Her birthday is next week and I have a brilliant idea. Why not cook her something marvelous instead of buying an impersonal gift? What do you think?

Anyway, I have been bugging Ma to teach me her special Moong Dal Dosa which she makes for parties. And luckily, she did. A few more practice sessions and I’ll surely master it. Till then, you can try your hand at it too…

Moong Dal Dosa

Serves: 4

Ingredients: 2 cups green moong dal (soaked), 1 large onion (chopped fine), 2 finely grated carrots, 2 inch piece ginger (grated), 4-6 green chillis, 1 large bunch green coriander leaves (chopped), 2 tsp cumin seeds, 2 tsp oil, salt to taste

Method: Soak moong dal overnight. Grind together with ginger, chillies, coriander leaves and salt. Add finely chopped onion, carrot and jeera to the dosa batter. Heat a few drops of oil in a non-stick pan. Pour out batter, to make a medium-thick dosa. When one side is golden brown, flip over to brown other side. Serve hot with tomato chutney or garlic chutney.

My friend Utsab first had squid while he was in Goa on a college trip. The squid turned out to be “very rubbery”, to quote him. I have seen squid being cooked in MasterChef innumerable times. Much to my delight, the contestants even used squid ink to add a sense of theatrical element to their food. This was highly appreciated by the judges. Inspired, I browsed through about three dozen recipes till I came across the ‘Squid and Apple Salad. Giving it my own personal twist, I tried my best to change Utsab “very rubbery squid” nightmare into a delicious one.

Squid and Apple Salad

Serves: 6

Ingredients: 900g squid (including tentacles, pouches and wings), 1 tsp olive oil, 5 cups chopped mixed lettuce greens, 1 medium green apple (thinly sliced), 2 tbsp lemon juice, ¼ cup dried cranberries, ¼ cup chopped walnuts, ¼ cup pumpkin seeds, pepper (to taste), salt (to taste)

For the raspberry vinaigrette- 1/3 cup olive oil or salad oil, 1/3 cup raspberry preserve, ¼ cup wine vinegar or raspberry vinegar, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, 1 tsp dried herbs, salt (to taste), pepper (to taste)

Method: Wash and soak lettuce leaves in ice-cold water. Rinse and completely dry the leaves in a strainer or pass through a salad spinner. Transfer to a serving bowl. Rub apple slices with lemon juice and place in a bowl over lettuce leaves. Cover with cling wrap and keep cold. In a small bowl, mix together cranberries, walnuts and pumpkin seeds. Set aside.

For squid- Clean the squid properly. Cut the tentacles, pouches and wings in 1 cm thick rings. Add one tsp olive oil in a frying pan. Add the squid rings. Add salt and pepper. Stir fry over a high heat until the squid has slightly browned (for about 1 minute).

For vinaigrette- Mix all the ingredients for the vinaigrette in a screw-top jar and shake thoroughly to mix well.

To serve- Just before serving, sprinkle nuts over the salad, add the fried squid, pour vinaigrette all over and toss salad with salad tongs starting from below and going upwards. Serve immediately.

Eat. Share. Eat some more. Enjoy.

December 16, 2014
Winter Soups!

“Let me be the first to tell you, drinking alcohol is the worst thing to do in cold weather. Hot soup is the best because the process of digesting food helps to warm you up.” –

Morgan Freeman A hot soup on a winter evening is simply comfort in a bowl. It warms every bit of you and makes you feel awfully good. Yummm! Be it a gooey creamy chilli soup or a clear vegetable soup or the classic tomato soup or the modern popcorn soup – each is at its best! As Marge Kennedy points out, soup is like family. Each batch has its own individual characteristics. Each ingredient of a soup enhances the other ingredients to a whole different level. A soup is not just a soup. It is many a thing more. “Only the pure in heart can make a good soup”

Ludwig van Beethoven These are four of my favourite winter soups. Simple and easy to make and marked with the magical ambrosial taste. These soups are simply splendid.

Vegetable Soup with Basil Sauce

Time taken:25 minutes

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

For vegetable stock- 2 medium onions (chopped), 1 medium leek (chopped), 1 medium carrot (chopped), 1 bay leaf tied with 1 large sprig of parsley, 1 small piece of bottle gourd (chopped) For basil sauce- ½ cup fresh basil leaves, 2 large cloves of garlic, ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper, 3 grated Parmesan cheese, 1/3 cup olive oil For soup- 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 medium potato (cut into small cubes), 1 medium zucchini (cut into small cubes), ½ cup boiled peas, ½ cup soaked and boiled broad beans, 2 medium tomatoes (blanched and chopped), salt, pepper, ½ cup boiled pasta

Directions: For vegetable stock- Pour 6 cups water in a pressure cooker, add the stock ingredients, and pressure cook till the pressure is released 3 times (3 whistles). Cool and discard the parsley and bay leaf. Puree the ingredients, pass through a strainer and set aside. For basil sauce- Blend all the ingredients except oil in a small blender for 20 seconds. Gradually add oil and blend until smooth. Refrigerate until needed. For soup- heat olive oil in a pan. Add potato and zucchini and cook for 3- 4 minutes. Add peas, beans and tomatoes along with pureed stock, salt and pepper. Boil hot soup into individual bowls, spoon basil sauce on top and serve.

Mongolian Hot Pot

Time taken: 30 minutes

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

For clear vegetable stock- 1 carrot (chopped), 1 onion (chopped), 1 stem spring onion (chopped), 1 stick celery (chopped), 1 inch ginger (chopped), a few black peppercorns For dips and garnishes- 2 cups coarsely chopped Chinese cabbage leaves, 200 gm cubed tofu (bean curd), 100 gm rice noodles (soaked in hot water), 2-3 tbsp sesame paste, ¼ cup soy sauce mixed with ¼ cup water, ¼ cup rice vinegar, ¼ cup chilli oil, ¼ cup finely chopped coriander, 4 tbsp chopped garlic (soaked in a little vinegar and salt

Directions:

Pour 6 cups water in a pan. Add the stock ingredients and bring to boil. Lower heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Strain and transfer the stock to a heatproof ceramic or metal dish. Place the dish on a small burner on the table. Bring the stock back to boil. Arrange all the dips and garnishes in individual bowls and place them on the table. Diners cook their own choice of vegetables and tofu and season them to individual taste with dips and sauces. Each one should place some noodles in a bowl and top it with some simmering stock flavoured with sauces to taste. This soup is eaten as a final course.

