Mild Mixed Vegetable Curry

Mild Mixed Vegetable Curry 

This is a very mild curry. Neither curry powder nor chili powder is used. It is suitable for Children and people who cannot take spicy (hot) food. Eggplant is used in this recipe. Eggplant is also known by the names such as aubergine and brinjal. If you are allergic to  eggplant or if you have an itchy body, you may omit the eggplant. Other vegetables used in this curry are raw plantain and chayote.

Ingredients for Mild Mixed Vegetable Curry 

                                   Recipe summary
                                             For
                                       Mild Mixed Vegetable Curry 
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time :40 minutes

Serves : 6

1. Peel one plantain with a potato peeler wash and cut into 1” pieces and put it in a bowl of water. 
Heat a wok and add 2 table spoon of oil. Add drained and dried plantain pieces. Fry in low heat for 31/2  minutes til it turns light brown. Remove and set it aside

Vegetables

2. Wash  3 small egg plants slice into 12/2 inch pieces and immerse  in water. 
Drain and dry eggplant pieces. Heat the same wok and add the balance vegetable oil and add eggplant pieces and fry in low heat for about 10 minutes or until it becomes slightly darker brown than the plantain fry. Remove the brinjal pieces and set them aside.

3. Peel one chayote with a potato peeler. Use gloves as mentioned above. Chayote oozes slimy gum. It is harmless. Wash and cut  into 1” pieces and set this aside.

Ingredients

4. Extract juice from 45 grams the tamarind by adding ½ cup of lukewarm water.



5. Add some more oil.
Add 2 onions chopped.
 Fry in low heat for about 5 minutes or till it becomes translucent. Add chopped  3 cloves garlic, 30 grams ginger, chopped 2 green chilies and curry leaves. Fry for 1 minute.

6. Add 1/8 cinnamon powder,  1/8 tsp fenugreek seeds, 1/8 tsp cumin seeds, ½ tsp turmeric powder,   and ¼ tsp pepper powder  Fry for 1 minute.

Mild Mixed Vegetable Curry 

7. Add all the vegetables. Add 6 cups of water and bring to the boil.

8.Reduce the heat to medium and add tamarind juice and salt. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the cover and continue cooking open for another 5 minutes.

9. Add ½ cup coconut milk and boil uncovered for 3 minutes.


              Mild Mixed Vegetable Curry is ready.                                                     

                                        Recipe follows in detail with pictures.


Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time :40 minutes
Serves : 6

Ingredients
Main
1 chayote 450 grams
1 green plantain (raw) 270 grams
3 small eggplants 300 grams


Others 2 onion 160 grams, chopped
2 green chilli medium size 15 grams
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 sprig curry leaves, chopped
30 grams ginger chopped
20 gram tamarind seedless or 45 grams of tamarind with seeds
½ cup coconut milk
1 tsp salt
4 table spoon of vegetable oil.
Spices
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon powder
1/8 teaspoon fenugreek seeds

1/8 tea spoon cumin seeds
½ tsp turmeric powder

¼ tsp pepper powder

Ingredients

Preparation
1. Peel the plantain with a potato peeler wash and cut into 1” pieces and put it in a bowl of water. If you do not keep covered in water the plantain pieces will discolour due to oxidation. While peeling the plantain will ooze out a sticky form of gum which will discolour your hands. Use a glove on the hand that holds the plantain while peeling.

Chopped green plantains

2. Peel chayote with a potato peeler. Use gloves as mentioned above. Chayote oozes slimy gum. It is harmless. It will not stain or irritate. Wash it after peeling to remove the gum. Cut this also into 1” pieces and set this aside.

Chopped chayote

3. Wash the eggplant and remove the top. Slice into 1 ½ inch size pieces. Set it aside in a bowl immersed in water. Brinjal will discolour due to oxidation like plantain.

Eggplant chopped

Eggplant, chayote and raw plantain chopped and
 immersed in salt water

4. Extract juice from the tamarind by adding ½ cup of lukewarm water.
Method
1. Drain and dry plantain pieces. Heat a wok and add 2 table spoon of oil. When the oil is hot, add plantain pieces and fry in low heat for 31/2  minutes or until it becomes very light brown as shown in the picture. Remove and set it aside.

