Minestrone Soup

What is on the top of your list when you proceed on a vacation? Packing, you say? Ummm, that's on my list too. But what comes as a close second is clearing the refrigerator. And what a task it is. Advance planning really tires me, and hence i find this chore a bit intimidating. Making sure that milk is not purchased on the day before traveling, the fresh veggies are consumed and leftovers are dealth with saps me out of my energy.

This Diwali, we visited our parents for a few days, and the task of cleaning the refrigerator loomed ahead. What I encountered was this: boiled kidney beans (leftover from the Rajma Masala prepared a couple of days back), one boiled potato, a few tomatoes, and an assortment of veggies. What finally resulted was this filling Minestrone Soup.

Apparently, there is no fixed recipe for Minestrone Soup and can be made with any vegetables at hand. The method I have used is based more on my experimentation rather than any fixed source.

Ingredients:

Boiled kidney beans / Rajma: 3/4 cup

Pasta of your choice: 3/4 cup

Mixed Vegetables (potatoes, peas, carrots, beans, corn kernels, capsicum, cauliflower florets), chopped: 3/4 - 1 cup

Tomatoes: 2 medium, one chopped and one pureed

Onion: 1 small, finely chopped

Garlic: 2 small cloves, finely chopped

Oil: 1 - 2 tbsp

Salt, pepper: to taste

Water / Vegetable Stock: 4 - 6 cups

Method:

- Boil the pasta as per the instruction on the pack. Drain and wash with cold water. Keep aside. I used Macaroni since that was the only pasta I had in store.

- Heat oil in a pan. Add the chopped garlic and onions. Saute till the onions turn translucent

- Add the chopped and pureed tomatoes. Cook on medium heatfor 3 - 4 minutes. I prefer a more tangy flavour and hence used 1/2 a tomato more. You may adjust the quantity to suit your taste.

- Add the chopped vegetables and saute for another 2 - 3 minutes

- Add the kidney beans, pasta. Add water / stock and salt to taste. Bring to a boil.

- Cover and cook on low heat till the vegetables are cooked, but still a little crunchy. Add more water if required to achieve the desired consistency.

- Adjust salt, and pepper

- Serve hot

Note: You can also add grated cheese to enhance the flavor.

This soup is my contribution to JFI: Rajma, the event created by Indira of Mahanandi, and hosted this month by Divya of Dil Se.

It also makes its way to Presto Pasta Night # 137, created by Ruth from Once Upon a Feast, and hosted this week by Haalo of Cook (Almost) Anything At least Once.

Maggi Noodle Soup: A dedication to the 2 – minute Noodles

As Nestle “Maggi Noodles” celebrates its 25 years of association with India, I do feel nostalgic. The “2 minute” noodles were introduced in India in the early 80’s, and Nestle had really tried hard to sell it to the Indian Market. They realized it would be easier to please the children, rather than their parents. I remember schemes like getting a toy car (Zoomie!) if you buy 10 packs together, or being part of Maggi Clubs if you could send 3 empty wrappers. We even had the Nestle folks in school, distributing hot noodles to the children (for free)!
And I must say that they were quite successful in making an impact. Our generation (and the ones after ours) definitely associates with the product – instant, for the bachelors, a meal when you are in no mood to cook are phrases which are linked with it. Statements like “I – cannot – cook – anything –except – tea – and – Maggi” have been heard quite often.


My memories with Maggi are so many. Sitting with friends on the terrace during winters, with plates of steaming Maggi, and hot cups of coffee is by far the favorite.
Another is in the early 90’s, when my brother and I were going thru my Mom’s recipe collection and we found this old pamphlet which had been distributed by Maggi at some point of time – it had recipes you could prepare using the noodles. The pamphlet was surely an old one because it featured flavors which had long been discontinued – “Capsica” and “Sweet and Sour”. It had one recipe which we tried and it became an instant favorite. It was the Maggi Noodle Soup using the “Masala Tastemaker”.
I still make it, even after so many years, and so does my brother. Though my brother claims that I have forgotten the “original version”, it still tastes yummy!

Ingredients (Serves 2):
1 packet Maggi Noodles with Masala Tastemaker
One small onion, sliced
One medium tomato, chopped roughly
A handful of spring onion greens, chopped
2 tsp oil
3 cups water
Salt to taste

Method:
- Heat oil in a pan. Add the onions and sauté till translucent
- Add the tomatoes and stir fry till they are cooked, and the oil begins to separate
- Add the spring onions and cook for another minute
- Add the water and the tastemaker, and bring to a boil
- Add the noodles, and cook till they are soft
- Adjust salt to taste
- Serve hot!


This recipe also goes to the Soup 'N' Juice Event, hosted by Sireesha.

Colorful Vegetable Soup

This was a favorite soup when I was in UK during winters. It’s relatively easy to make. Especially simple if you have frozen veggies at hand.

Adapted from Sanjeev Kapoor’s recipe of Celestial Vegetable Soup, with come variations of my own.

Ingredients:
Frozen Peas: ¾ Cup
Mixed vegetables (chopped Carrots, Broccoli florets, cauliflower florets): 1 cup
Mushrooms (Sliced / quartered): 8 – 10
Capsicum (Red / Yellow / Green): 1 cup (cut in cubes)
Onion (chopped): ½ cup
Spring Onion greens (chopped): ¼ cup
Corn flour: 1 tbsp
Oil: 2 tbsp
Salt: To taste
Vegetable Stock / water: 3 cups
Whole dry red chili (crushed) / Chili flakes: ½ tsp

Method:
- If you are using fresh vegetables (peas, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower), microwave them in 2 cups of water for 5 min, or boil them on the gas stove for 5 – 7 min
- Heat oil in a thick bottomed pan. Add the chopped onions, and sauté till they turn translucent
- Add the (frozen) peas, mixed vegetables (frozen / boiled) and stir fry on medium heat for 2 – 3 minutes
- Add the mushrooms and capsicum and stir fry for another 2 – 3 minutes
- Add half the spring onions and stir fry for another minute
- Add the vegetable stock / water and bring to a boil. Add the salt, and lower the flame
- Dissolve the corn flour in half cup of water and add, stirring continuously
- Add the crushed red chilies and the rest of the spring onions
- Boil on high heat for another 1 – 2 minutes.
- Serve immediately

Why I recommend this soup?
- Apart from being colorful, I find it different than the rest of the “Mix Vegetable Soups”. The crushed chili adds that zing to the flavor, which is very different from the pepper normally used
- It allows flexibility and you can add corn niblets, tofu, paneer and / or french beans based on your choice.