Soup's On....

I have been a fan of soups ever since i was a little kid. i would wait to go to restaurants with my parents and sis and order tomato soup.i used to love the crunchy bread pcs, my amma and appa would give their bread pcs to my sis and me... and we would just gobble them up. actually looking back i think the bread chunks were the main reason for the tomato soup order ;) then in my teens i was in love with veg. sweet corn soup and i think i am still hooked to it. I have not been able to make it here, as the corn is a tad too sweet here in the US.

Split pea soup was something i was introduced here. I think the first time i had one was in Zoup...a soup chain in mi. It was really delicious, but i thought it was a tad too heavy for me, but i knew something delicious can be made of this. So, i came upon this recipe i think from the website called copycat.com, that recipe is no longer available.
This recipe has now been modified by me quite a lot to add my preferences that the only thing this soup has from the original recipe is the split-pea,barley and carrots.

Now to the soup, i really love this, it is light but fills you up and is healthy too...so here it comes

Ingredients:

Split pea- 1 cup
Barley - 1 cup
Onions- 1 medium
Carrots - 2 medium
Rosemary - few stalks
Garlic - 4 pods (love garlic)
Tomato paste - 1 tbls
Red chilly flakes - 1 tsp
Red chilly powder - 11/2 tsp (optional)
Olive oil - 2 tsp
salt -to taste
6 cups water or veg.stock (if using water, try using a salt-free veggie bullion)

Method:

1. Soak the split pea in water for about 4 hours, it cooks faster this way.

2. Cook barley and split pea seperately in lots of water. keep a lookout for the barley as it really plumps up quite a bit.Cook till both are done. The barley tastes chewy and the pea should be smooth to taste.

3. Dice the onions as finely as possible and chop the carrots finely too.

4. In a soup pot, add the oil, then smash the garlic and add the rosemary leaves. Add the onions, carrots and red-chilly flakes cook till they are soft.Add the salt and at this time,add the bullion,if using one. Keep the gas on med-low and there is really no need to add any water to cook the carrots as you have chopped them finely

5. Meanwhile, add the split pea in the blender and puree it to a smooth paste.

6. When the carrots are cooked, add the red-chilly powder,tomato paste and fry for a couple of min. Then add the split pea puree,barley and six cups of water/stock,salt as needed (remem you have added some salt to cook carrots) and cook on medium flame till it comes to a boil. Then let the soup simmer for 10 mts more to get really creamy and quite to the consistency you like.

7. Now ladle these on to big bowls and watch re-runs of what you love, for me it is All in the Family....( i tvo it)

notes: if you like the soup more fluid in consistency, add more water.

you need not pre-soak the peas, it will just take longer to cook.

when you puree the soup, if using stock, puree the split pea using the stock.

You can put cilantro instead of rosemary for an indian touch, but that has to be added at the end.

Meme

When I was tagged by Sirisha of Ambrosia ..of Indian Indulgences and Saju of
Chachi’s kitchen for a meme.. I thought why not. Let me expose my inner thoughts for the fellow bloggers to see and realize that they are reading the blog of one serious chick ( I know… I called myself a chick, isn’t that for 20 or less … so what I say…I’ll do as I please ;)

This meme is not some random things about urself.. I gotta synchronize my thoughts with my middle name which is…. I do not have one! But planning to get soon …when I become a citizen.The middle name I am going to have is kamala,that is my mom’s name. I have always felt that mom’s are not acknowledged in our names… tamilians take in their dad’s name.. so i am going to add my amma's name as my middle.

First with the rules: this is lifted of Sirisha's blog.. that is how we are s'posed to do
You have to post these rules before you give the facts.
* Players, you must list one fact that is somehow relevant to your life for each letter of their middle name. If you don’t have a middle name, use the middle name you would have liked to have had.
* When you are tagged you need to write your own blog-post containing your own middle name game facts.
* At the end of your blog-post, you need to choose one person for each letter of your middle name to tag.
Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

So let us begin:

K- kidness. This emotion is so under-rated. I think all of us look at unexpected kidness with a wary eye.. can u believe what the world has come too… I really hope we can change our mindset and accept things at face value..it is hard, but worth a try.

A- anxious. Why are so many of us anxious? Oh! M has bought a $700 K home… we have a $300 K home maybe we will no longer be friends. X thinks if I do not starve myself silly, I may never get a boyfriend. Many people are thinking (it is a fact) if i do not get up at 1:00 am on thanksgiving I will miss that deal in best-buy… really people stop it. Stop making things to a bigger deal that what they are…learn to enjoy life.

M –mediocre. Yes, I said it.. what is wrong in being just normal and not some super achiever? Is reaching the top so important that we squish everyone below us? All of us have been to school, there has to be a second for someone to get first. But, does that mean the second rank, 10th rank ,even 50th rank person is a no good loser…how can everyone be an Indira Nooyi there is nothing wrong in being Rajitha Mani.. who is Rajitha Mani …you get the point right! it is ok.. be a kind, loving person. It is important.

