Appams

The weekend  has been a right old mixed bag. It started silently and lazily with the whole house demanding for urgent housekeeping and tons of work waiting in the kitchen but has ended in the most lovely weekend so I can't really complain about all the shit that's come in the middle. Life's just like that sometimes. Even the weather eased in the last two days and now you can at least breathe normal air instead of the hot air that had engulfed us.

I'm really looking forward to our holy month of Ramadan now, it's sure to kick off in a spectacular fashion with great food and family suppers. Other than that blogging is something that I really look forward to at the start of my everyday. I've got a lot on my plate at the moment, but hopefully a lot of it is about to come good, fingers crossed.

 

Last week I tried out the long awaited Appams ( Rice Pancakes fermented with yeast). They are a Kerala specialty and you will find them in every Keralite's home regularly. They are a great accompaniment with veg or non-veg stews. Once you grind the batter, the fermentation takes place in 6-8 hours and the pancake making process is mighty simple.

 

You must check this recipe out to believe it.

 

INGREDIENTS:

 

 2 cups regular rice

1 cup parboiled rice or boiled rice or idli rice

A fistful of poha (rice flakes) or cooked rice

1 or 1.5 cups grated coconut or 1 cup thick coconut milk

½ tsp dry active yeast

2 tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt

Oil for the pancakes

 

 

 

HOW TO MAKE:

 

1)  Soak both the regular rice, parboiled rice in water for 4 to 5 hours.  Drain out the water and then grind them along with grated coconut, cooked rice or poha/aval, dry active yeast, salt and sugar.

 

2) You can also add the yeast after the grinding process is done. The batter should be smooth flowing, but not watery.

 

3) Pour the batter in a large bowl or pan ,cover and keep aside for fermenting for 8 to 12 hours, depending on the temperature conditions.

 

4) The batter will rise and increase in volume the next day.

 

5) Heat a kadai/wok or an appam pan with handles. Smear some oil on the kadai.

 

6) Spread a ladle full of the batter. Turn and tilt the pan so as to spread the batter.

 

7) Cover the pan and let the appam cook until the base would become nicely light golden.

 

8) Make all appams this way. Serve them hot with a thick veg or non-veg stew of your choice.

 

 

Poha

Its the evening of the most exciting day of the week - Thursday and although I've been working the whole of this week  I have also been spending a couple of hours every evening giving my room a good clean and sort out, I always forget how much more motivated it makes me feel.

I've not made any secret of my deep love for Candy Crush. Off late, I have been hooked to Candy Crush and I have been spending hours playing it. Whenever I find myself having even a few minutes of free time, I start playing it. Admittedly it isn't exactly being in a competition, but I love it.

Today I am posting the recently tried out breakfast dish called  seasoned Poha . Are you giving me side-eye right now? I’m pretty sure I know what you’re thinking. Not everyone likes eating poha as it is kind of bland. But some extra seasoning really works and upgrades its tastes to new levels.

I have been regularly reading about the benefits of Poha (flattened or beaten Rice) since a long time. Poha is nothing but rice in the form of flakes which swell when a liquid is added to it. It is very light on the stomach and is an amazing source of iron and carbs with low gluten levels. I just kind of tried it after reading these benefits and I am sure I will include it in my regular menu list. I did not realize how easy it is to make and it hardly takes ten minutes. Poha is easily available in all supermarkets and is popular in India.

Now the recipe:

INGREDIENTS:

1.5 cups poha - white beaten rice or flattened rice

1 large onion, finely chopped

¼ tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp mustard seeds

2  tbsp peanuts

10-12 curry leaves

1 green chilli,chopped

1 or 1.5 tbsp oil

Salt to taste

Fresh coriander leaves

1 tsp lemon juice

HOW TO MAKE:

 

1)  Rinse the poha in water, drain the water from it and keep it aside.

 

2) Add some turmeric powder to the poha and gently mix.

 

3) Dry roast the peanuts in a pan till they become crunchy. Remove them and keep aside.

 

4) Heat oil in the same pan. Crackle the mustard seeds first.

 

5) Add onions, curry leaves & green chilies and saute them for a minute.