Pumpkin Soup

Time taken: 25 minutes

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:

1 tbsp salad oil or sunflower oil (for brushing), 1 tsp ginger paste, 1 tsp garlic paste, 1 tsp coriander powder, 1 onion (chopped), 1 potato (chopped), 1 carrot (chopped), 2 celery stalks (chopped), 700-900 gm red pumpkin (peeled, seeded and chopped), 1 ½-2 cups clear vegetable stock, salt (to taste), pepper (to taste), lemon juice (to taste), chopped coriander, reserved pumpkin shell (cleaned and washed) Directions: Heat oil in a large pan. Add ginger, garlic and coriander powder and sauté for 2- 3 minutes. Add all the vegetables and pumpkin and cook until slightly softened. Add 3 cups water and transfer the soup to a pressure cooker; cook till the pressure is released 3 times (3 whistles). Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Puree the soup in a blender and pass it through a strainer. Return the soup to the pan and heat gently. Add stock to get the desired consistency. Add salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste.

Spring Vegetable Soup

Time taken: 20 minutes

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:

For vegetable stock- 2 medium onions (chopped), 1 medium leek (chopped), 1 medium carrot (chopped), 1 bay leaf tied with 1 large sprig of parsley, 1 small piece of bottle gourd (chopped) For soup- 2 onions (cut into cubes), 2 potatoes (cut into cubes), 2 leeks (cut into cubes), 2 tbsp butter, 1 spring onion with greens (finely chopped), 100gm carrots (chopped), 100gm cauliflower (chopped), 100gm asparagus (chopped), 100gm shelled green peas, 5-6 French beans (chopped), 1 cup vegetable stock, ½ cup fresh cream or milk, 3-4 tbsp grated cheese, salt, pepper, crusty garlic and herb bread (to serve)

Directions:

For vegetable stock- Pour 6 cups water in a pressure cooker, add the stock ingredients, and pressure cook till the pressure is released 3 times (3 whistles). Cool and discard the parsley and bay leaf. Puree the ingredients, pass through a strainer and set aside. For soup- Cook onions, potatoes and leeks along with 6 cups water in a pressure cooker till soft. Puree in a blender, strain and set aside. In a pan, melt butter and fry onions, carrots, cauliflower, asparagus, green peas and French beans. Cover and cook until soft. Add the onion-potato puree and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil and simmer until vegetables are cooked. Add cream, 2 tbsp cheese, salt and pepper. Serve hot, sprinkled with remaining cheese, and garlic and herb bread on the side. So, Happy Cooking!

December 13, 2014
Food Delights!

“There is no love sincerer than the love of food.”

– George Bernard Shaw

My sister-in-law loves food and everything to do with food. Recently, she took up the massive challenge of maintaining a food blog. Soon, she was deeply engrossed in it and then, gradually all her experiments with food started to bloom– “How about I mash this up and then add a bit of that? I have a gut feeling that it will work”. Well, most of them did. Being The Taster, my job was easy-peasy and I genuinely loved all her food.

From healthy snacks such as South-western Salad with Avocado Dressing to the not-so healthy ones (but super tasty!), like the Gujrati Kadhi; from the nice and sweet Melon Refresher to the spicy Cream of Chilli Soup– all were simply lip smacking. My favourite is her desi Mixed Vegetable Curry. It is an absolute hit among my friends as well. Hence, I thought I would be a little generous and share her super easy, super simple and super awesome recipes with my readers. So, here goes –

Cream of Chilli Soup

Time taken: 15 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients : 2 large corn tortillas (cut into 1/4inch wide strips, 3 tbsp butter, 1 cup chopped onions, 1 clove garlic, ½ tsp dried oregano, 1 bay leaf, 2 cups of White Vegetable Stock, 1 medium potato (peeled and cubed), pepper (to taste), salt (to taste), 3-4 jalapeno chillies (chopped), ¼ cup fresh cream, 1 cup mozzarella cheese (grated)

Method: Crispthe tortillas in the oven. In a pan, melt butter; add onions, garlic, oregano and bay leaf. Cook until onions are soft. Stir in the stock, potato, salt and paper. Bring to a boil. Simmer till potatoes are tender. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Discard the bay leaf and process the soup in a blender till smooth. Pass through a sieve and return to heat. Add the chillies and simmer for 10 minutes. Adjust the seasoning and stir in the cream. Set aside until ready to serve. Reheat gently just before serving. Add the cheese and spoon thesoup into individual bowls. Sprinkle tortilla chips and serve immediately.

South-western Salad with Avocado Dressing

Time taken: 15 minutes

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

For salad- 2 cups of shredded lettuce or salad greens, 1 cup chopped tomatoes, ½ cup chopped white onions, ¼ cup sliced jalapeno chillis, ½ cup chopped red, yellow or green capsicum, ¼ cup grated cheese

For dressing- 1 cup medium ripe avocado (peeled, seeded and chopped), 3-4 tbsp lemon juice, 2 cloves garlic (crushed), 1 tbsp mustard paste, 2 tbsp finely chopped coriander, 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar, 2 tbsp finely chopped jalapeno chillies, ½ cup olive oil, salt (to taste), pepper (to taste), cumin powder (to taste)

To garnish- 2-3 slices of avocado and a sprig of coriander

Method:

For salad- Place the prepared vegetables in a large bowl, cover with cling film and chill thoroughly.

For dressing- Mash the avocado and drizzle lemon juice over it. Add garlic, mustard, coriander, vinegar and jalapeno chillies and mix well. Add oil in a thin stream beating continuously. Add ½ – ¾ cup ice cold water to get the right consistency. Ensure that the dressing does not get too runny. Cover and chill until ready to use. Pour the dressing in a serving bowl and pile the salad on top. With a salad fork and spoon, toss the salad gently to mix. Season with salt, pepper and cumin powder. Garnish with avocado and coriander. Serve immediately.

Melon Refresher

Time taken: 5 minutes

Serves: 2

Ingredients: 250 ml natural yogurt,100g galia melon (cut into chunks), 100g cantaloupe melon (cut into chunks), 100g watermelon (cut into chunks), 6 ice cubes, wedges of melons( to decorate)

Method : Pour the yogurt into a food processor or blender. Add the galia melon chunks and process until smooth. Add the cantaloupe melons and watermelon chunks along with the ice cubes and process until smooth. Pour the mixture into glasses and decorate with wedges of melon. Serve at once.