A-annoyed. Nothing wrong in getting annoyed. Why is showing of any displeasure looked down upon society? You need not have a B*&*h fit, but what is wrong in telling.. hey! I don’t like the way you are behaving with me.. or stop! That hurt my feeling.. Don’t you think it is better to say it out and get some irritation out than make a doll at home and stick needles to it in all places…( promise, I have not done this!- inspired by kashmora- telugu movie!)

L- love. Why trivialize this word. People are embarrassed to express love. I do not mean a full on French in the middle of the road, but remem when we were kids, if we loved somebody, we would go up to them and tell them straight away, no shyness or maybe they don’t love me discussion in the head. I think at-least we girls are much better, I have seen guys getting embarrassed to give a hug to their buds.. it is like woah! They may think I am gay.. what a load of crap really.

A-appreciate. Appreciate what you have in life. Be happy that you have all your senses in good working condition and you are healthy and an able human being. Stop cribbing that you are a size 14, I am too dark, I am short.. get over it. Accept yourself. Another thing, appreciate people around you, your spouse, your parents, siblings, friends… everyone whom you love and let them know. Life is too short and sometimes people go away to a place where you can never meet them but only remember and there should never be a I wish I had told him/her how much I appreciate them….

So, after this long sentimental post u think.. hmm so what is the relevence to my life?? everything, and honestly after this loong post i have no energy to explain so I am off to eat soup… and whom do I tag.. anyone who reads this and wants to do it, please go ahead .. I believe in equal opportunity ;)

Tomato Cheese Salad

It was crazy hot here and our a.c has stopped working... i really have to call the repair guy today. If it was India i would have had a big fit and cribbed and cried to my mom.. now since i am the adult here.. i have to suck it up and call the guy without a meltdown ( lit and fig!)
I was in the mood for a quick for substancial snack.. and i thought of the classic tomato mozerella and basil salad . But here i had a different set of ingredients, i of-course had tomatoes.. but sub the other stuff.



For the salad....

Ingredients:

Heirloom tomato -1, try if you can buy the funky shaped or rich color ones
Halloumi Cheese - 1/2 a block (again if u are a veg, make sure of vegetarian rennet)
Rosemary - few sprigs
Chilly olive oil - 1 tsp. (just infused chilly flakes with the oil- made a huge jar!)
Pepper - few twists

Method:

1. Slice the tomato into 1/2 inch disks. ( serrated kinife works best)

2. Slice the halloumi into 1/2 inch slices if possible (any thinner, they break apart)

3. Heat a skillet to med-high and brown the halloumi on both sides ( no need to add oil.. please) people! we are browning cheese!

4. Take a plate and arrange the tomato slices in single layer, top each slice of tomato with a slice of the cheese. Now sprinkle rosemary of top of each, a twist of pepper on each tomato and drizzle the olive oil on top. Pick up each tomato slice and enjoy.... and no, you do not have to share ;)

Note:
i did not add any salt, as halloumi is pretty salty, to read more about halloumi go
here

the olive oil is optional, really not needed to be honest.

Lychee I Scream

the icecream started to melt big time with all those lights i switched to take out the photo....maybe i should rename it as lychee smoothie??

i love ice-cream and i can keep eating it even when i know i gotta stop or my clothes are going to get too tight... but i am adult na, so no more.. 'i think you have had enough' bakwass from my sis!!(older sisters are too bossy, i tell ya).
When Sig of Live to Eat announced the AFAM as lychee.. my mind went to the lychee ice-cream i had in india. It was delicious and the fragrance.. yes fragrance not aroma, the ice-cream gave was a treat for my mouth and my nose... i think i did smell the ice-cream a lil too many times, coz i got the 'look' from my sis... had to stop then :(

Here is my recipe..as always i try to make it low fat...so that i can eat more without the guilt...he he he

Ingredients:

3 cups low fat milk (i used 2% organic)
1 cup fat free condensed milk
1 cup sugar
12 lychees- sliced (pitted of-course!)
1/2 tsp. cardamom (love cardamom)
2 lychees cut in cubes - for decoration

Method:

Combine the milk and the 1/2 the condensed milk on medium-low flame and cook till reduced in half. It should be much thicker than what you have started with.

In the blender add the 12 lychees,remaining condensed milk and sugar. Puree this well and add to the thickened milk mixture.

Add the cardamom powder to the above, cook the milk mixture for a few more minutes. Take this away from heat and let it cool.

Now pour this into individual ramekins or a big bowl and freeze till the ice-cream is set.

Before serving, chop up remaining lychees and add on top of the ice-cream and in the bowl you are serving this yummy thing.

Note: this is not too smooth like the ones we get in stores or i guess even with an ice-cream maker.
another point, to make it creamier, you should probably take out the ice-cream when it is partially set and churn it well in the blender and allow it to reset. this gives a creamier version.... but i am lazy and decided to deal with any ice-crystals that would come my way (surprisingly- they were none!)

