Indian Tomato Soup[Microwave version] |Tamatar Ka Shorba

A couple of weeks ago,tomatoes were being sold at astronomical prices.The vegetable that has become indispensable in our cuisine had become unaffordable to many.We were using very less tomatoes at home and the dishes seemed to have lost their taste.

Then suddenly, last week, they became so inexpensive that the vendors at the farmers market had a lot of surplus.The price reduced further and everyone around here are buying them in bulk!

When I visited the farmers market this week,I picked up my share,in fact,more that I could handle and am using them to make preserves and soups.

Here is an Indianized version of the tomato -Tamatar Ka Shorba.After going through many variations and varieties,I put in what I had and made this in less than 10 minutes in the microwave.This is yet another simple soup recipe that can be put together in a jiffy.

I used:

Ripe tomatoes-4
Bay leaf-1
Ginger- garlic paste-1 teaspoon
Roasted cumin powder-1 teaspoon.
Red chilli powder-1/4 teaspoon
Salt and pepper to taste
Coriander leaves to garnish

1. Blanch tomatoes.
2. Peel and puree after it cools .
3. In a deep microwave proof dish,put in  pureed tomato,all the ingredients [except pepper powder and coriander leaves], enough water [to get the consistency of your choice] and microwave on high for 5 minutes or till it starts bubbling.
4. Remove the bay leaf and serve hot garnished with pepper powder and coriander leaves.

Quick and yum Tamatar Ka Shorba

Note:

There are many variations like adding lemon juice or a paste of chickpea flour etc.This is my version which I found to be quick and tasty.

Bon Appetit...





Catch me cooking @ Seduce your tastebuds

Cottage Cheese-stuffed Baked Portobello Mushrooms

when i started making these mushrooms, i was a bit nervous. you see, this was not exactly my first attempt at making stuffed mushrooms. past attempts, which involved white button mushrooms, usually ended up in a soggy mess that didn't really measure up to taste as well. i got frustrated and shelved the thought of stuffed mushrooms - until i came upon a box of mini portobello mushrooms during one of my grocery store visits. when i looked up recipes online on how best to use them, the suggestion to stuff and then bake/grill them kept coming up - and i decided to give it one more try.

i made up my own stuffing with paneer (cottage cheese), adding in tomatoes and topping it all off with cheddar cheese. and to give it a bit of flavour, i used olive oil seasoned with garlic and chilli flakes. once the mushrooms were done, i waited for them to cool a bit and then took a bite - with the flavours of the mushroom and cheese coming together, i felt like i was eating a mini shrooms pizza (without the dough)! :) the natural flavour of mushrooms is enhanced in this dish and is complemented rather than submerged by the cheese stuffing - if you like mushrooms, you gotta love it :)
 
Ingredients:

9 or 10 mini Portobello mushrooms
1/2 cup crumbled Paneer
1/4 Cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 big tomato, minced finely (*i removed the seeds before mincing them)
1/2 small Onion, minced finely
5 tbsp Olive oil
1 heaped tsp Chilli flakes (* just dry-grind some dried red chillis)
Salt, to taste

Making the Stuffed Baked Portobello Mushrooms:

Wash your mushrooms and pat them dry with a clean tea towel. Remove the stems and keep aside if you want to use them in the stuffing or just discard them (I discarded the stems). Using a rounded teaspoon, gently remove the gills from the cap and discard them. Keep aside. Heat half the olive oil on a low flame, add in the garlic and keep for a few minutes and then add in the chilli flakes. the idea is to allow the flavours to get absorbed slowly, so don't crank up the heat. When the garlic starts to get a bit brown, turn off the heat and take the pot off the stove. Add in the rest of the oil and mix well.

Preheat your oven to 200 deg C. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Using a pastry brush or your fingers, coat each mushroom with a bit of the oil from the heated mixture (on the top and bottom) and then place gill-side up on the parchment paper. Mix the crumbled paneer, minced tomato and onion well, adding salt while mixing them up. Once its well mixed, put the mixure into the remaining garlic-chilli-olive oil and mix well. Stuff each mushroom with about a spoonful of this mixture (or more if you are able to balance it), top with the grated cheddar and then put them into the oven to bake for about 15 minutes or until the cheddar cheese turns golden brown in colour. Serve immediately as these taste best when they are warm. (*When I baked these mushrooms, i noticed water seeping out after a while - in that case, just keep the mushrooms for a while in the oven even after you turn it off. The water will evaporate with the heat.)