Raw plantain pieces fried

2. Drain and dry eggplant pieces. Heat the same wok and add the balance vegetable oil and let it become hot. Add eggplant pieces and fry in low heat for about 15 minutes or until it becomes slightly darker brown than the plantain fry. Remove the brinjal pieces and set them aside.

Eggplant pieces fried

3. Now there will be little oil left in the wok and it will be sufficient to fry the other ingredients. When the oil in the wok is hot add onions and fry.  If you sprinkle a pinch of salt the onion will fry faster. add garlic and ginger,green chili and curry leaves and fry.
4. Now is the time to add spices. Add cinnamon powder,  fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds, turmeric powder,  curry leaves and pepper powder. Fry for 1 minute.
5. Add all the vegetables and add 6 cups of water and bring to the boil. Please note that we did not fry chayote. Reduce the heat to medium and add tamarind extracted and salt. Cover the wok or saucepan and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the cover and continue cooking open for another 5 minutes.
6. Add coconut milk and boil uncovered for 3 minutes.
7. Switch off the head.

Curry is ready. It can be served with rice, noodles, pasta or bread.


Nutrition data for this recipe
Nutrition content is computed by adding nutrition values of individual ingredients according to the USDA nutrition database. Water shown here is what is found in the ingredients and not the water added while cooking. This is only an approximation. For further information please read my post “Nutrition information for my recipes.”
 Click the button below to view the nutrition data. Click again to close it.

Cream of Chicken Soup

Cream of Chicken Soup

Chicken

Chicken is the popular meat in the world. It is freely available. It is cheaper than red meats.  You can get in many forms such as legs, drumsticks, wings, breasts etc. It is available in fresh and frozen form. Various breeds are also available. Organic chicken is the best but most expensive too. Free range birds and wild birds are tastier and a little cheaper than organic chicken. It helps people to consume less red meat which causes many health problems.

As the breeding time is short (around 8 to 10 weeks) compared to animals the supply is always abundant. The tender white meat has a delicate flavor that blends well with many ingredients. It is easy  and takes less time to cook than other meats.

Chicken is nutritious too. It is high in protein. The amino-acid called tryptophan, present in the chicken helps relieve depression and increase serotonin level in the brain. You will find the nutritional facts of chicken in this page.

Store chicken in deep freezer or in the freezer compartment of your refrigerator. Always keep the chicken in water tight plastic bags or wrappers. In the deep freezer store raw meats separate from cooked food. It is good to freeze the chicken in shortest possible time. That is why commercial slaughter houses use plate freezers to freeze chicken instantly. This locks in the taste and prevents bacterial growth. The freezer compartment in the fridge will freeze faster than the deep freezer. Therefore it will be a good idea to freeze the raw chicken in the freezer compartment of the fridge first and then transfer to the deep freezer.

Thaw chicken in the refrigerator. This will take up to 24 hours depending on the weight of the chicken and the length of time it was in the freezer. You can thaw it in cold water, provided the chicken is in a water tight plastic bag. Change water several times. This may take up to 2 hours to thaw in this manner.  You can thaw it in a microwave too. This may take about 30 minutes. It should be done in several steps each taking about 5 or 10 minutes and pausing for a few minutes on each step. If you thaw continuously the chicken will be over heated and cooked. You should avoid thawing chicken on counter top.

                               Recipe summary

                                          For 
                          Cream of Chicken Soup

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 40 minutes

Serves: 4

    1.Slice 500 grams  chicken breast into ½ inch cubes and put in a large pot. 

Ingredients

    2.Add 3 cups water, 2 cups chicken stock, 1 chopped garlic clove, 1 carrot slice thinly into 1" pieces,, 1 stalk celery cut into 1 " pieces, and 1 chopped onion   ½  tsp salt .  Bring to boil Stir in 25 grams  all-purpose flour. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

   
    3.Take the pot from the heat and
   let it cool for 10 minutes.

