Tomato Rasam

Rasam is an integral part of South Indian meals. Tomato Rasam is one of those comfort foods that doubles up as a hot soup on a cold day. There are hundreds of recipes to make rasam but this one is my family’s favorite. It is not only tasty but also soothing when suffering from cold or fever. If you intend to use this as a hot soup for a cold day you could add a pinch of pepper powder. Its light on the stomach, aids in digestion and hydrates the tummy as well.

Tomatoes are an excellent source vitamin C and vitamin K. They are also a very good source of copper, potassium, manganese, dietary fiber, vitamin A (in the form of beta-carotene), vitamin B6, folate, niacin, vitamin E, and phosphorus.

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Serves: 3-4 people

Ingredients	Quantity
Tomatoes	2-3 medium
Cooked Toovar Dal	2 tbsps
Red Chili Powder	1 tsp or to taste
MTR Rasam Powder	2 tsps
Coriander leaves	few sprigs to garnish
Tamarind paste	1 tsp or to taste
Salt	to taste
Jaggery	1 tsp (optional)
For Seasoning
Ghee/Oil	1 tsp
Mustard seeds	½ tsp
Dry Red Chilies	1 or 2
Curry Leaves	5-8 leaves
Asafoetida	a pinch
Water	to adjust consistency

Method

Wash and wipe the tomatoes. Roughly chop them and drop in a pot with one cup water. Boil for 5-8 minutes; add the cooked dal, red chili powder, rasam powder, jaggery and tamarind paste. Bring to a boil. Close lid and keep for 5 minutes or till it’s cool to touch.

Grind tomatoes and dal in a mixer. Strain and boil in the same pot for 5 minutes. Turn off heat and add finely chopped coriander leaves.

In a small skillet, heat ghee, add the mustard seeds when they begin to splutter break the red chilies into 2-3 pieces and tear curry leaves into half. Add them to the hot ghee. Once the popping of mustard seeds stop, add a pinch of asafoetida and turn off heat let stand for 30 seconds. Add it to the rasam and close the lid to trap the flavour inside the pot.

Serve hot with Rice or as a hot soup in a glass on a cold day.

 Points to remember:

• Adding tamarind paste is totally optional and depends on the tanginess of the tomatoes.
• Adding toovar dal not only gives some thickness to the rasam, but also adds taste and nutritional value to the rasam.
• Since it is difficult to cook little dal for the rasam, I usually cook half a cup of dal with enough water. Pour in ice cube tray, freeze them, demold and transfer it to a zip lock bag and store them in the freezer. Add cubes to the rasam, sambhar and other dishes that need very little dal.

Golden Soup

Golden soup is a hearty soup- a blend of carrots and potatoes with a hint of sweetness and heat from pepper and garam masala. This is one of those things I crave for on a cold winter evening.

There are more than hundred recipes for golden soup using different vegetables. I have tried different recipes myself; this is my favorite one till date.in simple words this is a very simple yet delicious soup.

Preparation time: 10-15 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Serves: 4-5 people

Ingredients	Quantity
Carrots sliced	2
Onion chopped	2 large
Potatoes sliced	2 large
Fresh cream	2 tsps
Butter	2tbsp
Black pepper powder	1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder	1/4 tsp
Garam masala powder	1/4 tsp
Water	3 cups
Boiled corn	1/2 cup

Method

Boil carrot and potatoes in a medium pot in half cup water on high flame for 8 minutes. Cool and grind to a fine paste adding 2 cups of water.

Heat butter in a skillet and fry onions for 1-2 minutes. Cook the carrot mixture for a minute. Add salt, pepper powder, garam masala and boil for a minute. Cool and grind to paste.

Pour mixture in the same pot, add boiled corn and boil for 2-3 minutes. Garnish with cream and serve hot.