Modified Gujrati Kadhi

Time taken: 25 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients: 2 tbsp yellow moong dal flour, 1 and a ½ cup sour low-fat curd, 2 and a ½ cup water, 1 inch ginger (finely chopped), 2 to 3 curry leaf stalks, ¼ cup coriander leaves, 2 green chillies (slit), salt (to taste)

For tempering- 1 inch cinnamon, 5 cloves, ½ tsp mustard seeds, ½ tsp fenugreek seeds, ½ tsp cumin seeds, ½ tsp asafoetida powder

Method: Combine the curds and moong dal powder, and then whip to a creamy consistency. Add the water gradually, making sure that there are no lumps. Then add the finely chopped ginger and salt to taste. Put this mixture to boil over a low flame. Stir to avoid lumps. Slit the green chillies and chop the coriander, and keep them aside. Dry roast the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, cinnamon, cloves, fenugreek seeds and curry leaves. Add slit green chillies and asafoetida. If it burns, you can add a few drops of water. Once the dry tadka is well roasted, drop it into the boiling kadhi. Top the kadhi with freshly chopped green coriander, and serve hot with your recommended rice serving.

Mixed Vegetable Curry

Time taken: 30 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients: ½ cup carrots (cut lengthwise), ½ cup beans (cut lengthwise), ½ cup eggplant (cut into 1 inch pieces), ½ cup onions (sliced lengthwise), ½ cup tomatoes (sliced lengthwise), 1 tsp ajwain seeds, ½ tsp garam masala, ½ tsp turmeric powder, ¼ tsp chilli powder, 1 tsp oil, salt (to taste)

Method: Heat oil to high heat in a frying pan (or non- stick pan). Add ajwain seeds and onions. Sauté until onions are transparent. Add the carrots and beans. Sauté for 5 minutes. Then add the eggplant and sauté until all the vegetables are cooked tender. Add turmeric powder, tomatoes, Garam Masala, chilli powder and salt. Sauté for a few minutes until the tomatoes are tender, but not completely pulpy. Leaving the tomatoes half- cooked adds to the fresh flavor. Serve hot.

December 13, 2014
Healthy Bites!!

Fat makes you fat. It is as simple as that. So if you want to be fit, exercise regularly and maintain a balanced healthy diet.

It’s true that maintaining a diet is tough and requires a lot of determination, but if you put your heart to it, you will manage. You will succeed. Fight your unhealthy cravings. Even if you slip, don’t give up the diet all together. A slip here and there is Okay (but this does not mean you will make a habit of it). Exercising regularly is a must!

Do not stress about being fat. Stressing about anything is never a good thing. In order to help yourself to stick to the diet, try and make your meals attractive and appetizing. Make smart food choices. If you can put down the ‘ghee ka ladoo’ and munch on a juicy fruit instead, congratulate yourself. It is the baby steps that count.

Jump-start your day with a healthy breakfast. Never skip your breakfast. Remember, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Do not starve yourself. Fill in the gaps with bite-size healthy snacks. Eat at frequent intervals but keep your portion in mind. Hydrate yourself throughout the day- drink 8 glasses of water. Have a light lunch. End your day with a low calorie yet filling dinner – so that your tummy doesn’t start rumbling in the dead of night.

*Healthy Breakfast*

Dalia Upma with Vegetables

Time taken: 16 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients: 3 cups broken wheat dalia, 1 medium onion (chopped), 2 carrots (diced), 1 small capsicum (diced), ½ cup corn kernels, ½ inch piece grated ginger, 3 slit green chillis, a pinch of asafoetida,a pinch of turmeric powder, ½ tsp mustard seeds, a handful of curry leaves, 2 tsp oil, 2 cups water, chopped coriander (for garnish), 2 tbsp lime juice, salt (to taste)

Method: Roast dalia in a pan on low flame until light brown in colour. Remove from pan and keep aside. Heat the oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds, asafetida and curry leaves. When mustard seeds splutter, add grated ginger and slit green chillis. Add chopped onion. Stir. Then add other diced vegetables. Stir for about 5 minutes and add dalia. Season with salt and turmeric. Add 2 cups water and put in pressure cooker till dalia is soft and crumbly. Blend in the lime juice and top with chopped coriander leaves. Serve hot.

*Healthy Lunch*

Tomato Fish

Time taken: 30 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

For the main prep- 4 medium-sized pieces fish fillet (any firm fish fillet), 2 onions (finely chopped), 1 green capsicum (cut into julienne strips), 2 green chillis (slit vertically), 2 inch piece of ginger (cut into julienne strips), handful of mint leaves (chopped), salt (to taste)

For the sauce- 1 onion (chopped fine), 4 tomatoes (chopped fine), 4 cloves garlic (crushed), 1 tsp chilli powder, 1 tbsp arrowroot powder, ½ cup water, 2 tbsp wine vinegar, a pinch of salt, 1 tsp oil, salt (to taste)

Method:

For the sauce- To make the sauce, simmer the tomatoes, onion, garlic, salt and chilli powder together for 20 minutes. Sieve the sauce and discard the tomato skins, then return the sauce to a clean pan. Heat the pan again, stir the sauce. Mix the arrowroot powder and water to a smooth paste. Add it to the tomato sauce, along with the wine vinegar and sugar, stirring continuously till the sauce thickens.

For the fish- Heat the oil and fry the chopped onions until soft. Remove onions from the pan and set aside. Add the fish and salt to the same oil and brown the fish gently on both sides. Add the previously fried onions to the pan along with the slit green chillies, ginger and capsicum. Pour the tomato sauce over the fish pieces. Cook the fish for about 5 minutes then take the pan off the fire. Garnish with mint leaves. Serve hot with jeera rice.

*Healthy Snack*

Chicken Shake ‘N’ Bake

Time taken: 1 hour 10 minutes (including preparation time)

Serves: 4

Ingredients: 2 medium sized chicken breasts (boneless and skinless), 1 tsp soya sauce, 1 tsp prepared mustard, 2 tsp teriyaki sauce, 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce, salt (to taste)

Method: Cut the two chicken breasts into four pieces and pound each one to an even flatness. Place the chicken pieces into a large zip lock pouch. Add all the sauces into the pouch and seal it up properly. Shake the bag, allowing all the sauces to blend together. Keep the pouch in the fridge for half an hour. Heat your oven to 350 degree Celsius. Get the bag out of the fridge and once again, shake it vigorously. Then place the chicken pieces in a foil tray and bake for about ½ an hour, or until the chicken is thoroughly cooked. You can flip the pieces over once, for even browning. Your Chicken Shake ‘N’ Bake is ready.