Sour Cherry Cobbler

I live in Michigan and we have sour cherry grown in abundance. I went to whole foods the other day and i saw mounds of these grown by local farmers.. so i went ahead and got lots of them to snack on and make this cobbler. To be honest i was not a great fan of pitting them tho.. that was a royal pain..

For the cobbler you need:

Ingredients

Cherry Part:

Cherry - 2 cups
Sugar - 3/4 cup
All purpose flour - 1 tbls
Cardamom Powder - 1 tsp. (optional..i love cardamom)

Cobbler Part? :

All purpose flour - 1 cup
Unsalted butter - 1/4 cup
Baking powder - 1 tsp
Sugar - 1 cup (this event is sugar high fridays right ;)
Milk - 8 oz (i used 1% organic milk)- can sub with soy too

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.

2. Melt the butter in a pan. Add in flour,baking powder,sugar, milk and whisk to a smooth batter.

3. Mix the cherries,sugar,flour and cardamom powder lightly.

4. Pour the batter in 4 individual serving dishes (i used mini loaf pans - actually they were not too mini!), and spooned the cherries on top.

5. Bake for 50 minutes and when it cools down serve it with ice-cream if you want to go nuts!

This is my entry to Sugar High Fridays hosted by
Johanna who blogs at the passionate cook.

Peanutty Noodles

One more view...


Noodles.. my go to dish when i am lazy to make anything. It is so easy to make .. a lil bit of this.. a dash of that.. tons of this.. and it is ready..
I think me wanting to make this dish came in after i saw ina garten showing some cold noodle dish in her show. Of-course her being the contessa of all things fatty.. she just went about her dish with just this and that.. translate as lots of fat and lots of fat.. i like her tho.. she seems friendly

Here is the recipe, as usual can be modified and u can add or take out stuff u don't like.. but the way i make is the best ;) he he

Ingredients:

2 fistfuls of fettucine (actually udon would be better)
salt- 1 tsp
2 cups of veggies combined (i put carrots,snow peas,edamame)
1/2 onion - thinly sliced
4 pods garlic - crushed
1/2 inch ginger- cut in small pcs
2 green chillied - cut in small pcs
sesame oil - 1 tsp
vegan bullion - 1 (i used the salt free-organic)
4 tbls of water

Sauce:
Peanut butter - 2 tbls (i used natural-chunky)
Tamari -2 tbls (can sub with soy sauce)
Red Chilly sauce - 1 tbls
Green Chilly Sauce -1 tbls
Rice wine vinegar - 1 tbls ( use any vinegar on hand)
2 tbls of water

Method:

1. Cook the fettucine on lots of water and salt,drain and keep aside.

2. In a huge saucepan/wok heat the oil, when it starts to smoke ( u see some wisps of smoke), add in the garlic,ginger,g.chilly and the onions and fry for a couple of minutes. Add in the veggies, and the bullion cube (crush it between ur fingers). Saute this in med-high heat and keep adding tbls of water as needed, do not add oil as the peanut-butter has enough already!

3. In a bowl whisk all the ingredients for the sauce and keep aside.

4. When the veggies are cooked to crisp tender, add in the fettucine and give it a good mix. Whisk the dressing once more in the bowl and add to the fetuccine and toss it well.

5. Serve this hot.. if it cools down, the fettucine keeps absorbing the sauce.

Varum Arashi Adhai....Plain Rice Pancakes

When i found that the next JFI event was rice and hosted by Sharmi of
Neivedyam i said..correction yelled YES! and what did i do for a month coming up to the event.. make different types of rice.. did i take any photos..no! i just felt, this was not enough for my entry.. maybe i will make this or maybe that thing i had in india. I was into this huge drama.. as rice is my favorite. I love rice and cannot live without it.. it is dramatic but i am sticking to it :)

In the end i decided to make a dish that truely shows the beauty of rice and my mind went to varum arashi adhai. i love this breakfast and it really sticks and i mean sticks to your stomach.. i do not know why! as they say carbs make you hungry really fast..this dish is only carbs!!

For the adhai you need

Ingredients:
boiled raw rice (i used ponni)- 3 cups
salt - as needed
oil- for making adhai

Method:

1. Soak the raw rice for 24 hours with sufficient water

2. Grind this to a smooth batter. It must be smooth. I have an american mixie and was able to do this, it just takes longer that a summet or grinder. The batter must be a little thick and not thin like a dosa batter.

3. Heat a griddle and pour the batter like you would do for dosa.. the difference is you need not spread it out too much, as this is a adhai. Honestly, the batter moves out on its own.. do not do it further.

4. Drizzle oil on sides and flip over when one side it done and cook the other side too.

5. These will not brown up like dosa. They will get shiny.. so you know these are done.

6. Serve with chutney ( i did with peanut) and keep eating..that is for u kids.. ladies or gents, please keep making!