Back… with a simple recipe

Hi guys

I got back from the US about a month back but wasn't keeping too well. So I couldn't blog.

I've had migraines forever. Recently, they've been "visiting" me everyday. That's the reason I couldn't blog. I just didn't feel like looking at the computer once I got back. As it is I have to look at the computer all day at work.

The doctor put me on treatment. I also got my eyes checked. I am a bit short sighted now. So I started to wear glasses. Hopefully that'll take care of my migraines as well.

My parents left to India almost immediately after we came back from the US. Before they left, my mother filled up my freezer with her food. So I have yummy food for quiet some time. I do make food every evening though.

I am trying to get back into my routine. So hopefully, I will be back to blogging regularly.

Enough of all this. Let me get to this recipe.

Before I went to the US, I left my herbs with my friends to take care. I told them to use the herbs as and when they need them. They used the Coriander, but the Basil and Mint were "over growing" by the time I got them back.

With the Basil over growing, I decided to trim it and make some pasta sauce.

Here's how I made this simple sauce.

Ingredients:
1 Onion finely chopped
5 cloves Garlic finely chopped
6 tbsp Chopped Tomatoes
2 tbsp Oil
Handful of Chopped Fresh Basil
Salt to Taste


Method

1. Heat Oil in a pan.
2. When hot, add the garlic and sauté till it starts turning brown. Take care it doesn't burn. There's nothing worse than burnt Garlic.
3. Add the onion and saute till golden brown.
4. Add the tomatoes and salt and cook till the tomatoes are done.
5. Add the Chopped Basil, mix well and turn off the heat.
6. Blend to desired consistency.
7. Serve with any kind of pasta.

The taste of fresh basil was absolutely delicious. There's nothing to beat it.

Tomato Soup

Tomato Soup… the first soup I ever liked in a hotel. Now when I think back, I guess I loved the soup more for the bread "cubes" they served with the soup.

I want to give V as much Indian food as possible when he's at home. He has his "English" food at the day care. So he needs to get his spice at home.

I started making this Soup when he wasn't well. He was down with a bad cold and temperature a few months back and wouldn't chew on anything. So I made this soup, put it in a beaker and took him around the garden and made him drink it.

I made it a bit mild then but now I add a little more spice to it. Me and P also loved this soup. So I make it now and then. With the winter here, I am sure I'll be making it more.

Ingredients:
12 salad tomatoes – Chopped roughly
1 Onion – chopped finely
1 large Bayleaf
7 to 10 Cloves
2 tsp Cumin Seeds
2 tsp Ginger Garlic Paste
1 small carrot – sliced roughly (optional)
Salt to taste
2 tbsp butter / oil
1 tsp Mixed Italian Herbs (optional)
1 tbsp Cream (optional)
A few (or a lot) Bread “Cubes”
Coriander Leaves to garnish(optional)


Method

1. Heat oil / butter in a pressure cooker. Once hot, add the Bayleaf and cloves and try for 3 mins.
2. Now add the Cumin Seeds and let them crackle.
3. Add the Onion and fry it till it turns brown.
4. Remove the Bayleaf and Cloves at this stage.
5. Add the Ginger Garlic Paste and fry till the raw smell disappears.
6. Add the carrots now if using. Fry for about 3 to 4 minutes.
7. Now add the tomatoes and mix well. Add salt and cook for about 3 whistles. You don't need to add water as the tomatoes have enough water. If in doubt, add half a cup of water and pressure cook.
8. Once the pressure has come down, blend it using a hand blender. If you do not have a hand blender, cool it before blending it.
9. You can strain the soup if you want. I do not strain it.
10. Add the Mixed Italian Herbs if using.
11. Dish into serving bowls , add the bread cubes.
12. You can garnish with cream or coriander leaves or both.
13. Serve with bread rolls or potato wedges or any other snack.

Since this is reddish in colour, this is going to Torview's Food Palette red event giveaway.

This is also going to Winter Warmers started and hosted by The Veggie Hut.

This also goes to Soup Recipes hosted by My Culinary Creations.

Tomato Egg Curry

Sundays are usually the only days when we have lunch at home. So we generally have a non-veg dish. That's how it was when I was growing up. We had to have non-veg on Sundays. So I am kinda used to it.

There was a time when I could eat non-veg everyday. But from the time I fell pregnant, I craved for veg food. So everyday we had veg food at home. To make up for it, I used to treat my husband on Sundays to non-veg. Not that he was fussy about it; it made me feel good as I know he likes his non-veg.

This is something I made about a month back when our friends were over for an simple, informal lunch. Ofcourse there were other items as well.

Ingredients:
10 to 12 Eggs boiled, shelled and incisions made (you can halve the eggs as well.)
2 Onions - finely chopped
12 tbsp Chopped Tomatoes
1.5 tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste
2 tsp Chilli Powder
2 tsp Coriander Powder
1 tsp Cumin Powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
2 tbsp Oil
2 tsp Mustard Seeds
2 tsp Cumin Seeds
15 - 20 Curry Leaves
Salt to Taste

Method:

1. Add oil in a pan. When the oil is hot, add the Mustard and Cumin Seeds and let them splutter.
2. Then add the Curry Leaves and fry for a min.
3. Now add the Onions and fry till they turn brown.
4. Add the Ginger Garlic Paste and fry till the raw smell goes.
5. Add the Chopped Tomatoes and fry until the masala comes together.
6. Add the Chilli, Coriander, Cumin and Turmeric Powders and mix well.
7. You can add half cup water at this stage if the curry is too dry.
8. Add eggs and boil to desired consistency.
9. Serve with Roti or Rice or Pulao.