Tomato Soup with toasted vegetable Sandwich

“Soup” – the name taken reminds us of cool winter and our cozy house with warm blankets wrapped all across. Tomato Soup with vegetable sandwich is a hearty soup which can be eaten any time during the year and is loved by one and all. To add to the Oomph factor add some oven baked croutons and we are good to go.

Here is the recipe for the Tomato Soup:

1 can tomato (diced or pureed)
1 bay leaf
1 medium onion (finely chopped)
2-3 cloves of garlic (finely chopped)
2 tsp olive oil
2 cups water
3-4 sprigs of coriander leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
Butter to add to the soup

Method:

Heat oil in a pan and add bay leaf to it. Let it simmer for 2 minutes till the oil is fragrant with bay leaf and add garlic and onion to the pan and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add the canned tomatoes along with the juice, coriander leaves and water to the pan and let it simmer for 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from the burner and allow the thick soup to cool down completely. Once cooled remove the bay leaf and blend the soup in the blender till all the tomatoes pieces have broken down and have blended with the soup.

Transfer the blended mixture to the pan again and let it come to a boil. Serve it in a large soup bowl. Add some butter to the soup and serve hot with toasted vegetable sandwich.
The coriander leaves add a lot of flavor and aroma to the tomato soup. This recipe goes to Siri's and Dee's event Herb Mania

Italian Panini with Indian Twist

Panini in italian means sandwich which is normally made from Cibatta bread which is cut horizontally , filled with the filling of ones choice and is sometimes served hot.

Panini can be made using typically any kind of bread and is a great last minute option for suppers and can be eaten in thye form of snack as well.

This sandwich or panini is made with the Italian flavors but is finished with the Indian touch.

Ingredients:

1 Cibatta bread
2-3 basil leaves
Mozarella Cheese 2 slices
1 tomato sliced
1 medium sozed onion sliced horizontally
2 table spoon green chutney
2 table spoon tomato ketchup
1 table spoon butter ( for grilling the panini)
Salt and Pepper to taste

Method:

Slit open the cibatta bread. Place sliced tomato, onion and mozarella cheese on one side of the bread. Apply green chutney and tomato ketchup on the other side of the bread. Place the basil leaves over the sliced mozarella cheese and sprinkle salt and pepper over the cheese. Place the other slice of the bread over the one holding the tomato, onions and mozarella cheese. Butter the cibatta bread from outside on both the sides of the bread. Heat the griller and place the panini on the griller and grill the panini till you have the grilled marks on both the sides of the sandwich.

Alternatively,if you dont have the griller, heat the tava or a gridle and place the buttered sandwich on the tava and place a heavy bottom pan over the panini, so that the weight of the pan presses the panini to the hot tava and we have a toasted panini sandwich with the Indian Twist ready to be served hot with some more green chutney and tomato ketchup. The Italian flavors of tomato, mozarella and basil blends pretty well with green chutney and tomato ketchup which adds the Indian twist to the sandwich.

Sandwich - Mumbai style

I am sure people from Mumbai do miss the roadside sandwich that we get and the sandwich is toasted on the hand toaster over charcoal flames.......... hmm the thought of it makes me go have some sandwich right now. I love the sandwiches that you get near Marine Lines and Kala Ghoda , South Mumbai. And have a glass on ganne ka juice (sugar cane juice)..... what a classic combination.

Anyways... the recipe for a simple sandwich which I make either on the tava or if you have a griller-toaster that would work fine as well.

2 bread slices
1 onion - cut in rings
1 tomato - cut in rings
1 cucumber - cut in rings
1 green capsicum - cut in rings
1 tsp butter - to apply on the bread slice
1 tsp butter - for grilling
1 tsp green chutney
salt- to taste
sandwich masala - to taste
tomato ketchup, butter and green chutney to apply over the toasted sandwich.

Apply butter on one side of the bread slice and apply chutney to the other bread slice. Place onion rings, tomato,cucumber and capsicum on the bread slice with chutney on it.

Sprinkle a little salt and sandwich masala on them and then cover it with the buttered bread slice.

Apply some butter over the sandwich and place it on the green or tava and toast it till you get a golden brown colour on both sides of the sandwich.

Apply some butter , green chutney and tomato sauce over the sandwich. Cut the sandwich into 4 squares and serve hot.

Serve with a hot cup of tea ( make ginger and cardamom tea)!

Enjoy!!!!!!!!!