   4. Take out a few chicken pieces and set aside.

Cream of chicken soup final

   5. Add  ½  cup cream.

   6. Taste for salt and adjust. If the salt is adequate you can skip the salt mentioned in the recipe. Your broth may contain adequate salt.

   6. Puree in a food processor or blender to desired smoothness.

   7.  Heat the soup to serving temperature.  Sprinkle ¼ tsp pepper powder and remove from heat.

   
   8. Ladle into individual bowls and add a few pieces of chicken (reserved earlier) for each bowl.

    9. Garnish and serve hot with rice or bread.

                      Cream of Chicken Soup is ready.                                                   

                      
                      Recipe  follows in detail with pictures.

Cream of Chicken Soup

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 40 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients

500 gram chicken breast boneless

Chopped Chicken

25 grams all-purpose floor

All purpose flour

2 cups chicken stock

Chicken stock

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 carrot peeled and sliced thinly lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces.

1 celery stalk finely sliced lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces

1 onion, roughly chopped

Ingredients for Cream of Chicken Soup

½ cup cream

½ teaspoons salt

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon of finely chopped scallion to garnish

3 cups water

The soup after boiling

Boiled soup before pureeing

Method

1.    
      1. Slice chicken breast into ½ inch cubes and put in a large pot. Add water, chicken stock, garlic, carrot, celery, and onion. Stir in the all-purpose flour. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

   2. Take the pot from the heat and let it cool for 10 minutes.

   3. Take out a few chicken pieces and set aside.

   4. Add  cream.

   5. Taste for salt and adjust. If the salt is adequate you can skip the salt mentioned in the recipe. Your broth may contain adequate salt.

   6. Puree in a food processor or blender to desired smoothness.

   7.  Heat the soup to serving temperature.  Sprinkle pepper powder and remove from heat.

    8. Ladle into individual bowls and add a few pieces of chicken (reserved earlier) for each bowl.

    9. Garnish and serve hot with rice or bread.

Cream of Chicken Soup in a bowl

Sometimes I add a can of cream of chicken to extend the soup and to enhance the flavour.

Nutrition data for this recipe
Nutrition content is computed by adding nutrition values of individual ingredients according to the USDA nutrition database. Water shown here is what is found in the ingredients and not the water added while cooking. This is only an approximation. For further information please read my ost “Nutrition information for my recipes,”


 Click the button below to view the nutrition data. Click again to close it.

Potato Soup

Potato soup

        

   

                               Recipe summary

                                          For

                                    Potato soup

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 25 minutes

Serves : 8-10

1. Wash and peel 450 grams potatoes 

Cut into small pieces of 5 mm in size

Russet potato

2. Chop 130 grams (medium size) onion .

Potato soup peeled

3. Melt 15 grams butter and in a sauce pan and 1 teaspoon olive oil when it begins to foam add the potatoes, onion, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 gram pepper powder ¼ tea spoon.  Toss until the potatoes and onions are well coated with butter.

4. Cover the pan with the lid. Simmer in low heat for about 10 minutes.

5. Add 1 litre of vegetable stock and bring it to the boil. Lower the heat and simmer for another 10 minutes or until the potatoes are soft and well cooked.

6. Mix 3 tablespoon all purpose and 4 tablespoon cream to the potatoes in the pan and simmer for 3 minutes. Let it cool.

7. Blend the mixture in a liquidizer or food processor until smooth and fine or to your desired consistency.

Taste and adjust seasoning.

Garnish with thinly diced 1 sprig spring onion. Serve hot.

                                                  

              Recipe follows in detail with pictures.      
     
