Quick and Easy Broccoli Cheese Soup Recipe

Quick & Easy Broccoli Cheese Soup

When life gives you lemons, use them to make lemonade”, is an age-old adage used to encourage positivity in any situation you are put into.

Well, today I wish to add to make another saying. When life gives you broccoli, use it to make a quick & easy Broccoli cheese soup.

So are you ready to make a delicious creamy broccoli soup with me? The best part of this soup is filling and very easy to make.  Yet it is a different soup, unlike the regular ones we make eg - Tomato or Spinach soup.  It is very healthy and has fab nutrient content.

This Broccoli soup was made with a twist. I added a dash of Parmesan Cheese to it. I have used Dlecta There’s just something magical about a hearty bowl of soup in your belly sipping warm soup as you watch your favorite TV aerial on the weekend.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon butter
1 chopped onion
3 cups fresh broccoli
1 potato
1/2 teaspoon  thyme (optional)
1 Chicken Stock Cube ( can use veg option)
2 garlic pods
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tbsp fresh cream
1 heaped tbsp fresh parmesan cheese.

Method

1. Take a large saucepan, melt the butter and lightly saute the garlic.

2. Add the chopped onion, broccoli flowerets and chopped potato to this. Stir for about two minutes until vegetables soften

3. Now add the chicken cube, one glass of water to this. Simmer until broccoli is softened, about 8 minutes.

4. For faster results pressure cooker this for one whistle or maximum 5 minutes. We don't want to overcook it as the nutrients get destroyed.

5. Now transfer the vegetables into a blender and make a fine paste of it.

6. Place it back in the saucepan on low flame.to simmer. Add the pepper and thyme at this stage.

7. Lastly, add fresh cream.  At this stage no not add any water as the taste will get adulterated.

8. Turn off the heat and continue whisking until thick and bubbly.

9. Stir in cheeses & serve immediately. You can serve it with soup sticks or garlic bread.

Note 

You can even take the stems of Broccoli for this recipe.
The color of the soup can vary from yellow-green to light green. But that doesn't matter as you are definitely going to love the warm mushy soup.

Pepper chicken with mushroom sauce

Hello Everyone,

 I am Farzeen Irani, Sweetannu's sister. Today I will share a simple recipe of mine that is ready to be served on the table in  just 15 minutes.This recipe is totally my own invention. You can check the step by step recipe in the images I have shared below.

Pepper chicken with mushroom sauce

 

Ingredients 

For stir fry chicken breast

Boneless chicken breast,

Salt n pepper

Barbeque sauce (optional)

Garlic paste

Olive oil

For mushroom sauce

Few freshly sliced mushrooms

1 tsp Basil
1 tsp parsley

1/2 cup grated cheese

1 tbsp fresh cream

1 tsp Pepper powder

Avoid salt since you are adding cheese

Step by step Method

 

1. Slice the chicken breast in half and marinate with salt, pepper, garlic and olive oil. Barbeque sauce is optional. Leave for 10-15 minutes. Pan fry on both sides for 5 minutes till done. Chicken breast doesn't take a long time to cook. If you over cook it, it gets chewy and is not enjoyable.

2. Chop the mushrooms,basil, parsley and grate the cheese. It is always good to prep before cooking as it saves time and you enjoy cooking when every thing is ready.

3. In a sauce pan add the  fresh cream and bring to boil on a slow flame. Now add the mushrooms, parsley, basil cheese and mushrooms. Season with pepper. Cook on a slow flame till you get a thick sauce and mushrooms are mushy.

4. Once the sauce is done, arrange the chicken fillet and serve mushrooms on the side. A slice of garlic bread and wine would be so fine. Dine in style because its saturday night.

Bon appétit Everyone

Maharashtrian style stuffed brinjal masala

Hello Friends,

I want to narrate an incident before I start the recipe of the day. This is when l was newly married. I still remember the episode while I was buying brinjals at a vegetable market in Worli. The vegetable vendor asked me how I was going to prepare it. Baingan ka Bharta is what I replied. It's easy to prepare and turns out delicious, I added.
 She then shared a typical Maharastrian stuffed Brinjal recipe with coconut and peanuts.  She even shared a recipe to stuff dry masala in brinjals and cook it quickly without much fuss.