 

6) Add the peanuts and continue to stir. Add the poha and salt at this stage and mix gently.

 

7) Cover and steam the poha for 2-3 minutes on a low flame.

 

8) Switch off flame and garnish with fresh coriander leaves and lemon juice.

 

 

 

Banana Icecream

Here we are, heading into the thick of the summer season and last weekend was just crazy enough for us. A busy kitchen and hosting friends was on my agenda and the weather certainly played spoilsport with the mercury shooting up to a harsh 47 degrees Celsius.

 I was just contemplating some new chilled dessert ideas.  I had to because we were feeling exhausted and the heat was slowing us down. I dug into my refrigerator to find some frozen bananas, They as well as us needed some justice. An ice-cream was everyone's choice.

I guarantee you're going to LOVE eating this with friends and family in the next few months. Like most ice-creams it does take some time investment for freezing it, but it's definitely going to pay you back handsomely in pleasure and taste. It was made in a jiffy and I poured some chocolate sauce over it.  It really was universally uplifting.

My fabulously light and refreshing result is simple and so awesome it's a new favorite now.  Meet my simple Banana Ice cream and cool yourself off this summer.

INGREDIENTS:

1 small banana, peeled, sliced, and frozen

2 tablespoons  milk

1 tablespoon chopped walnuts or any nuts

 

HOW TO MAKE:

 

1) Place frozen banana pieces and milk in a blender or food processor; process until thick.

 

2) Top with walnuts and sprinkle some chocolate or caramel sauce on it just before serving.

 

 

 

Pineapple Souffle

My love affair with pineapples has grown more experimental and luscious since a while. I've been searching out recipes for desserts, braising and juicing. This dessert was inspired by the thought of the canned pineapples that I have purchased recently. My new theme now is  the "one new dessert every weekend". So continuing this tradition, I extend my efforts to whip up something interesting every weekend. It was the turn for a delicious soufflé in my kitchen.

Here is a sweet-tart-cool and incredibly refreshing  summery dessert for the weekend. It works perfectly to close out your barbecue and perfectly after a day outside frolicking in the sun when you need a quick cool down. I love it because it's quite sweet n tart, and almost all the sweetness comes from the natural sugars in your pineapple. Make sure to get a really ripe one or the canned pack and it'll be perfect.

INGREDIENTS:

1 tin (400 gm) Sweetened Condensed Milk
1-2/3 cups (250 ml) Milk
2-1/2 tbsp  Gelatin
1/2 cup - Warm Water
4 slices Pineapple chopped
Juice of 4 limes
1-1/2 cups  Fresh Cream

 

HOW TO MAKE:

 

1) Whip the cream over ice till light and fluffy and keep chilled.

 

2) Soak gelatin in ½ cup warm water and dissolve over a pan of hot water.

 

3) Add the Sweetened Condensed Milk, milk, chopped pineapple and lemon juice to dissolved gelatin and mix well.

 

4) Fold in the whipped cream (save 2 tbsp for garnishing) into the milkmaid - pineapple mixture.

 

5) Pour the mixture into a wet soufflé dish and chill.

 

6) When set decorate with whipped cream and cherries and serve chilled.

 

 

Chicken Machboos (Bahraini Spiced Chicken and Rice)

While I love traditional Middle Eastern food, I also enjoy creating new variations on standard classics.  Recently a dear friend was going back to India for good and he had hosted a grand dinner in one of Muscat's famous restaurant serving authentic Arabic food. A great discussion began in the back of my mind while I dined with everyone & I decided to try it soon at home. Indeed Machboos is a classic chicken & Rice dish loaded with flavor,earthy heartiness, bright colors and textures.

Delicious and Authentic are the 2 words I would love to use to describe this National dish of Bahrain. The combination of freshly prepared middle eastern spice blend(called Baharat)with delicately marinated chicken melts in the mouth and melts all hearts. Try this Rice recipe called Chicken Machboos, also popular in Oman and see it happen for real!

