Corn Chowder Soup

Winter is now playing hide and seek. It will be gone before we realize. Make this amazing corn chowder soup before winter bids a complete adieu. 

I make Corn chowder soup a few times during winters but somehow never got down to blogging it. 

It's a sumptuous soup which I enjoy piping hot with a tsp of chili oil and bread by the side. 

I have used frozen corn. Thaw it before you measure a cup. You can also use fresh corn if it's available. In that case microwave it for 2 minutes. 

Generally roux is used in corn chowder soup but I never felt the need to use it. If you want to use it then add a tbsp of flour after sautéing bell peppers and Zucchini. Saute for a minute and then proceed as per the recipe. 

Ingredients

Butter                          1 tsp
EVOO                          1 tsp
Jalapeños                   1/2 chopped
Potato cubed              1
Corn grated                3/4 cup grated
Corn                             1/2 cup
Garlic                           1 tsp
Thyme                          1 tsp

Onion                           1/4 cup chopped
Carrot                           1 chopped
Celery                           1 stick ( small ) chopped
Pepper & zucchini      1 cup chopped
Milk                               1/2+1/2 cup
Salt                                to taste
Water                            1 1/2 cup

Method :

• Blend 1/2 cup corn with half cup milk in a blender.
• Heat a pan. Add butter and EVOO.
• Tip in garlic, onion and celery.
• Cook until celery softens slightly.
• Add potato and carrot. Fry for a couple of minutes.
• Now add bell pepper, zucchini .
• Give it a quick stir. Cook for 2 minutes.
• Add jalapeño and thyme, grated corn and blended corn.
• Add remaining milk, water, salt and simmer it for 10 minutes.
• Adjust the thickness of the soup as per your liking.
• If you like it spicy, add a dash of chilly oil.
• Serve hot with bread.

Palak ka kapa

Last week I happened to be in Corbett . There I had a chance to sample a kumaoni dish called Palak ka kapa. I was blown away by the simple flavors of the dish. It is kind of soupy and can be paired with any bread. We had it with stuffed kulcha.
I was so impressed with the dish that I had to recreate it. Since I didn't get a chance to speak with the chef, I searched on  Google. There are various versions there. So I picked up a few hints and created my own version, which I would say was very close to what I had eaten at Corbett.
At home we enjoyed it with paratha and the leftover with sourdough bread.
I don't claim it to be authentic. In fact would love inputs from kumaoni cuisine experts. This is purely my version.
I have used rice flour to thicken it, you can use wheat flour or besan also. But I feel besan would give it a more kadhi kind of taste. It's best to make it in an iron pan or kadhai.
Please do try it. I promise you won't be disappointed.

Ingredients
Palak (spinach)     250 gms
Onion                      1 medium finely sliced
Rice flour                1 tbsp
Whole red chili      2
Mustard oil             2 tbsp
Asaefotida               a pinch
Cumin seeds           1/2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds    a pinch
Red chili pd             1/4 tsp
Salt                            to taste
Water                        2 cups
Lemon juice             2 tsp

Method

• Wash palak. Chop it very fine.
• Heat oil in a sauce pan.
• Add Asaefotida, Cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, whole red chill.
• Once seeds crackle add onions.
• Saute onions till light golden.
• Add rice flour and saute till it turns slightly brown. 
• Now add red chili pd and stir.
• Quickly tip in palak. Saute for a couple of minutes minute.
• Add salt and one cup water.
• Cook till palak is done. Donot over cook else palak will lose its color. 
• Now take some of it and whizz it in the food processor. 
• Tip it back in the sauce pan, add remaining one cup water. 
• Boil it till you get a slightly thick but soupy consistency. 
• Switch of the flame. 
• Add lemon  juice. Taste and adjust seasoning. 
• Serve hot. 
• Lemon juice is completely optional but that's how I like it.