AUTHENTIC MUSHROOM SOUP

I got this recipe from my friend at work when she gave me a bowl of this soup. It was really delicious! If you like mushrooms, you will enjoy this soup

- Slice portabella mushrooms, shitake mushrooms, crimini mushrooms ( This is the original recipie. I use whatever mushrooms I have or that which is on sale!)
- Slice ½ cup red onions and 3 cloves minced garlic and saute in butter till tender
- Saute mushrooms
- Stir in 2 tbsp all purpose flour, coarsely ground pepper and salt to above
- Add vegetable broth ( I make my own broth but you can add the canned version too)
- Cook over medium heat with constant stirring until bubbly
- Add turmeric and garlic powder (optional) and cook for 5 more mins
- Stir in 2 cups of half and half and 1 tsp gravy master with constant stirring over low heat .
- Do not boil! Switch off before it boils and serve

EASY VEGETABLE SOUP

This is a very flavorful and healthy soup. I like to make a big pot of it and take it over the week for lunch with some nice breads and cheese. It also makes for a good appetizer in a fall or winter party

- Chop into chunks carrots, potatoes, celery sticks (optional), onions
- Saute lightly in olive oil
- Pour enough water to cover the vegetables and place it on simmer with the lid for about 40 - 45 minutes
( Simmering the vegetables gives the soup a lot of flavor)
- Add salt, sugar, pepper, bay leaves and oregano (optional) while simmering
- When half done, add one can of tomatoes and continue to simmer
- Can also add a can of black beans or pasta just before it is done
- Serve steaming hot and enjoy!! ( Way better than Campbells - I can promise you that)

ORANGE THAIR PACHDI

- Take 1 tsp orange peel and cut into little pieces and saute with a little jeera
- Now grind in the mixer green chilies, kadipatha, 1tsp coconut, sauted orange peel and jeera, hing, salt, sugar as needed, 2tbsp plain yogurt
- Asdd ground mix to yogurt and serve as a pachdi
- Thadka mustard, jeera and add before serving

JALAPENO GOJJU

- Slice jalapeno and green peppers into big chunks
- Thadka mustrad seeds, pepper, ¼ tsp methi seeds, turmeric, hing, kadipattha, kadle purp and uddad dal
- Add jalapenos and capsicum and saute lightly till the raw smell goes away
- Add tamarind water as needed to bring upto the quantity of gojju that you need for serving (The thadka should match the gojju quantities as it is the most flavorful part of the recipe)
- Add salt and jaggery as needed and boil until the raw smell of the tamarind goes away
- Take 1tsp rice flour and add water to make it into a paste
- Add this to the gojju to make it thicken and bring to the right consistency

KICHDI

This rice dish is usually a hit at parties or for an everyday meal at home. It is a quickie and can be made in large quantities very easily. It can be served with a jalapeno gojju and/or orange thair pachdi (see separate recipes)

- Pour half cup rice, half cup toor dal and half cup moong dal directly into the pressure cooker
- Add water and milk as needed to cook : For example if you need 6 cups of water to cook the rice and dals together, use 4 cups water and 2 cups milk to make a total of 6 cups. Make sure that you add more than the usual amount of water/milk so that when it cooks you get a more liquid or gooey ( bisi bele like) consistency
- Add bay leaves, turmeric, salt, chili powder as needed, hing, 1tsp of any other powder like sambar/rasam powder directly to the rice/dal and water (Do not add too much of the powders as this dish is not a sambar like dish)
- Add 1 tsp ghee or dalda to the rice and dal
- Chop into chunks potatoes, green beans, peas (optional) and add into the pressure cooker
- Take half tsp of cumin and rub it in your hand and add to the cooker
- Now cover and cook all the above directly in the pressure cooker. (You may need to keep the cooker on simmer for longer to allow the dal/rice/vegetables to cook well)
IMPORTANT: Many a time, when you open the cooker, the rice and dhal is a thick non liquid mass. Don’t panic!! Just add water and a little milk as needed to bring it to a gooey consistency. You may also need to add more salt and powders as needed for taste. Often you may want to add a little water again before you serve in case the dish becomes too dry
- Before serving, tahdka half tsp ghee jeera, kadipattha, turmeric and pour onto the rice
- Serve with jalapeno gojju and /or orange thair pachdi

INDIAN GINGER WASABI

This is great with the sodhi. The ginger wasabi offsets the coconut milk beautifully. Also supposed to be really healthy!

- Slice about 2inches of ginger into circles
- Take 1tbsp grated coconut
- 3-4 red chilies
- Now take a little extra oil for thadka and add hing , sliced ginger and red chillies
- Saute until the ginger is slightly shriveled and browned
- Add grated coconut and saute till golden brown
- Grind in the mixer with salt and tamarind to chutney consistency

SODHI

This is a different and tasty recipe from the Tamil Nadu - Kerala border. I have made it to a south Indian or North Indian crowd and it usually gets comments. It has to be served with an Indian ginger wasabi ( see separate recipe)

- Cook about 1/3 cup paitham purp (moong daal) and keep aside
- Chop into chunks potatoes, carrots, beans
- Slice red onions
-Grind about 1”ginger and 4-5 green chilies to make a ginger chilly paste
- Now thadka mustard seeds, uddad dal and kadipattha
- Sauté sliced onions in the thadka
- Add chopped vegetables and little water and cook
- When half cooked add ginger and green chilly paste
- When about 3/4th done add cooked moong dal and cook for a few more minutes
- Take off the stove and cool
- When cool add half cup coconut milk with constant stirring
- When fully cool add lemon juice and serve