Roasted cherry tomatoes, baby carrots & red bell pepper soup

I had a lot of cherry tomatoes here, a soup seemed like a good way to put these tomatoes into use. Found a recipe for Roasted cherry tomato and baby carrot on web and decided to make that. I made a few changes to the original recipe, including cutting it down to feed fewer people. 

Ingredients 

Cherry tomatoes- 1 cup

Baby carrots- 5

Red bell pepper- 1/2 

Garlic cloves- 2, crushed lightly and skin peeled 

Olive oil- 1 tsp

Crushed pepper- to taste

Salt- to taste

Vegetable stock- 1-2 cups

Method 

Pre-heat oven at 250 deg. C for 10 minutes.

Wash, and towel-dry carrots, tomatoes and pepper. 

Line a baking tray with foil, and spread 1/2 tsp olive oil. Place the tomatoes, carrots, garlic cloves and pepper. Sprinkle some olive oil, salt and pepper.

Bake in center rack, reducing the temperature to 220 degrees for 30 minutes, till the tomatoes break into juice.

Cool and blend in a mixer to smooth consistency. Remove in a saucepan, and add vegetable stock to thin. Adjust salt, and pepper. 

Recipe adapted from tongueticklers.com

Kappa Biriyani Recipe

Ingredients 

To prepare beef masala:-

Beef: 1/2 kg

Garam masala: 1/2 tsp

Chilly powder: 2 tsp

Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp

Pepper powder: 1/2 tsp

Coriander powder: 2 tsp

Garlic: 1 tbsp finely chopped 

Ginger: 1 tbsp finely chopped

Curry leaves: 2 stems

Salt to taste

To prepare  kappa:-

Kappa / tapioca: 1 kg, peeled and cut into medium cubes

Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp

Salt to taste

 To prepare the Biriyani:-

Pearl onions (shallots): 15-20, thinly sliced or 1 medium onion, chopped

Green chillies: 2-3 

Turmeric powder: 1/4 tsp

Chilly powder: 1/2 tsp

Pepper powder: 3/4 tsp

Garam masala powder: 1 tsp

Curry leaves: 1-2 sprigs

Salt to taste

Coconut oil: 1-2 tbsp

For the seasoning:-

Coconut oil: 1-2 tsp

Pearl onions: 2-3, thinly sliced

Curry leaves: a few

Coconut: 1/4 cup 

Method

Marinate the beef with all the ingredients listed for beef masala.

Pressure cook the marinated beef pieces adding 1/4 cup water for 3-4 whistles or until done. Set aside.

Cut the tapioca to small dices and cook in water by adding salt and turmeric powder. When done, switch off and drain the water completely.

Heat coconut oil in a pan and add the thinly sliced pearl onions and green chillies. When onion starts to turn brown, bring down the heat to low and add turmeric powder, chilly powder, pepper powder and garam masala. Saute for 8-10 seconds and add the prepared beef gravy.

Cook for 3-4 minutes until the gravy is thick and add the mashed tapioca and a few curry leaves. Mix well. Check for salt.

Meanwhile heat coconut oil in a small pan,  add curry leaves and sliced shallots. When shallots turn brown add grated coconut and fry till coconut turn brown. Pour this over the prepared kappa ( tapioca ) Biriyani and serve.

 

Tomato Bruschetta Recipe

Bruschetta is a classic Italian appetizer. It's just a mixture of chopped tomatoes, balsamic, basil, and garlic, spooned over olive brushed slices of toasted baguette or rustic bread. Plum tomatoes are best for bruschetta because they have thicker flesh with fewer seeds and less juice than regular tomatoes.

Ingredients 

Plum tomatoes: 5 diced small

Garlic: 1 clove, finely chopped 

Extra-virgin olive oil: 4 tbsp

Red pepper flakes: a pinch

Fresh basil leaves: 1/4 cup chopped 

Balsamic vinegar: 1 tbsp

Baguette, sliced into 1/2 inch rounds: about 14 slices

Method

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Add the tomatoes, garlic, 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, red pepper flakes, basil and balsamic vinegar to a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Let sit at room temperature while you toast the bread.

Slice bread and add to a baking sheet in a single layer. Toast in the oven until golden brown about 5 minutes. Top the bread with tomatoes and drizzle with olive oil right before serving.

Pumpkin Thogaiyal (Tamil Recipe)

                        

Ingredients 

Pumpkin: 1/2 cup (cubed)

Urad Dal: 1tbsp

Red Chilli: 4

Asfoetida: a pinch

Tamarind: a small piece

Oil: 1tsp

Coconut (scrapped): 1 tbsp

Salt to taste

Method

Take out the hard skin of the pumpkin and chop them into small cubes.

In a pan add oil and saute the urad dal and red chilli, till the dal turns golden brown.

Keep it aside and Saute the cubed pumpkin in low flame for 10 minutes till the pumpkin shrinks.

When done, allow this to cool and grind it to a smooth paste along with roasted urad dal, red chilli, salt , asafoetida, tamarind and coconut.

Do not add water while grinding. The pumpkin will ooze out water.

If needed sprinkle little water.

Pumpkin Thogaiyal is ready to serve.

Goes well with plain rice and dosa.