Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Spicy Mexican soup

 
It was yet another cold chilly evening. I came back from work with my mind set on this soup! Don't ask me how or why. I wanted to have a spicy soup. I searched on the web for a spicy soup and this soup  is a combination of several recipes I saw. I went to the grocery store and bought the canned stuff and the tortilla chips! I felt the chips would add a nice crunch to the spiciness of the soup. Unfortunately my son took a fancy to the chips and finished them all! Hey add the chips if you have them, the soup is great even without it.


 
Ingredients
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion diced
2-3 large green/yellow/orange peppers
3 cloves garlic, minced
2- chopped jalapenos
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes with chipotle peppers
1  whole corn cob boiled and then its kernels removed from the cob
salt and pepper to taste
handful of coriander leaves 

 
tortilla chips - as much needed  (optional)
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (optional)
dollop of sour cream (optional) 


How To

Turn on the broiler. Cut the green/yellow peppers and sprinkle oil and char in the broiler for 10 min. Let it cool and cut into small pieces (remove the black pieces if any on the peppers).
Heat about 1 table spoon oil in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in the onion and minced garlic and cook for 5 minutes, until onion is translucent. Add the charred peppers and the ground cumin.
Mix in the tomatoes with the chipotle from the can. Add the chopped jalapenos. Pour in about 2-3 cups of water, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer 30 minutes.
Mix the corn into the soup, and continue cooking 5 minutes.


Serve in bowls and add coriander leaves and tortilla chips (if you have any). Top with cheese (if desired) or sour cream.




While you enjoy this spicy soup, I would like to thank Viki for sending over these lovely awards... Thanks Viki! Hop over to her blog to see the yummy treats she creates and shares...


See you again soon!

Sunday, January 1, 2012

Happy New Year 2012

Here is wishing everyone a lovely New Year ahead! Also my toddling blog turns 3 today. I know I haven't been a regular here, but have to celebrate this blogging birthday with a cake today. I love mangoes and when I saw this cake at Evolving Tastes I knew I had to make it once. I love the taste of this cake, but it reminds me more of a rava mango halwa, than a mango cake... Hey but if you like sweets and like mangoes, you will enjoy it, after all whats in a name!

Ingredients

2 and 1/2 cup suji/rava
3 cups Mango pulp ( I used store bought Kesar Mango pulp)
1/2 cup Butter (melted)
1/2 cup sugar
2 and 1/2 tea spoon baking powder
1 tea spoon ground cardamom
handful of raisins and cashew nut (optional)



How To
This is a super easy recipe. Mix the dry ingredients separately from the wet ones initially. You don't need a mixie or a beater.
Then combine all the ingredients together and set aside for 10-15 min.
Pre heat oven to 375 F.
Pour the batter into a baking pan and bake the cake for 25-30 min.

Note 
This measurement made 1 big cake and 6 cup cakes.
As suggested by Evolving Tastes in the comments below, please use fine suji for a cake like texture.
My cake was over-baked and less sweet. So keep an eye on the cake, once done remove from the oven. It should be a nice golden yellow color cake.
My cake was slightly less sweet, so I sprinkled some powdered sugar. You can add an orange glaze.
I also tried mine with hazel nut spread! I found it divine - you tell me how you enjoyed it ?

My cup cake with icing sugar dusting and hazel nut spread