Jalapeño Soup

Jalapeño Soup is a creamy, hot, slightly tangy soup, perfect for a cold winter/rainy night. I love the flavor of this chili pepper. The soup is so easy to make that you can whip it up in a jiffy. The other ingredient in the soup just enhance the flavor of jalapeños and add more volume to the soup.

Jalapeño is a medium-sized chili pepper. The name jalapeño is Spanish for "from Xalapa" (also spelled Jalapa), a town in Veracruz, Mexico, where the pepper was traditionally cultivated. It is commonly picked and consumed while still green, but occasionally it is allowed to fully ripen and turn crimson red.

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 15-20 minutes

Serves: 3-4 people

Ingredients	Quantity
Garlic chopped	2 cloves
Onion chopped	1 medium
Tomato chopped	1 big
Jalapeños	4
Coriander springs(optional)	4-5
Green Capsicum chopped	1
Vegetable stock	2 cubes
Whipping cream	1tbsp
Cornflour	1tbsp
Cold Water	1 cup
Salt	to taste
Sour cream or vinegar of jalapeño	to taste
Butter	1tbsp
Cumin powder	1/4 tsp

Method

Finely chop 2 jalapeños and slice 2 jalapenos.

Heat butter in a pan and saute onion and garlic for 30 seconds.

Add onion, tomato, sliced jalapeño, coriander leaves, cumin powder, salt, capsicum and fry for 30 seconds.

Add 1/2 cup water, crumble vegetable stock cubes and boil till vegetables are soft. Add water if the pan is too dry. Cool and grind to a smooth paste.

Pour into the pan, add corn flour dissolved in cold water and boil for 3 minutes.

Boil till the desired consistency of soup is achieved. Check for salt. Add chopped jalapeños, sour cream and just heat till cream dissolves. Do not boil.

Garnish with coriander springs. Serve hot with garlic bread.

Points to remember:

• Check for salt in the vegetable stock cubes.
• If using the vinegar from canned jalapeño please check for sourness of soup and the heat of jalapeños. 
• If you feel the coriander sprigs does not go with the soup you can omit it.
• Sometimes, I garnish the soup with some dried parsley.

Garlic Bread

Refer to my other recipe for garlic bread.

Hot and Sour Soup

Hot and sour soup is a nutritious and taste bud tingling, Chinese soup, perfect for a cold winter night. As the name suggests the soup has ingredients that make it spicy and sour.

Soup is a great nutritious meal option with certain types of soup even proven to help support weight loss. In particular, vegetable-based soups are a great option nutritionally as they combine good flavors and dietary fibers to keep you fuller for longer. The soups made from scratch are the best.

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 10-20 minutes

Serves: 4 people

Ingredients	Quantity
Oil	1 Tbsp
Garlic minced	1 tsp
Ginger minced	1 tsp
Green Peas finely chopped	1/4cup
Carrots finely chopped	1/4cup
Frozen Corn	1/4 cup
Green Beans finely chopped	1/4 cup
Cauliflower finely chopped	1/2 cup
Cabbage thinly sliced	1/2 cup
Mushroom thinly sliced	1 large
Vegetable Stock cubes	3
Soy Sauce	to taste
Red Chili Sauce	to taste
Black Pepper	to taste
Vinegar	1 Tbsp, or to taste
Corn Starch mixed with a little cold water	1 Tbsp
Spring Onions finely chopped	½ cup

Method

Chop all the vegetables and keep it ready before you start making the soup.

Heat oil in a medium sized pot. Add ginger and garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Add corn, green beans, peas, carrots, cauliflower, cabbage and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Add vegetable stock cubes, 2 cups of water, salt and black pepper. Bring mixture to a boil and simmer.

Add mushrooms, 1/2 of the spring onions, chili sauce, soy sauce and vinegar and bring to a boil. Mix 2-3 tbsp water with the corn starch and add it to the soup, bring to a boil. Garnish with spring onions and serve hot!

Point to remember

·        Corn Starch is a thickener. Use depending on the consistency you prefer.