Posted by Yamini V

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Spanish Gazpacho Soup in the RAW with Broiled "Cheese" Toast

From An Opera Singer in the Kitchen

Question of the day.
Do you listen to your body when it craves something specifically healthy?


I have been craving raw food lately and in the form of tomatoes and soup. Something cool to refresh from the lack of A/C in my home. Ha! A/C unit hopefully to be installed this weekend BTW. Anyway, I have had 3 very ripe on the vine tomatoes staring at me and I knew I had to take a chance at making a cold tomato soup, otherwise known as gazpacho.


Gazpacho is traditionally enjoyed in Spain in the region of Andalucia. It is primarily consumed cold and is a tomato-based raw vegetable soup.


I grew up having my very American grandmother prepare this, but not in the way that many recipes explained. I could either taste too much green pepper or too much onion and it was hard to swallow. My preference was never to eat it whether it was my grandma's recipe or my own, but I broke down. My body shouted for something refreshing and therefore I heeded.


I researched traditional recipes online and in my cookbooks and I finally came to terms with my own version that proved to be SCRUMPTIOUS. Ryan even had 2nd helpings! Yay! He thought the flavor was almost sweet to the taste but perfectly spicy as it went down his throat. Hey, I liked the sound of that! I used red onion to have more sweetness instead of a strong winte onion flavor. I also used orange bell pepper because green pepper tends to give me indigestion. I really enjoyed that substitution.


I decided to make melted "cheese" toast on the side to accompany along with a spinach salad that I will share tomorrow. Daiya vegan cheddar crumbles came to the rescue and made for a delicious melted toast that completed a great summer dinner.


I hope you try this recipe, because not only was it quick, it is also VERY healthy! :)

From An Opera Singer in the Kitchen

Spanish Gazpacho Soup in the RAW


serves 4


3 ripe on the vine tomatoes, cored
1 1/2 cups grape tomatoes
4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3/4 of an English cucumber, peeled and seeded
4 Tbsp Panko bread crumbs
1/4 orange bell pepper, diced
1/2 red onion, diced
3 garlic cloves
1/4 cup water
2 tsp fine sea salt
3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar


Place all ingredients in a blender or Vitamix and blend well until smooth for about 3 minutes.


Refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours before serving.


Garnish with organic crunchy onions and chopped parsley (or dried).


Prepare "cheese" toasts.

From An Opera Singer in the Kitchen

Broiled "Cheese" Toast


serves 1


(vegan cheese toasts on the right)


2 slices rye bread
1/2 cup Daiya cheddar crumbles
2 tsp dried parsley
1/8 tsp salt


Postition oven rack to second to highest rack from the top. Turn oven to broil.


On baking sheet , lay out bread and split "cheese" between both slices.


Sprinkle parsley and salt and place in oven rack.


Broil until slightly browned and cheese is broiled. Slice in half once toast is somewhat cool.

Okra With Tomatoes And Shallots

I rarely cook okra (ladies' fingers) these days because the way I like it - cut into small bits and sauteed thoroughly until crisp - takes a lot of time. It also means I have to use up the okra I've bought right away because they seem to toughen otherwise.

Today I used a packet I've had for a week. This is a recipe that's very simple to put together and for the first time, I used shallots instead of onion and a bit of spice in addition to the salt, turmeric and red chilli powder. I loved it even though it turned out a little more spicy than I intended it to.

Prepare the okra by washing them and drying them thoroughly. Spread them on a piece of cloth or newspaper and let them dry for a while to be extra sure. They're famous for their slime and you don't want that!

You can top and tail the okra, even retain the pointy tops.

Okra, cut into 1-inch pieces: 2 cups (You can even MW them after cutting them, for 30 secs, just to zap any stray water off them)
Sour tomatoes, quartered: 2 handfuls
Shallots, peeled: 6-10

Coriander powder: 1 tsp
Cumin powder: 1 tsp
Salt: To taste
Chilli powder: 1 tsp
Turmeric: 1/4-1/2 tsp

Oil: 2 tsp
Mustard seed: 1/2-1 tsp
Cumin: 1/2 tsp

Heat the oil and pop the mustard and then the cumin.

Saute the shallots just till they turn colour.

Add the tomatoes, cook till they start getting soft.

Add the spices and mix well.

Now add the okra and saute well. There will be a little goo but don't worry, it will disappear soon. Keep sauteing till the goo goes off.

Lower the flame and let the flavours meld for a while before switching off the heat.

They were somewhat al dente as they weren't fresh but I quite liked the texture!

Bon appetit!


Here's a little more complicated dish with okra and tamarind.