*Healthy Dinner*

Grilled Sandwich

Time taken: 15 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients: 4 large slices whole wheat bread, 1 medium onion (chopped fine), 2 medium tomatoes (chopped fine), 1 capsicum (chopped fine), ½ tsp jeera-dhania Masala, ¼ tsp ground pepper, 16 pieces low-fat paneer cubes (1 inch x 1 inch, crumbled), 1 tsp oil, 1 tsp butter, salt (to taste)

Method: Heat 1 tsp oil in a non- stick pan. Add onion and tomato. Cook them to a pulpy consistency. Add the powder masala and salt. Blend well. Then add the crumbled paneer. Stir. Adjust seasoning to taste. Lightly butter the bread slices and place them buttered side down on a plate. Then, heap the paneer mixture evenly on 2 of the open slices (buttered side remains down). Use the remaining 2 slices to cover the lower slices, like a sandwich, making sure the buttered side is on the outer side facing up. This sandwich can be toasted in a sandwich toaster, or simply put onto a hot pan to brown. On a pan, toast the slices to a crisp golden brown on one side, then flip over, to brown on other side. If you are using a pan, you may need to seal the inner edges by lining the inner side with a few drops of water before it goes onto the pan. In a sandwich toaster, remove from toaster when golden brown. Cut each sandwich into two triangles.

Stay Fit. Stay Healthy.

December 13, 2014
A tryst with Sicilia’s soul -PASTA!!

Did you know that over 600 pasta shapes are produced around the world?

Or that 2.75 million tons of pasta is made in Italy every year?

Or that to cook one billion pounds of pasta, you would need 2,021,452,000 gallons of water – enough to fill nearly 75,000 Olympic-size swimming pools (one billion pounds of pasta is about 212,595 miles of 16-ounce packages of spaghetti stacked end-to-end – enough to circle the earth’s equator nearly nine times).

Fascinated?

Pasta is a simple dish and it is available in such diverse varieties merely because it is a versatile food item.

“Not only are pasta dishes delicious, but they are also great, easy options for a quick dinner during a busy weekday”

-Marcus Samuelsson

So why not cook some?

Here are 5 Speedy Pasta dishes for the home-cook:

Numero Uno –

Pasta Carbonara

Time: 30 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients: 1 packet spaghetti, 100 g bacon (cut in strips), 3 eggs, 1 egg yolk, 100 g Pecorino Romano or Parmesan (grated), 1 Tbsp olive oil, black pepper (coarsely crushed), Salt

Directions: In a big pan, heat the oil and fry the bacon till crisp. Set the fried bacon aside. In a mixing bowl, beat the whole eggs and the yolk. Stir in the grated cheese. Set aside the mixture. Boil the spaghetti in salty water. Drain the pasta. Reserve the cooking water. In another saucepan, toss the pasta with the egg mixture, bacon and any fat rendered from cooking the bacon, over very low heat. Add salt and the pasta water. Remove from the heat. Serve right away with lots of pepper, freshly crushed in a pepper mill, and more Parmesan (optional).

Numero Dos-

Pasta with Mushroom Sauce

Time: 25 minutes

Serves: 2

Ingredients: 50 gm shitake mushroom, 100 gm fresh mushroom (sliced), 1 tbsp chopped onion, 1 clove garlic, 1 tbsp fresh thyme or fresh parsley (chopped), 30 ml white wine, 100 gm whole wheat pasta-penne or linguine, salt, pepper

Directions: Put the pasta in boiling salted water. While the pasta is boiling, you should prepare the sauce. In a saucepan, sauté onion and garlic in olive oil. Add mushroom and wine into it. Once the wine has evaporated, add some of the water in which shitake mushroom was soaked. Add salt, herbs and cook for 5-6 minutes. Once the pasta is cooked, add to the sauce with a little bit of pasta water. Serve hot.

Numero Tres-

Pasta Con Pomodoro E Basilico

Time: 30 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients: 1 packet Penne, Parmesan cheese, 1 kg large red ripe tomatoes, 40 ml extra virgin olive oil, 3 cloves garlic (peeled and minced), A handful of fresh basil, a pinch of red chilly flakes, salt

Directions: Cut the tomatoes in half crosswise and remove most of the seeds. Then quarter the tomatoes. Heat the oil in a large skillet, and add garlic and chilly flakes. As soon as the garlic gives off its aroma, add the tomatoes. Cook over high heat until the tomato begins to thicken. Use a wooden spoon to stir and help break the tomato pulp. Add the basil and some salt. When the sauce is cooked, remove it from the heat and run it through a food processor for a minute. Cook the pasta in abundant boiling water and drain. Place in a serving bowl with the sauce. Drizzle a little olive oil over the pasta and mix well with the sauce. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese.

Numero Cuatro-

Spinach and Ricotta Ravioli

Time: 40 minutes

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

For the Dough – 2 1/2 cup flour, 2 eggs, 1 tsp olive oil, salt
For the Filling – 1 cup spinach (blanched), 1 cup ricotta cheese, 3 tbsp parmesan cheese.

Directions: Grind all the ingredients for the filling and keep aside. To prepare the dough, take a bowl and add the flour, eggs, salt and olive oil. Add some water and knead it to make the dough. With a rolling pin, roll out the dough into thin sheets. Take the spinach mixture and make small portions of it. Place this mixture on the dough sheet, cover and press the sheet around the filling. Cut it in desired shapes and boil them till done. Serve hot.

Numero Sinco-

Four Cheese Pasta

Time: 40 min

Serves: 2

Ingredients: 1 cup macaroni (pasta), 15 gm parmesan cheese, 20 gm cheddar cheese,15 gm brie cheese, 20 gm swiss emmental cheese, 12 cherry tomatoes, 1/2 cup milk, 1 sprig rosemary, 1 sprig thyme, 1 spring onion, 2 cloves garlic, 10 gm chopped onions, 10 gm chopped leeks, 10 gm chopped celery, 1 bay leaf, 60 gm butter, 30 gm flour, 1 pinch white pepper, 1/2 tsp nutmeg grated, pinch of chilli flakes

Directions: Boil the macaroni in salted water. Strain and put in a bowl with olive oil. Melt the butter with flour in a saucepan along with olive oil. Boil milk with rosemary, thyme, bay leaf and spring onions. Strain the milk in with the flour and butter, whisking slowly. Season with salt and pepper. Grate parmesan, add cheddar, some chunks of brie and emmental. Put in the sauce and mix it in. In a hot pan add some slice garlic, cherry tomatoes, chilli flakes and a pinch of salt. Saute well and deglaze with a touch of white wine. Mix the macaroni with the sauce. Serve hot.