 

 

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 large onions, diced
• 3 tablespoons ghee or unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon baharat powder (see recipe below)
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• A combination of chicken thighs, legs and breasts (about 3 pounds)
• 1 hot green chile, seeded and diced
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
• 5 large cloves or garlic, thinly sliced
• 2 large roma tomatoes, diced (or 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes, juices drained)
• 2-3 dried limes (loomi), several holes punched throughout each one
• 5 green cardamom pods
• ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 stick cinnamon (about 2 inches long)
• 2½ teaspoons salt
• 2½ cups chicken stock
• 2 cups basmati rice (soaked for at least 15 minutes, then rinsed and drained)
• 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
• Rosewater for sprinkling (optional, but recommended)

 

Ingredients for Baharat powder (Middle eastern spice blend)

• 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
• 2 teaspoons coriander seeds
• 1 cinnamon stick (about 2 inches long)
• 1 teaspoon whole cloves
• ¼ teaspoon green cardamom seeds
• 1 tablespoon paprika powder
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

 

 

For the Baharat:

 

Set the paprika and nutmeg powders aside. Place all remaining ingredients (whole seeds, cinnamon stick and cloves) in a small frying pan and dry roast over medium-high heat, tossing regularly to prevent scorching, for 3-4 minutes or until very fragrant.

 

Transfer to a spice or coffee grinder and let cool. Add the paprika and nutmeg and grind all the ingredients to a fine powder. Store left over baharat in an airtight jar.

 

HOW TO MAKE:

1. Heat the oil in a deep bottomed non-stick vessel over medium-high heat and fry the chicken pieces on both sides until the skin is brown and crispy. Transfer the chicken to a plate and leave the remaining oil in the vessel.
2. Add the ghee (or butter), reduce the heat to medium, and fry the onions until starting to brown, about 10-12 minutes.
3. Add the ginger, garlic, and green chile pepper and saute for another 2 minutes.
4. Add the baharat powder and turmeric and cook for another minute.
5. Return the chicken pieces to the Dutch oven along with the tomatoes, dried limes, cardamom pods, cinnamon and cloves. Add the chicken stock and stir to combine. Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for one hour.
6. Add the cilantro, parsley and drained rice and stir to combine. Return it to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for another 15-20 minutes until the rice is done and has absorbed the liquid.
7. Transfer the chicken and rice to a serving dish (either leave the chicken pieces tossed in with the rice, or place the chicken on top of the rice), and sprinkling with 1-2 tablespoons of rosewater (optional).
8. Serve with a green salad and yogurt raita.

 

 

Sausage and Vegetable Fried Rice

One of my favorite aspects of cooking is the improvisation and when I have fresh simple ingredients on hand, I am always putting a different twist on the classics.  I love to have my own herb garden, but space is a major constraint. And it's hard to keep up with the herbs sometimes, we are only two  people after all. 

So, this week I was faced with the realization that I needed to shop fresh groceries every weekend and use them wisely. I don't want to end up wasting my shopped greens. What better way to use them and make a light and fresh summer meal than a vegetable fried rice? 

And the stir-fry process is my weakness. I love the aroma it produces and the sausages used alongside was the major kick factor for this dish which raised it to higher levels.

My "Sausage & Vegetable Fried Rice" really hit the spot and helped me use the greens before they were wilted.

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cups Basmati rice
1 cup Sausage sliced to thin rounds
1/2 tsp Pepper powder
1 tsp Crushed chilly flakes
3/4 cup Mushroom chopped
1/2 cup Green beans sliced diagonally
1/4 cup Frozen green pea or fresh peas
1 tbsp Soy sauce
1/4 tsp sugar
Salt – To taste
1-2 tbsp Olive oil
1-2 tbsp each Cilantro and spring onion to garnish

HOW TO MAKE:

1) Cook rice until long and slightly soft. Set aside to cool.
 

2) Heat olive oil in a pan and add the sausage pieces and 1/2 tsp pepper powder. Stir-fry until they are no longer pink.

3) Add mushrooms. Stir-fry for about 1 minute.

4) Add chilly flakes and green beans. Stir-fry for about 1 minute. The veggies should not be over-cooked, they should retain their crunch. 

5) Add green peas and stir-fry for 1 minute. Mix well. 

6) Add soy sauce, mix well and then add cooked rice. Taste-check for salt. 

7) Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle little sugar. Mix well.