Previously I have shared a baingan bharta recipe with you. Today I am attempting to make the same stuffed version with peanuts and other spices. So let's get Cooking with Sweetannu.

 

Ingredients 


250 gms small brinjals 
3 tbsp oil 


For Masala Stuffing 

1 chopped onion 
2 tbsp peanut powder 
2 tbsp grated coconut
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp corriander powder
Juice of one lime
1 tsp sugar or jaggery
1 tap ginger garlic paste
Corriander leaves for garnish
Salt to taste

Method


 -->Wash and cut the brinjal as shown in picture, ready for stuffing. 


Preparing Stuffing

-->Take a pan, add one tbsp oil. Add onions and saute till translucent.

--> Add Peanuts to it. Dry Roast until they are nicely done.

--> Now add the grated coconut and ginger garlic paste to this and roast till it changes colour. 

--> Remove this mix in a plate.

--> To this mixture add dry spices, lime, salt and sugar. 

--> Stuff the slit brinjals with this mixture. 

--> In the pan now add 2 tbsp oil, place the brinjals in it.

--> Cover and cook the dish on low flame.

--> You can add half a cup of water if you feel the brinjals are sticking to the pan.

--> Let the water dry completely.

 Garnish with corriander and serve it with  it on the side with simple daal, rice and sliced tomatoes. 😋😋😋

Surmai fish curry with tamarind and coconut

Hello Friends,


I just realized that I have posted many chicken recipes and hardly any for fish. Actually eating fish is very healthy as its lower in fat content. Some oily fish are a rich source of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. It's also packed with protein, vitamin B-12 and selenium. I can go on and on with its health benefits but lets get cooking with Surmai (King fish) and make a spicy sour curry with tamarind and coconut milk. 

 
 

Fish is very delicate and doesn't take time to cook like chicken or mutton. King fish has no scales, is an oily fish with only one bone in the middle. It is indeed a fleshy and tasty fish. Note the ingredients this fish curry needs. It can be achieved in 30 minutes or under.

Fresh King Fish

  Ingredients

·        500 gms Kingfish (you can use pomfret too)

·        2 tbsp grated coconut

·        2 tbsp oil

·        2 chopped onions

·        2  chopped tomatoes

·        1 tsp mustard seeds (rai)

·        ½ tsp turmeric

·        1 tsp red chilli powder 

·        1 sprig curry leaves

·        100 gms coconut milk

·        100 gms tamarind pulp 

·        2 cups water 

·        1 tsp ginger garlic paste

·        1 tsp garam masala 

Method 

For Masala

1. Fry the chopped onions in 1 tbsp oil until lightly golden. Add grated coconut curry leaves, garam masala and chilly powder
2. Add the tomatoes to this. Let it all cook together.  
3. Now when this mixture is cool; blend it in a mixer to make a coarse paste. If needed add 2 tbsp water to blend well.
   
   
   For Curry  
1. Add one tbsp oil to the kadai.To the oil  add mustard seeds and let them splutter.
2. Now add the ground masala mixture to the oil and saute it for 5 minutes. 
3. Now add the ginger garlic paste and turmeric powder to this
4.  Add tamarind pulp and coconut milk with one  cup water. Bring it to a boil. Cook until the oil begins to separate and the gravy thickens a bit.
5.  Place the washed pieces of fish slowly and cook on a medium heat cover and cook for 5 more minutes.
6. Add salt to taste.
7. Garnish with coriander leaves. 
   

Serve with pride on the dining table with steamed rice, papad, salad..... and. Oh, I missed the pickle in this picture. But you can add a spoonful of pickle on your plate because it will only enhance the taste of the tamarind fish curry  to make it a finger licking experience.

If you have any queries be free to ask me in the comments below.