November 21, 2014
Let’s have some RAINBOW!!

Who doesn’t love a rainbow? That magical moment when Tlaloc is being generous and yet the sun is peeking from behind the clouds, hop scotching and letting fall its warmth here and there – that exact moment, a jolly young rainbow is born.

Rainbows had always fascinated me as a kid. It had that fairytale aura that I looked for in anything and everything then.

That fascination – well, I incorporated it in my culinary creations and the outcome was more than satisfactory. The food looked fun, my little cousins loved them and to top it all, they were delicious!!

My first recipe is a rainbow cake –

Rainbow Cake

Time: 1 hour

Serves: 18 slices

Ingredients:

[ 125g butter (softened, plus a little extra for greasing), 225g plain flour, 150g golden caster sugar, 3 fresh eggs, 1 tsp baking powder, pinch of salt, 1 tsp vanilla extract, edible food colouring (red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple)

For the icing- 1 tsp vanilla extract, 3 x 250g tubs cream cheese, 350g icing sugar ]* 3 for 6 sponges

Directions: Heat the oven to 180C. Grease the pan and line the base with baking paper. Tip all the sponge ingredients (apart from the food colouring) into a mixing bowl, and then beat until smooth.

Weigh the mixture into another bowl, and then weigh exactly half the mixture back into the mixing bowl. Pick 2 colours and stir a little into each mix. Scrape the different batters into the tins, trying to spread and smooth as much as possible. Bake on the same oven shelf for 12 minutes until a skewer poked into the middle comes out clean.

Repeat the same process to make all the coloured layers. Leave them all to cool.

To make the icing, beat the vanilla and cream cheese until smooth. Sift in the icing sugar and gently fold in with a spatula.

Smear a little icing on your plate to stick the first sponge. Start with the red, and then spread with some icing right to the very edge. Repeat, sandwiching on top the orange, yellow, green, blue and finally purple sponges. Spread the remaining icing thickly all over the sides and top of the cake. And voila! Your RAINBOW CAKE is ready!!

The Rainbow Cake is a massive hit in my family and I bake it every time my little sister comes to Kolkata for a quick visit. To quote her, “It is yummilicious!”. Kids are going to love it so bake away! Moreover, who said, us, adults can’t have a bit of our colourful fun? Gorge on folks!

The second rainbow-y recipe which I absolutely love to bake is –

Rainbow Cookies

Time: 1 hour

Serves: 48 pieces

Ingredients: 8 ounces almond paste, 1 cup butter (softened), 1 cup white sugar, 4 eggs (egg white and yolk separated), 2 cups all-purpose flour, 6 drops red food coloring, 6 drops green food coloring, 1/4 cup seedless red raspberry jam, 1/4 cup apricot jam, 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (melted)

Directions: Preheat oven to 175 degrees C.In a large bowl, break apart almond paste with a fork, and cream together with butter, sugar, and egg yolks. Stir in flour to form dough. In a small bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Fold egg whites into the dough. Divide dough into 3 equal portions. Mix one portion with red food coloring, and one with green food coloring. Spread each portion into one of the prepared baking pans.Bake 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until lightly browned. Carefully remove from pan and cool completely.Place green layer onto a piece of plastic wrap large enough to wrap all three layers. Spread green layer with raspberry jam, and top with uncolored layer. Spread with apricot jam, and top with pink layer. Transfer layers to a baking sheet, and enclose with plastic wrap. Place a cutting board on top of wrapped layers to compress. Chill in the refrigerator overnight.In the morning remove plastic wrap. Top with melted chocolate chips, and refrigerate for 1 hour. Slice into small squares.

These Rainbow Cookies are great to snack on are one of the tastiest cookies ever. Try ‘em!

Rainbow Jello

Time: 20 minutes

Serves: 7 cups

Ingredients: 6 packages of Jello (rainbow colours), 3 cups of yogurt or light sour cream, whipped cream ( this is optional but if added, it takes the rainbow jello to a whole different dimension)

Directions: To make each layer of jello, add 1 cup of boiling water to each package of Jello one at a time. Stir briefly and dissolve the Jello. Set half of the Jello aside. Use a whisk and stir ½ cup yogurt or sour cream into the other half of the Jello. Pour the creamy Jello layer into clear clean plastic cups or any other form of utensil you prefer. To the other half of Jello, add 3 tbsp water. Set aside. After the first layer is set, pour in the second layer. Repeat process for all the other layers of Jello. Add a dollop of whipped cream over the Jello (once it is set) at the end. And this is how the awesome Rainbow Jello is created.

The bobbly wobbly Rainbow Jello is a personal favourite. Since it needs mainly two ingredients, it is convenient and is the easiest of the lot to make. And again, it is simply delightful!

November 21, 2014
Magic Maggi!

Ma’s ‘magic maggi’. I remember getting it to school for lunch almost every week and my friends would finish it off in less than 5 minutes. They loved my mother’s ‘magic maggi’. I did too. She fried it instead of simply boiling it. She gave a whole new dimension to it.

Ma added eggs (a must), experimented with different veggies depending on the season of the year, sometimes threw in a couple of shredded chicken, tossed and turned the divine mixture – a bit of this, a bit of that – and voila the favourite food of the household was ready to be devoured.

One needs to know the craft of making maggi and simply fall in love with its art.

