Geetha's Kitchen

Occasionally we start out to do one thing but allow ourselves to go with the flow and end up with something amazingly fantastic. This chowder is an example of one of these events. Serendipity! I started out making a 'leek-potato soup' and Chellu wanted to help. It was fun cooking together and the spirit of adventure was high. Before long Chellu was bursting with suggestions of additions or substitutions ( what if we add some of this and what if we added this instead of that ... etc) which sounded pretty good to me and that is how we ended up with this Cheesy Potato Corn Chowder also known as "What If Soup". It was so delicious that Paji said we should write it down so we could make it again. So here it is. Enjoy! Serves 8 Ingredients: 2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1 Large Fresh Leek 1 small Stalk Celery 1 tsp Sea Salt 5 or 6 Sprigs Fresh Thyme 1/4 to 1/2 tsp Dried Red Pepper flakes 1/2 tsp Turmeric Freshly ground Black Pepper, to taste 3 Large Potatoes 1 pkg ...

It is amazing how a few simple ingredients can turn out into something so delicious! Use this spread with your favorite veggies and bread slices for a lovely snack; or serve as a dip with fresh veggies and/or your favorite chips. If cilantro is not your favorite herb, others such as Italian flat-leaf parsley, basil, dill, mint, etc may be used. Ingredients: 2 Cups plain yogurt 1 clove Garlic, minced 1 small bunch Cilantro, finely chopped 1 small green chili, deseeded and finely chopped 1 pinch of Salt Squeeze of lime of lemon (Optional) Method: Dip a large clean square of muslin cloth such as a large cotton napkin in fresh water and wring out well; shake out and place in a colander set over a bowl. The cloth should be large enough to hang over the colander. Place all of the yogurt on the napkin in the colander and bring the ends together and loosely tie together. Set the whole thing in the refrigerator so that the yogurt can drain undisturbed for several...

A slice of the Mexican Lasagna With Sour Cream I was trying to figure out what to make for dinner; but there were leftovers taking up space in the refrigerator: some Frijoles (Mexican beans), salsa, and some roasted vegetables. I wanted to unclutter the fridge rather than add to the growing cache of leftovers. What can you do with leftover beans, salsa, and roasted veggies? Mexican Lasagna!  I make Mexican Lasagna a day or so after I make a Mexican meal with beans and salsa; it is a great way to make a new dinner using up all the leftovers. Two birds with ...er... I mean two dinners, with one pot of beans! Amma absolutely loved it and would often request it. Once you try it, you would not want to wait for leftovers to make it as Amma would have attested. It is pretty simple and easy. If you don't have your own home-made ingredients, canned vegetarian 'refried' beans and purchased salsa or marinara sauce may be used. Buen Provecho!! This is truly a one-pot...

This soup has only 7 ingredients but tastes awesome. A good soup to make when one does not want to chop, dice, or mince anything. Makes 4 Servings Ingredients: 1 cup split peas (green or yellow) 1 small handful barley (about 1/8 cup) Salt to taste 1/4 tsp Turmeric 1 tsp Ghee or Canola Oil Freshly ground Black Pepper 1/2 to 1 tsp Cumin seeds, freshly crushed Method: Check peas for any debris or discolored beans. Combine barley and the cleaned peas and rinse well. Place peas and barley with about 3 cups of water in a large pot and bring to a boil. Stir in turmeric and salt to taste. Turn down the heat and simmer partially covered until soft and creamy; add more boiling water to thin soup if you wish. Heat a small pan with the ghee/oil and add a generous amount of freshly ground pepper and the coarsely ground cumin seeds; swirl and cook for a few seconds until fragrant. Pour the aromatic ghee with the spices into the soup and allow to rest for about 5 minutes. Serve hot with your favori...