Creamy Summer Squash Soup

Hi all, the recipe I am going to share with you all is something that was made by chance. I planted some Summer Squash seeds due to my son's science experiment and my green thumb worked, it yielded in a couple of fresh summer squash. I had no clue what to do with it. So I looked online and got an idea to make a soup but added my own touch of spices and made it my own. It was mild, creamy, and filling.

CREAMY SUMMER SQUASH SOUP

INGREDIENTS

Summer Squash: 1 medium ( remove seeds and dice them into cubes with the skin)

white onion: 1 medium chopped

Garlic: 5-6 pods cut in half

Butter: 1 Tbsp

Veggie Broth: 2 cup

Coconut Milk: 1-2 cup

Turmeric Powder: 1/4th Tsp

Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder or Paprika: 1/2 Tsp

Cumin-Coriander Powder: 1/2 Tsp

Salt as required

Creamy Summer Squash Soup

MAKING

In a  wide pan, add butter. Once melted, add in the chopped garlic and onion and saute until the onions turn translucent. Add in the diced yellow summer squash. After sauteing for a couple of minutes, add the turmeric, red chilli and the cumin-coriander powder. Again saute it for a couple of minutes before adding the veggie broth. Add a little bit of salt (1/2 Tsp) and allow it to simmer for a few minutes until the broth reduces and the summer squash has become soft. You could add more veggie broth if you feel the summer squash needs more cooking to become soft.

Remove from the gas, allow it to cool. Using the blender, grind it into a nice creamy paste. Put it back in the pan in low flame. Add the coconut milk and some more salt and allow it to simmer for a minute.

That's it, delicious, creamy soup is ready. Garnish with crushed pepper and crushed basil.

TIPS/VARIATIONS

Keep the skin of the summer squash when dicing them. 

Make sure the squash is not ripe but tender

I used Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder as it has less spice and gives a nice colour

Garnishing with crushed basil gave it a nice aromatic touch and works well with this soup.

You could add more Veg Broth and Coconut Milk if needed depending on your preference

Don't allow the coconut milk to boil too much.

MOLAGA PODI ( Special Chilli Powder for Idli and Dosa)

 Hi all, this recipe comes from my mom's kitchen. Many people think the side for Idli and Dosa are Sambhar or chutney but what many are not aware of is that South Indians use another side which is a must-have in every household and that's a special chilli powder which is made as a side for Idli and Dosa. The surprising thing is that kids who don't eat spice love this powder even though as the name suggests, it's literally Chilli Powder. Anyway, here it goes

MOLAGA PODI ( Spl Chilli Powder)

INGREDIENTS

Dry Red Chillies: 12-14 

Chana Dal: 1 cup

Urad Dal: 1 cup

Hing/Asafoetida/Perungayam: 1/2 Tsp

Mustard seeds: 1 Tsp

White Sesame Seeds: 1 Tbsp

Salt as required

Oil: 1/2 Tsp

MAKING

TIPS/VARIATIONS

You could grind the powder, fine as well. I like the bite when coarse

Some use black urad instead of white Urad Dal

You could add more or less chillies depending on the spice level you prefer.

You could make it in bulk and store it in an airtight container.

Instant Rava Idli

Hi all, this recipe was shared with me by my husband's cousin. Very easy to make but delicious, light, and soft. It's a regular in my home, do make it in yours as well.

                                                                          INSTANT RAVA IDLI

Malai-Makhan Paneer

 Hi all, this recipe came out so well that I had to share it with you. Although the ingredients were pretty much the same that we used to make any gravy. The making was a bit different. This recipe uses a lot of rich ingredients be it cashew, butter/ghee or Malai hence came with this name for the dish. So, without much delay, let's get started

INGREDIENTS

GENERAL

Paneer: chopped into small cubes

Onion: 1 medium finely chopped

Tomatoes: 1 medium chopped

Ginger: Jullian cuts 1 tsp

Garlic: 2-3 finely chopped

Green chillies: 1-2 finely chopped

Kasoori Methi: 1 Tsp crushed

Garam Masala: 1 Tsp

Malai or whole cream: 1 Tbsp

Ghee: 1 Tbsp

Cashew Nuts: 10-12 ground into a nice paste with water

Salt as required

Butter cubes 2

Coriander leaves finely chopped for garnish

Red Chilli powder: 1 Tsp (1/2+1/2)

Turmeric: 1/2 Tsp

Jeera-Dhania Powder: 1 Tsp

FOR GRAVY

Onion: 2 sliced 

Tomatoes: 1 chopped

Green chillies: 3-4 finely chopped

Ginger: 1Tbsp finely chopped 

Garlic: 1 Tbsp finely chopped

Jeera: 1 Tsp

MALAI-MAKHAN PANEER

                                               

MAKING

This is a 3 step process. We will go one step at a time as every ingredient is used in more than 1 step.