                                

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 25 minutes

Serves : 8-10

Ingredients

Main
450 grams Russet potatoes

Others
130 grams onion 1 medium size

15 grams butter

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 litre of vegetable stock

4 tablespoon cream

1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

1 gram pepper powder ¼ tea spoon

1 sprig spring onion

3 tablespoon all purpose flour

Russet potato peeled

Preparation

Potato cubed

Onion chopped

Cream

1. Wash and peel the potatoes and onion. Cut into small pieces of 5 mm in size
2. Melt the butter in a sauce pan and when it begins to foam add the potatoes, onion, salt and pepper. Toss until the potatoes and onions are well coated with butter.
3. Cover the pan with the lid. Simmer in low heat for about 10 minutes.
4. Add the stock and bring it to the boil. Lower the heat and simmer for another 10 minutes or until the potatoes are soft and well cooked.
5. Mix the all purpose flour and  the cream to the potatoes in the pan and blend the mixture in a liquidizer or food processor until smooth and fine or to your desired consistency.
6. Taste and adjust seasoning.
7. Garnish with thinly diced spring onion. Serve hot.

Spring onion

Moringa Leaves

Moringa leaves in a bundle

Its botanical name is Moringa oleifera. It is called drumstick tree because of the shape of its fruits. It is called horseradish tree because its root tastes like horse radish. It is also called ben oil or benzoil tree because of the oil extracted from the seeds of the tree. This tree is relatively unheard of in the western world. It grows copiously in sunny areas in the tropics and subtropics.

Moringa drumstick pods

Because of the high nutrition content in the moringa plant food, the tree is called ‘tree of life’, ‘wonder tree’, ‘the magic tree’, and so on. Moringa is a hardy plant requiring very little attention.

Over the past 10 years more than 100 NGOs have helped in planting more than 100 million plants in the African region alone. This was done to alleviate severe malnutrition in that region.

Moringa leaf

Only now the moringa leaves powder has reached the developed world and has proved to be a big hit. Hopefully this will bring some economic relief also to the poverty stricken lands.

Moringa leaves can be dried in a dehydrator or an oven at 50 to 55 degrees centigrade until the leaves become very brittle. Moisture content should be less than 10%, otherwise it may become mouldy. The dried leaves can be powdered in a coffee mill or a similar grinder. Sieve the powder with a fine mesh of 0.5 mm diameter. The powder can be stored in the refrigerator for future use. The powder can be made into a drink by mixing with water, tea by adding hot water or added to soups and gravy.

Moringa seed powder is used as a flocculent in water purification process. When the seed powder is added to the water it binds with the impurities in the water and sedimentation of solid particles (seed powder and insoluble impurities will sediment to the bottom of the tank. The water from the top of the tank is then passed through a slow sand filter tank. Removal of solid impurities reduces the frequency of cleaning of filter surface.

Moringa leaves have anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal properties. In the countries where moringa grows well people have used the leaves as folk medicine to relieve skin infection, treat wounds and cuts and even to stop headache.

The fruit and the leaves are cooked and eaten. Moringa leaves are a rich source of ascorbic acid, calcium, phosphorus, vitamin E low levels of oxalates. They provide nutrients that protect the eyes, bones, heart, blood and skin.

Moringa flowers are very fragrant and are used in the manufacture of cosmetics and moisturizers. Moringa flowers are also used as cold remedy, to ease urination and increase mother’s milk.

Moringa leaves can be used as fertilizer because if their rich nitrogen content. They also prevent pests and fungal growth in plants.



Nutrition value for 100 grams of moringa leaves
Moisture % 79.2
Oxalic Acid 431.6 mg
Fibres 0.90 g
Carbohydrates 12.5 g
Protein 6.7 g

Calories 92

Minerals

Iron 0.26 mg
Phosphorous 70 mg
Calcium   440 mg  
Potassium   259 mg  
Copper 0.07 mg
Iron 0.85 mg
Magnesium 42 mg
Zinc 0.16 mg

Vitamins

Vitamin A   6.78 mg  
Vitamin C   220 mg
Vitamin B1 (Thiamin) 0.06 mg
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 0.05 mg
Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 0.8 mg
Vitamin E 448 mg

Amino Acids

Arginine 406.6 mg
Histidine 149.8 mg
Isoleucine 299.6 mg
Leucine 492.2 mg
Lysine 342.4 mg
Methionine 117.7 mg
Phenylalinine 310.3 mg
Threonine 117.7 mg
Tryptophan 107 mg
Valine 374.5 mg