My sister-in-law loves maggi – quoting her, “During my college years, I had to stay in a hostel and you know how hostel food is. Yuck! I basically learnt to eat maggi for breakfast, lunch AND dinner. My Life Saviour! “

She taught me a couple of tricks and different recipes to turn a simple maggi into a restaurant quality dish (almost). And being the awesome person that I am, I would love to share those recipes with you. We will start with something yummy yet simple, and move on to the dishes which require a bit more skill to make. So, here goes:

Cheese and Corn Maggi

What you will need: 2 packets of Magic Masala Maggi, 2 and a half cups of Mozzarella Cheese (shredded), ½ cup boiled corn, 1 and a ½ cup of water, 2 tbsp butter, salt

How to make it: Boil water in a pan. Break the cakes of Maggi into smaller bits. Add the Maggi. Stir gently. Add the Masala (spice mix). Stir. Add the boiled corn and some salt to the Maggi. Grease a baking tray with some butter and keep it aside. Once the Maggi is half-cooked, pour them in the baking tray. Add the shredded Mozzarella on top. Sprinkle the top with more cheese and herbs. Place the baking tray in a preheated oven (around 120 degree Celsius) for 5-6 minutes. Once the cheese melts, your Cheese and Corn Maggi should be ready.

Maggi Sandwich

What you will need: 1 packet Magic Masala Maggi,2 toasted bread slices, 1cheese slice (cut them into small pieces),1/2 tsporegano (dried),1/2 tsp dry red chilli flakes

How to make it: Boil 1 cup of water in a pan. Break the cakes of Maggi into smaller bits. Add the Maggi. Stir gently. Add the Masala (spice mix). Cook on a medium flame for 3 to 4 minutes. Stir occasionally.Add cheese, oregano and chilli flakes. Stir and mix well. Divide the mixture into 2 equal portions.Spread a portion of the mixture on each toasted bread slice.Serve hot.

Veg Maggi Omlette

What you will need: 1 small packet of Magic Masala Maggi, 1 cup besan, 1 cup semolina, 3 or 4 green chillies, 1/2 cup sprouted whole green gram, a bunch of coriander leaves, 1 medium sized onion, 1 tsp ginger and garlic paste, 1/4 cup carrot (grated), 1/4 cup coconut (grated , 1/2 cup olive oil , pinch of salt

How to make it: Boil 2 cups of water in a pan. Break the cakes of Maggi into smaller bits. Add the Maggi. Stir gently. Add the Masala (spice mix). In a bowl, put besan, semolina, salt, ginger garlic paste. Mix well.Take the Maggi, onions, grated carrot, grated coconut, coriander and green chillies and dip them in the besan mixture. Mix thoroughly. Add water to balance the consistency of the batter. Dab some oil on a pan. Heat it. Put some batter in the pan in the shape of an omlette. Add green gram sprouts over the omlette. Cover the pan with the lid and allow it to simmer. After 3 minutes, flip the omlette. Cook for another 2 minutes. Serve hot.

Maggi Noodle Salad

What you will need: 1 packet of Magic Masala Maggi, 1 cucumber (diced), 1 onion (finely chopped), 1 tomato (finely chopped), 1 capsicum (diced), ½ tsp cumin (powdered), 3 garlic cloves, 2 pinches of rock salt, one pinch of salt, ½ tsp sugar (powdered), ¼ tsp chat Masala, 1 green chilli, a bunch of mint leaves (finely chopped), a bunch of coriander leaves (finely chopped)

How to make it: Break the cakes of Maggi into smaller bits. Dry roast them in a pan until they are a soft brown colour. In a large bowl, mix vegetables such as, cucumber, tomato, capsicum and onion. Add crushed garlic, cloves and green chilli. Add rock salt, cumin, salt, chat masala, sugar. Mix well. Add the crushed roasted maggi noodles to the vegetable mix. Sprinkle some mint and coriander leaves on top. Serve immediately.

The Maggi Magic does not end here. Obviously. Give it a northern twist. Add the southern zing. Spice it up. Or keep it simple. Listen to your heart. Put on your chef’s hat. Experiment with flavours and let your creation do the talking. Be the Maggi Chef. Be You.

November 9, 2014
To Eat or Not To Eat

“TO BE, OR NOT TO BE? THAT IS THE QUESTION- ”

– William Shakespeare, Hamlet ( Act 3 scene i)

Tweaking the above mentioned famous quote, in reference to our food fetishes, – ‘to eat, or not to eat? That is the question-’.

A friend of mine recently lost 16 kilos (yes, you read that right) in about 3 and a half months. No fitness centre. No gym. She followed a diet -the G.M.’s diet which is readily available on the net (go on GOOGLE it) and a daily jogging regime. I remember her saying that the amount of pep talk she had to give herself in order to follow through and not eat the junk food that she had been gorging on all these years was tough but doable. At the end of the day, you have to make a decision – to eat or not to eat (the junk). You either live to eat or eat to live. For most of us, it is the latter but a fair half would raise their hand to the former belly-rubbing with a wide innocent grin. Well, it happens. Food does get the better of us.

I know that because I have been on and off diets since… since… I really don’t remember when but it was a long long time ago. It is difficult to stick to your goal. But excuses apart, it is very doable to take baby steps or baby baby steps and choosing a healthier way of living, eating and rocking the world.

For example, why not order a filling salad when you snack out instead of loading your plate with high-calorie high-in-fat food? That would be a baby baby step.

Sesame Chicken Breast Salad

Time: 15 minutes

Serves: 2

Ingredients: 2 skinless chicken breasts, 85g of frozen soya beans, a small handful Thai or ordinary basil leaves (should be chopped if large), 85g herb or baby salad leaves, 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds, 1 large carrot (finely cut into very thin matchsticks), 4 spring onions (finely sliced), 140g cherry tomatoes (halved), small bunch coriander (chopped)

Dressing ingredients:grated zest and juice 1 small lime, 1 tsp fish sauce, 2 tsp sweet chilli sauce, 1 tsp sesame oil

Directions: Firstly, put the chicken breasts in a pan and pour cold water over it to cover. Secondly, tip the soya beans into a steamer. Bring the pan to a gentle simmer, and then cook the chicken breasts for 8 minutes with the beans above.Meanwhile, your third step should be to mix the dressing ingredients in a large bowl. Fourthly, when the chicken is cooked, slice and toss in the dressing along with the beans, carrot, onions, tomatoes, coriander and basil. Mix really well, pile onto the salad leaves and sprinkle with the sesame seeds.

Tuna Bean and Fennel Salad

Time: 10 minutes

Serves: 2

Ingredients:zest ½ lemon and 1 tbsp juice, 1 tsp wholegrain mustard, 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, a 400g can of cannellini beans (should be drained and rinsed), ½ small fennel bulb (should be thinly shaved), ½ cucumber (should be peeled into ribbons), a 160g can of good-quality tuna in spring water (drained), 1 heaped tbsp pumpkin seeds, small bunch dill (should be roughly chopped), small bunch parsley (leaves should be roughly chopped)

Directions: Firstly, to make a dressing, put the lemon zest and juice, mustard, olive oil and some seasoning in a jam or jelly jar and shake well. Secondly, tip the beans into a bowl, pour over the dressing and stir. Thirdly, add the dill and parsley leaves, fennel and cucumber, then flake the tuna into large pieces and fold through. Spoon the salad onto small plates. Sprinkle with pumpkin seeds on the top. It is ready to serve.