8) Garnish with chopped cilantro and spring onion.

9) Serve hot as is or with ketchup.

 

Mexican Chicken Fajitas & Guacamole Dip

Fajitas are famous in Mexican cuisine. It is a Spanish word which refers to grilled meat served on tortillas. The boneless meat is cut into strips and then seasoned for marinating. It is later grilled on a grill pan along with colorful veggies which get rolled in a tortilla layered with tomato salsa and a dip called Guacamole. The recipe for the endlessly inspiring Guacamole is also shared below.

Yes, it's classically Mexican  I borrowed an Indian-style idea and then paired up the flavors that I knew my taste buds would love; Bell peppers for the sweet and less pungent flavor, sun-dried tomatoes for a hearty and undertone alarm and Chicken for a nice smoky and spicy kick. While it may seem a bizarre Mediterranean fusion dish, the point is that it just turned out damned good! Try it and you'll taste what I mean.

And the Guacamole dip - (made up of avocados) is basically a dip which when paired with some fresh tomato salsa packed in a roll with seasoned chicken  showcases the best flavors and textures in one healthy meal.

Chicken Fajita

INGREDIENTS:

For the chicken filling:

400 gm Boneless chicken thighs / breast cut into long strips

You need to grind:

 Cilantro – 1/4 cup roughly chopped
 Garlic – 4 large cloves, roughly chopped
 Lime / lemon juice – 2 tsp
 Chilly powder – 1/2 tsp
 Pepper powder – 1/2 tsp
 Cumin powder – 1/2 tsp
  Salt – To taste

Coarsely grind ingredients numbered 2 in a blender / food processor.

Marinate the chicken pieces with this ground mixture. Keep in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

Other ingredients:

1/2 Green bell pepper sliced
1/2 Red bell pepper sliced
1/2 cup Sun dried tomatoes
1/2 Onion sliced
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp Pepper powder
1-2 tbspVegetable oil

To serve:

5 Tortillas
1/2 cup Guacamole (recipe below)
1/2 cup Mexican tomato salsa (finely chopped tomato, parsley, cumin powder, salt finely chopped green chilli, lemon juice)
1/2 cup Sour cream
1/2 cup shredded cheese

Tomato Salsa

HOW TO MAKE:

1)  Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wide pan at medium-high heat. Add the sliced bell peppers, onion, season with salt and pepper powder and stir-fry for 4 – 5 minutes until they are browned along the edges. They should be half-cooked but still crunchy. Transfer to a plate.
 

2) In the same pan, heat 1 more tbsp oil. Add the chicken strips and fry at medium heat until browned on both sides, about 6 – 8 minutes.

3) Add the bell peppers and onion. Stir-fry everything for a minute.

4) Arrange the chicken fajitas immediately on warm tortillas and add all the toppings.

5) Fold the tortilla into a pocket by bringing the bottom up first and then folding over each side. Warm them in a microwave and serve them hot.

INGREDIENTS FOR THE GUACAMOLE:

2 ripe avocados

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 Tbsp lime juice

1/4 cup  thinly sliced green onion or onion

1-2 chillies minced

2 tbsp coriander leavesfinely chopped

A dash of black pepper

1/2 ripe tomato, seeds and pulp removed, chopped

 

HOW TO MAKE:

 

1) Cut the avocados in half. Remove seed. Scoop out avocado from the peel.

2) Put in a mixing bowl. Using a fork, roughly mash the avocado until chunky.

3) Sprinkle with salt and lime. Add the chopped onion, cilantro, black pepper, and chilies.

4) You can refrigerate it until you serve. Add the chopped tomatoes when serving or when wrapping it in the tortilla.

Guacamole

 

 

Barley Vegetable Soup

We were exhausted after rearranging the house with some new furniture. It looked like a makeover of our interiors. We still had a lot to organize and arrange to bring in the cozy and comfortable look for our rooms. A part of our weekend was used in all this. The only peaceful thought was that we had an extra day off and we could mend our tired muscles by sleeping late in the mornings.

After all this hard work we had built an appetite and were famished. Our stomachs longed for something warm and comforting. I knew it was time to make something. I toyed with a few ideas and the easiest one was Soup !!!