Vitamin C - 7 times that of orange
Vitamin A - 4 times of carrot
Calcium - 4 times that of milk
Potassium - 3 times that of banana
Protein - 2 times that of yoghurt
Antioxidants:  46 types of antioxidants are found in leaves
Amino acids – 18 types of which 10 are essential amino acids. This makes it a complete protein.
Source: USDA

Here is a documentary on Youtube on miracle tree by Discovery Channel

Other moringa recipe:
Moringa Leaves Sothi  - Moringa Leaves Coconut milk Soup
Mild Moringa Drumstics and Raw Plantain Curry
Moringa leaves stir-fry
Moringa Fried Rice

Calabash Soup - Bottle Gourd Soup

This is a simple and very nutritious soup. It is vegetarian. It is very delicious. Vegans can substitute the cream with 4 tablespoons of coconut milk. Coconut will make it more nutritious and tastier. Coconut is now accepted as a super food.
 Chick pea is added to give some thickness to the soup and to provide protein for vegetarians. If you want a light and clear soup you can leave out the chick peas. Soup will still be tasty.


You can substitute cream with unsweetened evaporated milk.

Calabash

                                      Recipe summary
                                                 For
                         Calabash Soup - Bottle Gourd Soup
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes

Serves 4

1. Wash 250 grams calabash and  peel the skin. Cut length wise into quarters. Scoop out the core – the white soft flesh with seeds in the middle and discard. - Slice into 1” x ½ in pieces.

Calabash

2. Soak 50 grams split pea for 4 hours and boil it for 35 minutes or till it becomes soft. Drain and reserve.

3. In a sauce pan add 2 cups of water, calabash pieces, ½ cup vegetable stock, 1 chopped onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, ¼ teaspoon finely chopped ginger. .

4. Bring to a boil in high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for 25 minutes or until calabash is well cooked.

5. Remove from heat and let it cool for 10 minutes.

6. In a blender or food processor add the cooked chick peas and calabash along with the liquid in the saucepan and puree it fine.

7. Pour the pureed mix into the saucepan and add 5 table spoon  cream. Bring to boil. Season with salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning. Heat the soup to serving temperature.

                
Calabash Soup - Bottle Gourd Soup is ready.

                                 

                   Recipe follows in detail with pictures.                    
           

                                       

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients

Main

250 grams calabash
50 grams split pea
Others
½ cup vegetable stock
2 cloves garlic finely chopped
¼ teaspoon ginger finely chopped
1 onion chopped (70 grams)
5 tablespoon cream
½ teaspoon salt or to taste
¼ teaspoon black pepper powder
2 cups water

Onion and garlic

Vegetable stock

Preparation

1. Wash and peel calabash. Cut length wise into quarters. Scoop out the core – the white soft flesh with seeds in the middle and discard.

Calabash peeled

Calabash quartered and core removed

2. Slice into 1” x ½ in pieces.

Sliced calabash

Method

1. Soak the split pea for 4 hours and boil it for 35 minutes or till it becomes soft.
2. Drain and reserve
3. In a sauce pan add 2 cups of water, calabash pieces, vegetable stock, garlic, and ginger.
4. Bring to a boil in high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for 25 minutes or until calabash is well cooked.
5. Remove from heat and let it cool for 10 minutes.
6. In a blender or food processor add the cooked chick peas and calabash along with the liquid in the saucepan and puree it fine.
7. Pour the pureed mix into the saucepan and add the cream. Season with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning. Heat the soup to serving temperature.
8. Serve hot.

The soup can be served by itself or as a starter. It can also be served with bread or rice.

Nutrition data for this recipe
Nutrition content is computed by adding nutrition values of individual ingredients according to the USDA nutrition database. Water shown here is what is found in the ingredients and not the water added while cooking.
Click the button below to view the nutrition data. Click again to close it.

 
Read this article for an overview on calabash vegetable.

Other Calabash recipes

Calabash (Bottle Gourd)
Calabash (Bottle gourd) salad
Calabash (bottle gourd) stir-fry

Calabash (Bottle gourd) mild curry