Enjoy chicken soup.

I am thankful to my friends for their kind and encouraging response  to my recipes for vegetarian  soups. Some friends have expressed their desire to prepare non vegetarian soups.For their benefit I am writing two recipes  for   making chicken soup.An important thing which should be kept in mind is that  the chicken that we use  for making soup must not be too cold. If that is so it should be thawed before cooking.The other thing is  the 'stock'.You can prepare the stock at home and freeze it.You can preserve the stock in the refrigerator and use it for a week or so.Stock is available in the market,but it cannot stand any comparison with  the home made one.You require  lot of patience  to make the stock at home.But imagine when you get appreciation,praise and good comments from your near and dear ones,all your efforts are  rewarded!!
To make the stock you need  chicken bones,carrots,coriander green,garlic,and onion.,bay leaves, pepper and salt.
In a large pan take cold water,add bones,vegetables,garlic and onions and .keep it for boiling on high heat.After ten minutes,lower the heat and allow this concoction to simmer for 3 to 4 hours,occasionally stirring it  It should not be covered.The scum, which deposits on the surface should be removed.Ensure that bones are immersed in water all the time.In the end add salt,pepper and bay leaves.After cooling,it should be strained very well.The residue should be  clear.
    (L)Recipe for chicken with noodles soup(4 to 5 cups)
Ingredients:
1.Boneless chicken    1/2Kg shredded
2.Olive oil                  1 Tb.spoon
3.Carrot                      3 medium diced
4.Peas                         200 gms.
5.Onion                       1 diced
6. Noodles                   1 small packet
7.Salt 
8.Pepper
9.Chicken Stock
Method
Heat oil and saute the onions till tender. Add chicken and roast
it .Now add the carrot and peas.Cover the pan and allow the chicken and the vegetables to cook Add chicken stock.Now add boiled noodles,salt and pepper.Heat for one or two minutes.Remove from the fire and serve hot.
(2)Chicken soup  with cream(4 to 5 cups)
Ingredients:
1.Chicken pieces cooked   500gms
2.Cream                I50 gms
3.White flour         2 tbsp.
4.yolk of two eggs
5.Coriander leaves
6.Chicken stock
Method
Melt the butter in a pan and add all purpose flour,Stir vigorously for about two minutes.The colour of the flour should not change.Add  cooked chicken pieces .Now add the chicken stock stirring all the while. Make sure that no lumps are formed.In a separate bowl mix the cream and whisked egg yolks.Add about one cup  boiling soup and stir very well. Add this mixture to the boiling soup,Mix thoroughly.Add salt and pepper powder .Garnish with coriander  leaves.
Enjoy piping hot soup in cold weather!!




   

Salutations to Mother-- maa tujhe salaam

 A mother's love is infinite, unconditional, unqualified, unsolicited and spontaneous.Mother  is a word which is universally looked up as a symbol of pure love,bliss and compassion.Is it not a fact that every living being on earth owes its existence to   MOTHER. A mother,who has carried the child in her womb, is emotionally bound with the child.This bond is eternal. The child, on coming to the world, has the first caressing of love from his mother. In fact this communication starts even before the baby is born.The mother,on hearing the heart beats  and  sensation of movement of the baby within her, becomes ecstatic.The  baby too  can listen to what the mother talks and can be affected by  what it hears.This bonding is everlasting and enables the child to be self- reliant and confident. George Washington,the first President of   USA, said about his mother," All I am,  I owe to my mother."A mother has to struggle a lot to bring up the child and in return she gets a reward which she can cherish  her whole life....a toothless smile and and a loving hug.  This is precisely the reason that our grandmothers used to advise us during pregnancy  to think positive and   talk politely and softly.  Many people know the famous story of  Abhimanyu ,son of Arjuna,who was killed in the battlefield.While in his mother's womb, he heard about entering a 'Chakravuh'  in the battlefield to entrap the enemy. Unfortunately he did not hear  how to come out of it.In the Mahabharata War he entered  the  Chakravuh but could not come out of it safely and died on the spot.

For a child, the mother's arms are a solace.When  he/she  gets  hurt  or frightened,  the mother's arms become a cosy shelter.This  is called seeking protection  and assured security,  which persists even till adulthood. My husband migrated from a rural background to the hustle and bustle  of a noisy metropolis. Soon he felt the pangs of separation from his mother  and craved to be in her  arms. This is the effect of a mother's pull.Similarly, a girl, after her marriage may have all the comforts in her marital home  but  instinctively  longs for her mother.
A mother's  presence is felt by the child soon after it is separated from the umbilical cord.The mother's warmth  which assured security to it,  now becomes a psychological, emotional and mental bond.The first sounds that the baby makes are something like'um m m mn'. It is interesting to know that in  most  countries  of  the world,  the  word mother starts with the letter M. Given below is  an illustration of how  a mother is addressed in some languages:

1.Sanskrit ----Mata

2Hindi-------Ma, Amma

3.French----Mamman,Mere

4.Italian-----Mamma,Madre

5.English----Mother.  Mama, Mom

6.Latin-----Mater

7.Spanish-----Madre

8.Russian----Mat

9 .Irish-----Mathair

Mothers Day is celebrated in all countries of the world.This day is dedicated to a Mother to honour her motherhood  and to celebrate her place of pride in the heart of every individual.It is celebrated on different days  in different countries. On this day gifts are given to  the mother and she is honoured by the family and the nation.

