Pumpkin And Shrimp Soup For Halloween

A very very happy Halloween to you all. When its Halloween it means loads of pumpkin in your kitchen counter. So today I thought to share a delicious, healthy pumpkin soup with shrimp. The combination of pumpkin and shrimp may seem unusual but this can be a surprisingly, delicious, fantastic fall soup which everyone can enjoy. Pumpkin soup with shrimp is easy, simple and very quick to make. So taste this wonderful soup and let me know how you arrange your Halloween party where terror turned into a treat!


Ingredients

Pumpkin puree 1 cup
Chicken  stock   2 cups
Shrimp    6 to 8
Garlic   1 tsp chopped
Butter/diet butter   1tsp
Sugar  a pinch
Corn starch  1tsp (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

Procedure
First wash and devein the shrimp and marinate it with little lemon juice and pinch of salt. Now in a pan heat butter add chopped garlic and the shrimp stir for a minute then add pumpkin puree and chicken stock (you can use plain water if you want) let it boil for 5 to 6 minutes. Then add sugar, salt and pepper. Mix well. If you want thick consistency of your pumpkin soup then mix cornstarch with two table spoon of water and add it to the soup. Boil it for another minute or two you will get your desired consistency a thick yummy soup. You can make it richer by adding fresh cream but my waist line will not permit me to be that liberal so I leave that creamy part and have this wonderfully delicious pumpkin shrimp soup with warm crusty bread and believe me its yuuuuuumy!

Be Happy And Stay Healthy.

Tofu Bell Pepper Curry With Chopped Pistachio

Fist of all I want to wish you all A Very Happy Belated Diwali. I was busy in the entire festival hustle bustle so all my post delayed.
I am sharing today a very delicious recipe which I make this Diwali. In the day of Diwali we don’t eat any non veg items even onion and garlic are not allowed in the dish. So I make a simple curry with little spices but the twist of this simple yet elegant recipe is when you add generous amount of chopped pistachio. I hope you all will enjoy Tofu bell pepper curry with chopped pistachio.



Ingredients:

Tofu/ Paneer cube   1 cup
Bell pepper cube   1 cup
Tomato cubed     ½ cup
Tomato puree      ¼  cup
Potato cubed        ½ cup
Cayenne powder ½ tsp (optional)
Sugar   ½ tsp
Fenugreek seed  ¼ tsp
Carom seed /Ajwain  ¼ tsp
Asafetida/hing  ¼ tsp
Oil    3 tbsp
Pistachio  4 tbsp chopped 
Salt and pepper   to taste 

Procedure:
Heat oil in a pan. Add fenugreek seed and carom seed when they start to splutter add the cubed potato and stir until the potato are cooked and fried a little bit. Then add the tomato cube and bell pepper cube and the tomato puree, asafetida, cayenne powder (if using), pepper, sugar and salt and stir and cook for few minutes. Add a cup of water and let it boil for another 4 to 5 minutes on high flame while it is boiling add cubed tofu. The gravy will be almost dry then add chopped pistachio (if you are not that calorie conscious then you can slightly toast this chopped pistachio on butter and use it). Don’t use all the pistachio, keep some for garnish and your tofu bell pepper curry is ready. Have it with bread rolls or naan paratha or simple flat breads. Tofu bell pepper curry has a very unique flavor and a very pleasing and smooth taste. I am sure you will love this taste.

Sending this recipe to Ammaji's Recipe blog event Cooking without Onion And Garlic

Be Happy And Stay Healthy.

Baked Beans and Shrimp stuffed Bread Rolls

When festive season is over and still you don’t came out from the hangover of all the fun what do you do..... I call few friends and arrange a snacks party. Good thing about this party is all of my friends bring their favorite snacks and with them I get the inspiration to create a lip smacking snacks… stuffed bread rolls with baked beans and shrimp. This dish is easy, quick and taste great.


Ingredients:

White bread slice  8 to 10
Egg 1
Nigella seeds  ½ tsp
All purpose flour   2 to 3 table spoon
Canola oil/ sunflower oil/ olive oil   2 to 3 table spoon
 For stuffing
Canned baked beans   1/2  cup
Mixed vegetable 1/2  cup finely chopped 
(carrot, beetroot, cabbage, red and green bell pepper)
Onion, ginger and garlic paste 1 tsp
Shrimp  1/4  cup chopped
Butter  ½ tsp
Grated cheese  1 tsp
Chopped cilantro ½ tsp
Sunflower oil  1tsp
Salt and pepper to taste 

Procedure:
First heat one teaspoon of oil on a pan then add the ginger, garlic & onion paste. Stir ten add the shrimp stir and cook for ½ minute then add all finely chopped vegetable. Cook for a minute. Then add the baked beans, salt and pepper. Stir and mix the whole thing well. If the mixture become two dry add 3 to 4 table spoon of water. Add butter and cheese mix well. Adjust seasoning and finish with very finely chopped cilantro. Your stuffing is ready.
Now take fresh bread slices and chop the edges. Sprinkle little water on both side then press it with a rolling pin or with your hands. Make sure that the bread is not too wet otherwise you will face difficulty rolling it. Now put a table spoon of the stuffing and roll it with little bit of water in your finger press the ends to seal it. In a bowl beat egg with a pinch of salt and pepper. On another plate mix nigella seed with all purpose flour. Now brush egg on the bread rolls and then roll on the flour mixture. Now heat oil in a pan and shallow fry all the bread rolls till they are little golden in color. Cut them into halves and serve hot with sliced onion.
I am sure you like the taste of this bread rolls.

Be Happy And Stay Healthy.

Durga Puja Festival 2011 From Kolkata

First I want to declare the winner of the book Kitchen Counter Cooking School
by Kathleen Flinn and the winner is Nami from Just One Cook Book.
Congratulation Nami and I am sure you will enjoy the book.

Today I am not sharing any recipes but as I promised I am sharing few festive moments some delicious foods from the grand festival of my town Kolkata and I hope you all will love it for more pics from the event visit me on flicker.

The fist image is of the two signature sweets of Bengal Rosogolla and Chanar Jilapi. Rosogolla are melt in a mouth small balls made of Indian cottage cheese or chana dipped in simple syrup. The other one Chaner jilapi is also made from Indian cottage cheese but this are fried and then dipped in simple syrup. Both are mouthwatering and are hot favorite during this festive season.

This is the traditional idol of Mother Goddess Durga and her two son Lord Ganesha And Lord Kartikeya and her two daughter Maa Lakshmi (goddess of wealth) and Maa Swaraswati (godess of knowledge).



This are called pandals where Maa Durga is worshiped for five days. People from all over the world visit Kolkata to see this five days architectural wonders. You will not find any similar pandals, each one is unique in it's own beauty.

Chandelier from a puja pandal.

Catch more action of the festival in my flicker slide show.





I hope you will love it. If you are planning to visit India then I will love to invite you in Kolkata in this festive season next year. Durga puja is not a religious festival but a carnival where you will find celebration of life.

Be Happy And Stay Healthy.