Roasted Fennel and Carrot Soup

Ingredients:


Fennel Bulb



Carrot - 1 lb (roughly chopped)

Fennel Bulb - 1 (stems removed and roughly chopped)

Onion - 1 (chopped)

Garlic - 2 cloves (optional)

Ginger - small piece

Jalapeno Pepper - 1 or to taste (seeded and cut into half)

Salt - to taste

Milk - 1/4 cup

Vegetable Stock or Water - 2 to 3 cups

Olive oil - 2 TBSP

Ground Black Pepper - for garnishing



Method:

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degree F.

2. Place all the vegetables in a baking sheet and coat with olive oil.

3. Roast the vegetables in the oven for 30 minutes, flipping occasionally until tender and brown. 

4. Remove the vegetables from the oven and let it cool.

5. Transfer the veggies to a blender or food processor and blend with vegetable stock or water until smooth.
6. Transfer the puree into a saucepan and add 1/4 cup milk and salt.

7. Cook for 5 minutes or until soup is heated through.  Add more liquid if needed, for the right consistency.

8. Serve hot.

Sending this to Priya's Warm Soups Event.

Sweet Potato Poli

Wishing You all a Very Happy Pongal / Sankranti

Ingredients:
Sweet Potato - 4
All Purpose Flour - 1 cup
Coarse Sooji / Rava - 2 TBSP
Rice Flour - 1 TBSP
Pinch of Slat
Ghee - 2 tsp
Sugar - 3/4 cup
Cardamom Powder - 1 tsp

Method:

1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, rava, and rice flour, salt and ghee.  Add enough water and make a soft dough. Cover and keep it for 30 minutes.
2. Cook sweet potato until soft in a pressure cooker or on stove top.
3. Peel and cut the sweet potatoes into small pieces and mash it well.
4. Add sugar to the mashed potato and cook for 5 to 10 minutes until the sugar dissolves.
5. Keep it aside to cool.
6. Add cardamom and mix it well.
7. Grease a plastic sheet or a plantain leaf with some ghee and take a lemon sized dough and flatten it.
8. Take a doubled amount of sweet potato mixture and place it in the middle of the dough and close the edges.
9. Flatten the dough ball  into medium size discs with your fingers using some ghee. 
10. Heat a skillet and fry the discs on both sides using some more ghee.
11. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Swiss Chard and Cubanelle Pepper Stir-Fry

Ingredients:
Swiss Chard - 1 bunch  (washed and chopped with stems)
Cubanelle peppers - 5  (cut into long strips)
Onion - 1  (chopped)
Tomato- 2  (chopped)
Grated Ginger - 2 tsp
Red Chillies - 2
Mustard Seeds -  1 tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
Urad Dal - 2 tsp
Sambar Powder - 2 tsp
Chili Powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Oil - 2 tsp

Method:

1. Heat oil in a wide bottomed pan and splutter mustard seeds.  Add cumin seeds, broken red chillies, urad dal and fry for 30 seconds.
2. Add the chopped onions and fry until translucent.  Add the grated ginger, chopped tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes.
3. Add sambar powder, chili powder and turmeric powder and mix well.
4. Add the cubanelle peppers, mix to coat the spices, cover the pan and cook for 5 minutes stirring couple of times in between.  Make sure not to over cook.  Peppers should be little tender and crunchy.
5. Now add the chopped chard and salt.  Mix thoroughly.  Cook uncovered for 5 -7 minutes.
6. Serve hot with steamed rice or roti.