Yes, I do make soup all year long; light soup, chilled soup, stew, chili-soup, cream soup, thick rich soup, decadent soup etc etc. But this moment of the year, when the heat is melting us away, the thought of hearty comfort soups,broths and stews is as good as crazy. I remembered reading somewhere about using fresh summer ingredients for soups that will cool our digestive systems in the best possible way. I had the ingredients and the next ten minutes was all I needed to get it ready.

Here’s an interesting, healthy,delicious and filling soup with lots of flavor. The main ingredient is the Barley here. Barley is a cereal grain with infinite benefits. The best one being to soothe and calm your bowels. It is a great source of fibre and the richest source of chromium. Hence it is the best grain that can control blood sugar levels in our bodies, prevent cancer forming cells and control heart issues.

It's so wonderful to create something that challenges everyone's opinions and challenges even meat-lovers' opinions of what can be scrumptious. This recipe is a true keeper. Serve this yummy bowl of goodness with a loaf of crusty bread.

INGREDIENTS:

1/2  cup Barley
1 tbsp Olive oil
1/2 cup Onion finely chopped
2 cloves Garlic  minced
1/4 cup Carrot
1/4 cup Celery, chopped
3 Tomatoes
2 tsp Tomato paste
3 cups Vegetable stock/ water
Salt and pepper – To taste
1 small Zucchini cubed
Spinach – A handful, roughly chopped
2 tsp Basil pesto(optional. If you don’t have basil pesto, add a pinch of Italian seasoning.)
1 tsp lemon juice
1-2 tbsp grated cheese to garnish (optional)
2 tsp parsley finely chopped, to garnish (optional)


HOW TO MAKE:

1)  To blanch tomatoes – Put the tomatoes in boiling water. Boil for about 1 – 2 minutes or until their skin starts peeling off. Take them out and set aside for 2 minutes. Peel off their skin and remove the seeds and pulp. Chop the flesh and keep aside.

2)  Heat oil in a soup pot. Add finely chopped onion and garlic. Saute until onion turns transparent.

3) Add carrot and celery. Sauté for a minute.

4) Add barley, blanched and chopped tomato pieces, tomato paste, vegetable stock or water, salt and pepper to taste.

5) Cover and cook for 10 – 12 minutes until barley is done.

6) Add zucchini and spinach. Cook for a minute.

7) Add basil pesto and mix well. Serve hot.

8) Sprinkle parsley & cheese, while serving (optional)

 

Banana Cake

It was a long and a refreshing weekend this time with a public holiday yesterday. I am still lurking on in the holiday hangover and have not yet come to terms that my working week has started. Thursday evening looked so lovely with the thought of 3 long days for all the fun and family time. The outdoor evening time is generally what we look forward to.

 Nothing significant happened in the last few days nor did the kitchen get busy even though I forced myself to line up a few holiday meals and even bought some of the ingredients. Baking was something that I was able to do and a few bananas asking for attention got what they deserved. I was eyeing banana cake or banana bread from quite a while and the former got the nod. I also wanted to whip up a dessert, but it somehow did not happen.

Now I am posting the recipe for this lovely banana cake that was made in less than 30 minutes. The cake works best with ripened bananas. I froze a couple of bananas so that they don't get spoilt. I also used some coarsely processed nuts (pistachios, almonds cashews). The cake turned out decadent - sweet, moist, fluffy and soft. I wanted to do a cream cheese frosting on it but failed on it. It was gobbled up within an hour of being baked. I used a loaf pan to bake my cake.

The recipe for this delicious cake is as below:

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup butter
3/4 cups sugar
1 large egg, beaten
1 cup flour, sifted
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla essence
3/4 teaspoon baking soda (add to pureed bananas)
2 pureed bananas, very ripe

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1/2 stick butter, softened
4 tbsp cream cheese, softened
1-2 cups powdered sugar (1 lb.)
2 teaspoons vanilla essence

HOW TO MAKE:

1)  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a loaf baking pan or a 9"  round baking pan.

2) Cream butter, sugar and eggs till smooth and fluffy.

