Recipes

CREAMY CARROT SOUP

A simple carrot soup which most children enjoy.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
(or half butter, half oil)

1 large onion finely chopped

500g carrots
scrubbed and sliced

4 cups (32 fl oz) vegetable stock
(or water)

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 cup (8 fl oz) milk

Pinch of grated nutmeg

1/cup (4 fl oz) cream or evaporated milk

 Method
In a large, heavy based saucepan, cook the butter, onon and carrots over low heat, tightly covered, for 15-20 minutes.  Stir now and then.  The vegetables must not brown, but this slow cooking brings out the flavours and makes all the difference to the soup.

Add the stock or water, bring to the boil, then simmer for 30 minutes or until the carrots are quite tender.  Cool slightly, then puree in a blender or food processor, return to heat and season to taste.  Stir in milk, nutmeg, cream or evaporated milk and bring almost to the boil.  Serve with crisp, freshly made croutons.

Note:  If liked, rub the croutons lightly with a cut clove of garlic.

Serves:  5-6

 

MUSHROOMS – च्याउ

Ingredients
1 cup of mushrooms
4 teaspoons mustard or vegetable oil
1 medium onion
2 garlic cloves
2.5 cm piece of ginger
1/2 teaspoon chili (optional)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seed
salt to taste

Process
Wash the mushrooms 2 or 3 times.  Break into small pieces by hand.  Mix turmeric rubbing with the hands and allow to stand for at least 10 minutes.  

Heat the oil and fry the fenugreek seeds till they jump and become brown.  Add the mushrooms after squeezing out the turmeric.  Add salt and fry again.  Add the ground spices and some water so as to let it become a paste.  Cook with a little more quantity of water if needed.

Serve hot and dry.

 Joys of Nepalese Cooking:  Indra Majapuria

SPINACH PAKODA पालक पाकोडा

Ingredients
2 cups of the leaves of spinach

1 cup of gram flour (besan)
2 green chillis chopped or 1/2 teaspoon chilli powder (optional)
1 large onion finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
pinch of asafoetida (hing)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup of water or as required
Oil for deep frying

Process
Wash and clean the spinach leaves well.  Cut thickly or use they are.  Mix all the ingredients in gram flour and beat well.  It will become a thick paste.  Mix the spinach leaves.  Beat again.  Add more water if needed.

Heat the oil in frying pan until smoke starts to come.  To make the pakoda crispy, mix a tablespoon of the heated oil in the gram flour.  Fry small balls in the oil until they become light brown.  Adjust the heat accordingly.

Serve hot with a tomato and chili sauce.

Serves
3-4 persons.