Whenever I go to the British Council Library, I usually stack up that week’s load of food magazines. Going through the GoodFood magazines helped me to simplify my cooking process in immeasurable ways. It categorizes recipes into low-fat, low-calorie, easy to cook, vegetarian, moderately hard to cook, gluten free, etc. For a foodaholic like me, it makes 50% of my work easier as I merely give a quick glance and select the healthier options. And in a few minutes or so, my alternative healthy snack is ready. This is where the baby step comes in.

On days when you call it a day in, instead of ordering a home delivered pizza why not treat yourself and cook up a nutritious meal with the minimum ingredients in your refrigerator?

Chicken and Okra

Time: 30 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive oil, 500g skinless and boneless chicken thighs (cut into chunks), 100g okra (should be cut into 2cm rounds), 1 onion (should be chopped), 1 green pepper (should be deseeded and chopped), 3 celery sticks (should be finely chopped), 1 garlic clove (should be finely chopped), ¼ tsp cayenne pepper, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 heaped tbsp plain flour, a 400g can of chopped tomatoes, 400ml chicken stock, small handful sage (leaves should be chopped) 1 tsp dried thyme, 1 bay leaf

Directions: Firstly, heat the oil in a large pan over a medium high heat. Secondly, add the chicken and cook in batches for about 5 minutes to brown all over. Remove the chicken and set aside.Thirdly,add the onion, green pepper and celery to the pan, put on the lid and cook for 5 minutes. Stir occasionally until softened a little. Fourthly, stir in the garlic, spices, thyme and bay leaf and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Return the chicken and any juices to the pan with the flour. Stir. Fifthly, pour in the tomatoes and stock, and bring to the boil, cook for 5 minutes, then add the okra and half the sage. Turn down to a simmer, put on the lid and cook for 10 minutes. Season well. Serve.

It really is up to you. You can either satisfy your fast food urges or go for the healthier alternatives. To eat, or not to eat? That is the question.

September 14, 2014
Pocket-friendly Food!

When you want a sumptuous breakfast, that too under 150 bucks, where do you go?

You go to Blue Sky Café.

With burgers and grilled sandwiches priced in the range of 55 to 100, and mouth watering omelets, and yummy milkshakes with just the right amount of sugar – there seriously ain’t much to think about, is there?

I breakfasted there on 10^th of this month; had a Mushroom Chicken Cheese Omelet with some toast and shot all the cheese down (tried) with a glass of Hot Lemon. The food was well-prepared and simply delicious.

I seriously need to thank Rachaita (college buddy) for taking me to all these awesome food places. The last time we were internship hunting, we ended up having Chilly Pork (around Rs 200) at Chung Wah, a splendid restaurant in Chandni Chowk (mind you, if you do not know where it is, ASK! Not that people were of much help in our case; we ended up walking for more than 40 minutes trying to locate the place.)

And how can I proceed without sharing a home-made recipe of the divine Chilly Pork?

Chilly Pork

Time: 40 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients: 800g pork fillet (cut into thin slices), 1tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp mirin, 2 tbsp hoisin sauce, 2 tbsp sesame oil , 1 tsp dried chilli flakes, 3 tbsp sunflower or vegetable oil, 4 garlic cloves crushed with the flat of a knife, 3 red chillies (cut in half lengthways, de-seeded), 6 spring onion bulb (halved), 1 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp granulated sugar, 2 tbsp roasted peanuts, 350g jasmine rice (steamed)

Directions: Mix together the soy sauce, mirin, hoisin sauce, sesame oil and chilli flakes in a shallow dish. Coat the pork in the marinade and chill in the fridge for 15 minutes. Heat a wok over high heat and add one tbsp of oil. Add half the pork and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes. Remove pork from wok and stir-fry the remaining pork for 1-2 minutes. Remove the pork from the wok. Heat the remaining tblsp of oil in the wok and add the garlic, chillies, one tbsp of water and the onions. Stir-fry for 1-2 minutes. Cover with a lid and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Add soy sauce and sugar and return the pork to the wok. Cook for a final minute. Garnish with roasted peanuts and serve with steamed rice.

The other day, on our way to browse books in College Street, we stopped at Dilkhush, which is situated exactly opposite to the famous sari shop, Adi Mohini Mohon Kanjilal. And Google to the rescue, the specialties are: Mutton Breast Cutlet and Dimer Devil (Devilled Eggs). As expected, we had both. The total bill came down to a mere 113 bucks. Well, about the food – the crunch, the aroma, the taste – purely nectarous. So, I’ll just keep my mouth shut and allow your taste buds to do all the talking.

Mutton Breast Cutlet

Time: 20 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

For Marinating- 8 pieces mutton ribs or chops, 2 tsp ginger paste, 2 tsp garlic paste, 1 tbsp of mint leaf paste or coriander paste, 1/2 tsp of coriander powder, 1/2 tsp of cumin seed powder, 1 tbsp of golden fried jullienes of onion, 1/4 tsp garam masala (powder of equal quantity of cardamon, clove, cinnamon sticks), 2 tsp of lemon juice

For the batter: All purpose flour, 2 eggs whites, bread crumbs, pinch of baking powder, oil

Directions:

To prepare the meat- Take the mutton chops/mutton ribs and flatten the meat using a wooden hammer or any heavy kitchen tool. the flesh on the bone should be scrapped. In the marination bowl add all the marination ingredients and mix well with yogurt or lime juice. Add the mutton chops and smear the marination on it. Refrigerate it overnight. Add the Baking powder with the flour and sieve it.