      A Mother's love cannot  be measured.She knows only how to give and never to take.I remember a very old Hindi  movie 'Mamta' which depicted  a mother's love for her daughter.I was very much moved by that movie. Sometimes the children may become wayward and may even turn against the mother.They may be punished by God for their misdemeanour, but the mother,who is the symbol of  love  will  continue to have the same love and compassion for her off springs.Sometimes she is thus, even above God.Thackeray, a famous novelist
said,"Mother is the name of God on the lips and hearts of children,"

 According to Samuel Taylor Coleridge,"God sees us through our Mother's eyes and rewards us for our virtues."

       The mother always has a  protective hold on her children.Even when the children go far from the mother for higher studies  they are  always near her  heart. "The mother understands what the child does not say," says a Jewish proverb. Many people jokingly say that their mother is a bank where they can deposit their worries and forget about  them.

A mother's  love is unalloyed and equal for all her children.She does not distinguish between any of her off springs. Mother is a born philosopher and  a  psychologist. She knows the needs and requirements of each of  her children. In olden days there used to be large families.The mother was a nucleus of  the family,who could identify the likes and  dislikes  of everyone. Her influence  and hold on the children was supreme and unchallenged. Her sufferings, she keeps to herself and her joys are shared  by all.  Mother, you are Great!! Ma tujhe salaam!!

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

'There is no substitute for hard work'-- Thomas Edison

A few days back I had written a blog on Holidays.Today I intend to write about Hard work.After a holiday when you return to your work place, body and mind both are relaxed. You can now do your best.I don’t mean that one should work hard only after the holidays.It should become a habit.For a person who is hard working there are challenges.Hard work involves determination, perseverance, tenacity and something more. It is the will to   survive and to achieve  greater heights  by dint of hard work.I am remlnded of a story which I  heard recently.It is the story of a boy who realized the importance of hard work only when he himself went through the grind.The boy, Raju, was a very ease loving and a careless brat.His father told him one day that he would get food  only  if went and earned for himself. Raju lazed around the whole day.In the evening he went to his mother and begged for money. His mother was carried  away by his pleadings and gave him two gold coins. This fellow gave the coins to his father stating that he had earned them after a  whole day’s work. The father told him,”Son, go and throw away these coins in the well.”This continued for some days.The father sent away  his wife, sister and other  members from the house.Raju was again  ordered to go and earn for himself.  Since there was no one in the house, the boy went in search of work. He carried luggage, swept  roads and did menial jobs that were offered to him. At the end of the day, he had earned two gold coins.  He handed over his day’s earning to his father. As usual the father advised him to throw away the coin into the well.But the boy did not obey his father. This was his first earning!! The result of his hard work!!The importance of hard work dawned on him and he told his father the truth.This story was narrated to us by our Guru ji, His holiness Nand Baba.Right from childhood the parents should inculcate the habit of working hard in their   children.Sir George  Bernard Shaw once said,”When I was young,I observed  that nine out of ten things I did were failures.So I did ten times more work.”

 

The young generation  is more aware  of the  fact that hard work is the only  weapon which can bring success  in life. There is so much competition in the world today that nothing but hard work  is the only remedy  to reach to the top. One can understand the value of hard work  only   by working hard. There are no short cuts to reach the top of the ladder  of life. There is no doubt that you will face obstacles in this path of hard work but these can be removed with determination, patience and will power.

The great spiritual  teacher, Swami Sivananda, has said, “Put your heart, mind, intellect and soul to your smallest acts. This is the secret of success.”One can  do this only by concentrating  on the work in hand.You have to drench yourself in hard labour.if you aspire to succeed in life..

 One should have a fixed aim in life.Once you have identified what you want to do in life you should sincerely move on the fixed path. When my daughter was a small child,she always used to say that she would become a Doctor  when she grows up.My son aspired to be a Chartered Accountant right from childhood.They had fixed their goals and always worked hard to achieve their desired objective.Their dreams were fulfilled because of their mission and  steadfast hard work. If you are striving towards your goal with a spirit of devotion and dedication, even God will be there for you. As a saying goes”God   helps those who help themselves." There are examples of many people who have achieved glory and high positions in life by sheer dint of hard labour.. They struggled while their competitors slept on or whiled away their time in useless pursuits.