3)  Sift flour with the salt and baking powder and then add this to the creamed butter mixture. Add the milk and flour (alternating, beginning and ending with flour).

4)  Add vanilla and mashed bananas (with the baking soda added to the bananas) to this mixture.

5) Bake the cake for 35-40 minutes.

Frosting Directions:

Mix cream cheese and butter until smooth, add sugar and vanilla and blend well. Spread on cooled cake.

 

Potato Garlic wedges

I cant even begin to explain how incredibly beautiful the weather was yesterday afternoon when it turned all cloudy and dark with howling winds giving everyone a strong feeling of rain.  And just when we began to get the smell of rain, it was like as if we were woken up from a blissful dream.

It was late in the evening when we realized that the sky had turned blue and the rain clouds had drifted away from our city. And that meant the weekend was going to be another normal one. Well, nothing exciting coming up so I am back to my old weekend plans of some cooking and friends and evenings outdoors for strolls and fresh air.
To make the evening more charming, I decided to make some hot fries thinking that it would rain and we could enjoy them watching the rain from the balcony. And that is why I went on to try out the potato wedges which I usually don't remember to make because we always have them when we dine out for pizzas.

I was lucky to find an interesting version for this recipe and instead of frying them, I baked them. They turned yummy with the seasonings used and when paired with the chilli mayo dip, it was a heavenly snack for a pleasant spring evening.

INGREDIENTS:

8 garlic cloves, minced or grated
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 potatoes each cut into 12 wedges parboiled.
3 tbsp. cornflour
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
½ tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp red chilli powder


HOW TO MAKE:

1. Combine the garlic and oil in a large bowl, warming it until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute.
2. Transfer 5 tablespoons of the oil (leaving the garlic in the bowl) to the baking sheet, coating it well.
3. Add the potatoes to the bowl with the garlic mixture and toss to coat. Microwave the potatoes with this mixture for 90 seconds.
4. Combine the cornstarch, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and cayenne in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the hot potatoes and toss well to coat.
5. Arrange the potatoes in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet and bake, turning once, until deep golden brown and crisp, 30 to 40 minutes.
6. Serve with ketchup, mayo or sour cream.

For the chilli mayo dip, you can remove some mayo (3 tbsp) in a small bowl, add grated garlic, chilli sauce or ketchup (1 tsp) and a few drops of water and mix well to get a smooth paste.

 

Cheddar Cheese Soup

Creamy soups is a winter favorite – rich, hearty, spicy and warm, it’s perfect for those cold winter nights.  However, soups with all the veggies and cheese can be a dinner that delivers a heap of richness and calories along with comfort.  That’s why I love including it on our weekend dinner menus and searched for a few lighter soups options that use veggies instead of chicken, and give you the same satisfaction for a fraction of the calories

This is the first time I have tried a creamy soup at home. I did not expect it to be so simple and easy. Chicken lovers need not be disappointed. You can add a handful of boneless chicken instead of the potatoes and enjoy this delicious comfort food. I also used fresh boiled vegetables chopping them finely to make it a balanced one.

INGREDIENTS:

 

2 onions, chopped

3 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped/ small pieces of  chicken

25gm (1 cube) cheddar cheese, grated

2 tbsp butter

1 cup milk

5 cups water

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp salt

Fresh coriander leaves (optional)

HOW TO MAKE:
 

1. In a pressure cooker , add the butter and brown the onions lightly.

2. Add potatoes and saute for 1-2 mins. Then add the water and pressure cook for 3-4 whistles. Remove from fire.

3. When cooled, blend the pressure cooked onions and potatoes in a mixer to a puree, along with the water used for cooking them.

4. Strain the puree and set aside.

5. Boil the milk separately. Bring the strained pureed soup separately to boil and add the milk, stirring continuously. Simmer for 2-3 mins on low flame.

6. Add grated cheese, salt and pepper.

7. Finally add the sour cream, if using, keeping the soup on very low flame and stirring continuously. Remove from fire.

8. To serve, top off with some grated cheese,finely chopped spring onions and toasted croutons with coriander leaves if using. Serve hot.

9) You can also use some boiled vegetables like broccoli and grated carrot for a more healthy and colorful look. I used some.