To fry- Take the Mutton chops and dip it in egg white. Dust it with flour and then coat it with bread crumbs. Take a heavy bottom flat frying pan. Add Oil and let it heat up. Slowly add the Mutton chops and fry till golden brown. Serve it hot with cold coriander chutney

Devilled Eggs

Time: 30 minutes

Serves: 2

Ingredients: 3 eggs, 1 medium potato, 1 medium onion, carrot or beet, Other vegetables as per availability, ginger and garlic, green chilies, hing (asafoetida), jeera (Cumin), garam masala powder, bread crumbs, maida

Directions: Boil 2 eggs and 1 potato for 15 minute. Cover the eggs with at least an inch of water. Cut onion, chilies, beans and grate the carrot/beet. Drain hot water, pour cold water (makes peeling off easier) and crack the egg shells. Cut the boiled eggs length wise and pop out the egg yolk in a separate container. Add peeled off potato and the vegetable mixture to the container. Add salt, pepper to taste. Mash them well. Heat a frying pan; put some cooking oil and then the onion pieces. Add the mashed potato-yolk-vegetable mixture. Fill the egg halves with the mixture. In a separate bowl, break an egg carefully and add a spoon of Besan. Add salt, pepper to taste and blend it well. On a pan, pour some bread crumbs. Heat a frying pan and add oil. Follow the sequence – roll the stuffed egg half in egg besan mixture, then in bread crumbs and then lower carefully on the heated oil. Fry well. Do this for each stuffed egg half.

Kolkata is filled with such similar pocket-friendly food places and each is better than the other. For us, college-goers, it sure IS the place to be!

July 30, 2014
The Soup Kitchen

The word ‘soup’ is derived from the French word ‘Soupe’. Soup is generally a liquid food, served warm or cold, usually as the first course or entrée, i.e., before the main meal.

A ‘soup kitchen’ refers to a place which serves any prepared food to the homeless. Here, I have used the term merely to signify a kitchen where soup is cooked and served.

My very first soup was a Tomato and Basil Soup, which my father is still greatly fond of. During my late teenage years I took to a grave liking of the Sweet Corn and Chicken Soup – anywhere I would go to, I would order the same; I could have only that and nothing else, but that I must have. Now, due to my recent obsession with crab meat, I’m irrevocably in love with Crab Soup of any kin and kind.

So, to the soup lovers, I present you with four mouthwatering soup recipes, which I hope you will make, love and enjoy to bits.

French Onion Soup

Serves: 8

Ingredients: 2 teaspoons olive oil, 4 cups thinly sliced sweet onion, 4 cups thinly vertically sliced red onion, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 cup dry white wine, 8 cups less-sodium beef broth, 1/4 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme, 8 slices French bread (cut into 1-inch cubes), 8 slices reduced-fat reduced-sodium Swiss cheese

Directions: Heat olive oil in an oven over medium heat. Sauté the onions for 5 minutes. Stir in sugar, pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Reduce heat to medium and cook 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Increase heat to high, and sauté for 5 minutes. Stir in wine, and cook for 1 minute. Add broth and thyme; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 2 hours. Preheat broiler. Place bread in a single layer on a baking sheet; broil 2 minutes, turning after 1 minute. Place ovenproof bowls in the oven. Ladle 1 cup soup into each bowl. Put bread over the soup and top each serving with 1 cheese slice. Broil 3 minutes.

Broccoli and Cheese Soup

Serves: 6

Ingredients: Cooking spray, 1 cup chopped onion, 2 garlic cloves (minced), 3 cups fat-free less-sodium chicken broth, 1 package broccoli florets , 2 1/2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk , 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 8 ounces light processed cheese (cubed)

Directions: Heat a large non stick saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; saute 3 minutes. Add broth and broccoli. Bring broccoli mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 10 minutes. Combine milk and flour, stirring with a whisk until well blended. Add milk mixture to the broccoli mixture. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in pepper. Remove from heat. Add cheese and stir. Place one-third of the soup in a blender or food processor, and process until smooth. Return soup mixture to pan.

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Serves: 8

Ingredients:1cup uncooked quick-cooking wild rice, cooking spray, 1 cup chopped onion, 2 garlic cloves (minced), 3 cups fat-free less-sodium chicken broth, 1 1/2 cups cubed peeled baking potato, 3 cups 2% reduced-fat milk, 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, 10 ounce light processed cheese (cubed), 2 cups chopped roasted skinless boneless chicken breasts (about 2 breasts), 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon salt , 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Directions: Cook rice according to package directions. Heat a large oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion and garlic and sauté 3 minutes. Add broth and potato, and then bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes. Combine milk and flour, stirring well with a whisk. Add the milk mixture to potato mixture. Stir. Remove from heat and add cheese. Stir in rice, chicken, pepper, and salt.

Tortilla Meatball Soup

Serves: 6

Ingredients: 2 jalapeño peppers, 1 red bell pepper, 2 ears corn on the cob, 4 corn tortillas (cut into 1/2-inch-thick strips), Cooking spray, 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt (divided), 6 garlic cloves (minced and divided), 1/3 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs), 1 pound ground sirloin, 1 large egg (lightly beaten), 1 chipotle chile (canned in adobo sauce, minced), 1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 cups chopped onion, 2 cups cubed red potatoes, 1 cup slices carrot, 3 cups fat-free lower-sodium chicken broth, 2 cups water, 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese, 1/4 cup shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions: Preheat broiler. Cut jalapeños and bell pepper in half lengthwise (discard seeds and membranes). Place pepper halves, skin sides up, on a foil-lined baking sheet. Arrange corn on baking sheet with peppers. Broil 6 minutes. Place peppers in a paper bag. Seal the bag. Let stand 15 minutes and peel. Mince jalapeños, and coarsely chop bell pepper. Cut corn kernels from cobs. Set aside. Place tortilla strips in a single layer on a baking sheet. Lightly coat with cooking spray. Broil for 3 minutes, turning after 2 minutes. Set aside. Combine 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 garlic clove, panko, and the next 3 ingredients (through chipotle chile) in a large bowl, and gently mix until just combined. With moist hands, shape the meat mixture into 24 meatballs. Place an oven over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan. Add meatballs to pan and sauté for 8 minutes, turning them to brown on all sides. Remove from pan. Add onion, potatoes, and carrot to pan. Sauté for 5 minutes. Add remaining 5 garlic cloves and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add peppers, broth, and 2 cups water, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, simmer 20 minutes. Stir occasionally. Return meatballs to the pan. Add remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and corn; return to a simmer. Cook 10 minutes or until meatballs are done. Ladle 1 1/2 cups soup into each of 6 bowls; top each serving with 4 teaspoons Monterey Jack cheese, 2 teaspoons cheddar cheese, and 4 teaspoons cilantro. Top evenly with tortilla strips.

July 7, 2014