The road to success is not always a rosy one and is strewn with thorns and rubbles. In spite of hard work and labour which has been put  in, sometimes the result is not very encouraging.A person with grit and determination will fight back  and leave no stone unturned to ultimately achieve his mission!! I am reminded of the story of Robert Bruce,the king of Scotland,which I read while I was in school.He was a noble King.He was  brave and wise. The King of England was at war with him because he wanted to make Scotland a part of  England.Six times he attacked Scotland.  Robert Bruce’s army ,though small in number ,drove away the enemy.After the sixth attack Bruce’s army was scattered.  Even the King himself went and hid in a  cave.One day  he just happened to see a spider inside the cave.She was trying to make its web, but could not succeed.The King forgot his troubles and watched the spider with great interest.Six times the spider failed but it did not lose heart.It succeeded in the seventh attempt!!  The King jumped’Yes’ I will also fight the seventh time. He gathered his army and fought and regained his Kingdom.I have narrated this legend to highlight  that hard and sincere effort  will help one to achieve his goal. In the words of a famous author,,many, many tiny efforts that nobody sees or appreciates before you  achieve anything worthwhile."

 

   

 

Winter months-Time for hot soups

Soup  is  universally known.Every one knows that  a bowl of soup taken before meals,  tickles our appetite. Besides being tasty there  are  many  benefits of drinking soups.It is invigorating, healthy,and is helpful in keeping away many diseases. Knowing my penchant for devising new recipes for the family ,my friends and relatives  keep on prodding me to provide new recipes for soups. Soups are the easiest  to make. One can use any vegetable or pulses to prepare delicious soups.you can also utilise leftovers to create a new recipe.Fruits added to soups not only add to the nutritious value but also enhances its taste.
 Among soups the more popular one is the tomato soup.There is no doubt that tomato soup is very healthy. Tomatoes contain 'lycopene' a nutrient ,which gives  red color to the tomato. and is also an anti-oxidant.

This recipe, therefore, is known to all soup lovers.Of course ,one can add a spoonful of Dal to make it richer in protein.Some vegetables and an apple can also be added for taste and extra nutrition. For garnishing, bread croutons can be used.(This is the hot favourite of old and young alike).
Some of the soups that are appreciated and enjoyed in our house are the  Almond soup ,Soya soup , and the  Pop corn soup.So, I decided to share it with all of you.

Steaming hot soup on a winter evening  God' Gift.

                            
 1.Almond Soup (For 4 people)

 Ingredients:

: 1.Almonds One fistful

  2.Onions One big

 3.Butter or cooking oil  2tb.sp.

4. Milk 350  ml.

5.Salt To taste

6 Pepper  A pinch

7.All purpose flour 2 tb.sps.

Method:  Soak the almonds in warm water for  sometime and remove the skin.They should then be coarsely ground.Onion should cut very finely. In a pan take oil/butter and add the  finely cut onion.Stir the onion till translucent. Colour should not change.(It may take 1 or 2 mts.).Then add  flour and stir continuously for about two minutes. Now ad the almonds and the milk.Keep stirring continuously,ensuring that no lumps are formed.Boil on medium heat till the soup becomes thick Before removing from the fire,add salt and pepper..For garnishing  roast a few almonds,( about 5or 6)  shred them and add to the soup just before serving.


2.Soya soup(4 servings)
Ingredients:
1.Potato medium size 1
2.Tomatoes  2
3.Soya Nutri Nugget granules 1 cup
4Salt to taste
5. Pepper powder  i tsp.
6.Corn flour   2 tbsp.
7.Butter or any other cooking oil   2 tbsp.
 8.Cardamom big  1
 9. Spring onions with fresh stem  4.
Method: boil soya granules and  potato with one cardamom till tender.Add salt. In a pan put finely chopped onions and stems and saute till softened.Add corn flour and stir for a couple of minutes.Add tomatoes and stir for a few minutes. Discard the cardamom.  Now take 3/4 of boiled soya and potato and add to pan. Stir for a while.Remove from the fire . Put this in a blender for a few minutes.In the smooth paste add the remaining 1/3 parts of boiled soya and potato liquid ( this will lend a crunchy taste to the soup)and boil till it becomes thick . Remove from the  fire and serve piping hot. Add a little butter to the soup.(this is optional) before serving.This soup is very nourishing. 
An apple or an orange can be added when boiling




   3.Pop corn soup:
Ingredients:
i,Pop corns  2 1/2cups
ii. Tomatoes  2
iii. Potato  1(medium)
iv. Ginger  a small piece.
v.Basil(tulsi)leaves  2-3
vi.Spring onions 6
vii  Salt to taste
viii Water  2 1/2 cups
ix Milk 1/2 cup
Method; Boil all ingredients till tender. Blend  in a blender.Before serving boil it .Just before serving add butter.

All the above mentioned soups are delicious.I also make Chick pea soup, French onion soup and  mixed vegetable soup. Recipe can be provided on request.I have written all vegetarian  recipes. In my next post I propose to write Non vegetarian soup recipes. If some one tries out these recipes and give their feedback. I will feel encouraged.So here's wishing everybody happy 'souping'