FIRST STEP

Saute about 1 Tbsp sliced onions until completely caramelized and set aside.

Use the same deep Kadai or wok, add oil mixed with ghee or just ghee about 1 Tbsp. Add in the jeera, the chopped ginger-garlic, Green chillies, the sliced onions. Saute it for a few minutes until the onions turn golden brown. Now add in the chopped tomatoes and saute it again for a few minutes with a pinch of turmeric and 1/2 Tsp Red chilli powder until the tomatoes are blended in and turns soft. Also, add in the caramelized onions before switching off the gas.

Once this mixture has cooled down, grind it into a nice paste with a little salt and set it aside.

STEP 2

In the same pan, add 1 tsp ghee, add a tsp of jeera. Once it starts spluttering, add in the ground cashew paste. saute for 1-2 minutes until the paste gets thicker, now add in step 1 gravy to the mix and saute it again for a few minutes on low flame. Switch off the gas and transfer the contents to a bowl.

STEP 3 (Bringing it all together)

Use the same Kadai, add in the ghee. Once hot, add Jeera, remaining chopped Green chillies, Garlic, chopped Onions. Saute it for a few minutes until golden brown. Now add the chopped tomatoes. Once the tomaoes are soft and well cooked. Add the above cashew-masala gravy to it. put in 1-2 cubes of unsalted butter into it. Now add in the spices, 1/2 Tsp Red chilli powder, Turmeric, Jeera-Dhania powder. Again saute it for a couple of minutes before adding in the cubed paneer. Mix it up and cook for a minute or two before adding the 1 Tbsp cream/malai or whole milk. Also, add the crushed Kasuri

Methi, Garam masala and the required salt. Mix it up and saute for a couple of minutes until the entire dish is well blended and mixed.

Garnish with freshly chopped coriander/cilantro. Delicious Cashew-Makhan-Malai Paneer is ready to eat. Serve it hot with Rotis, Naan, Paratha or Rice.

TIPS/VARIATIONS

You could add chopped capsicum in step 3 right before adding the chopped tomatoes.

I used whole milk as I did not have malai or fresh cream. I think fresh cream will elevate the dish and take out the bite from the masala and give a nice texture.

I used Kashmiri Red chilli as it's not spicy.

Adding Garam Masala is optional

Onion-Capsicum Kara Kozhumbu

 Hi all, I came across this recipe and decided to make it, It's an interesting mix of Tamil Nadu and Kerala mix. It came out really well. Interestingly, it was quick and easy to make. I did not have a couple of ingredients but managed to make my own version of it. So, here it goes

ONION-CAPSICUM KARA KOZHAMBU

Capsicum diced into small squares: About 2-3 Tbsp

Tamarind juice: 1/4th cup

Salt as required

Oil

FOR GRINDING

Small Onions: about 5-6

Grated coconut: 4 Tbsp

Red Chilli powder: 1 Tsp

Turmeric Powder: 1/2 Tsp

Jeera: 1 Tsp

FOR TADKA

Coconut Oil for Tadka as required

Red Chillies: 2

Mustard Seeds: 1/2 Tsp

Urad Dal: 1/s Tsp

Curry Leaves: 5-7

ONION-CAPSICUM KARA KOZHAMBU

MAKING

I sauteed the capsicum in 1 Tsp oil with a little salt and cooked until soft. Meanwhile, soak tamarind in water to get 1/4th cup and add it to the cooked capsicum.

Now in another shallow pan, saute the small onions until translucent. Now grind the onions, grated Coconut, Jeera, Red chilli powder, Turmeric into a fine paste.

Add this paste to the boiling Tamarind juice with capsicum. Allow it to boil for 5-7 minutes in low-medium flame with the required salt. Switch off the gas.

Now for Tadka, take a small tadka pan, add coconut oil, once hot, add in the mustard seeds, urad dal, dry red chillies and curry leaves. Once the mustard splutters, add the tadka to the kozhambu. That's it, delicious Onion-Capsicum Kara Kozhambu is ready to eat. Serve it with Rice and a veggie side.

TIPS/VARIATIONS

You could add chopped drumstick instead of Capsicum. Boil Drumstick in enough water and salt then add the tamarind juice once soft.

You could just grind the small onions without sauteeing. I sauteed it to get the raw smell away.