Hello, and welcome to my cooking corner again.I hope all of you are safe in your homes and doing fine. Life today has taken an extra serious note and is stuck up because of the intervention of a deadly coronavirus bringing forth COVID-19,a disease having presently no cure.With the lockdown period increased world is undergoing a drastic change which has shook it very hard.World had never seen a catastrophe like this which has taken a toll on human lives.This is a challenge of nature,a crisis period to be handled smartly. To stand up to this fight against the coronavirus we need to get decked up with proper health and follow all the precautionary measures like maintaining proper hygiene,social distancing,diet and much more.Most importantly we need to build up a rock solid immune system to survive this dangerous onslaught.By immunity,I mean the ability of an organism to resist an infectious attack by the action of certain antibodies and white blood cells.By consuming certain food items available to mankind we can strengthen our immune system and win the war against diseases.Certain food items like blueberries, turmeric, dark chocolate,fish,broccoli, ginger,cabbage,tomato,pumpkin help in boosting immunity.Today I am going to share some recipes which are made from scratch and which are immunity boosters apart from being delicious.Here I am sharing 3 such recipes.
1.Cabbage Kheer 2.Pumpkin Dhokla 3.Home-made tomato soup.

CABBAGE KHEER-Eating cabbage stimulates the immune system,kills many bacteria and viruses, helps to fight colon cancer,stomach ulcers,protects against tumors,improves blood flow and regulates hormonal changes.It improves metabolism too.Now let’s start making cabbage kheer—-
Ingredients:-
Cabbage-1/2
Milk-1/2 Ltr
Sugar or sugarfree-As needed
Cardamom Powder-A pinch
Raisins,Cashew,Almonds-A few
Bread slices-2(decrusted)
Milkmaid or Mawa(optional)-According to need
Kewra or rose essence-A drop
Method:-Wash,chop the cabbage finely.Boil the milk properly.Chop the almonds and cashews.Remove the crust of the bread slices.Roast the cabbage in a pan without adding any oil or ghee till it’s rawness disappears. Add the cabbage and milk in a vessel and cook on medium flame till half done.Crush the cabbage with a ladle. Now add sugar or sugar free,nuts,the decrusted bread slices and cook till milk thickens.Add finally some milkmaid to get a thick,creamy and yummy kheer.If you don’t have milkmaid you can add some mawa though it is optional.Add an essence of your choice.I prefer kewra or rose essence.Cool the kheer.Our Cabbage Kheer is ready.Enjoy it as a cool,delicious dessert.

PUMPKIN DHOKLA-Pumpkin has 19 vitamins and minerals with antioxidants and filling fibre.It has 3 grams of fiber in every cup.It reduces the risk of heart disease. It lowers blood pressure,cholesterol, aids in digestion,helps out of constipation, improves gut health and strengthens the immune system.So let’s start with the making of Pumpkin Dhokla—
Ingredients:-
Semolina-1 cup
Curd-2 tbsp
Pumpkin-100 gms
Green chilly paste-1/4 tsp
Eno fruit salt-1 tsp
For the tempering:-
Mustard seeds-1/2 tsp
Asafoetida-A pinch
Red chillies-3
Oil-1 tbsp
Method:-Roast the semolina.Wash,peel and grate the pumpkin.Then take a pan add in oil and when hot add the grated pumpkin and salt.Cover and let it cook.Donot add any water.Take another bowl,add semolina,curd,salt,green chilly paste,oil,the grated pumpkin,eno fruit salt and give everything a good mix.Steam in a steamer till done.When the dhokla cools,cut in cubes and keep aside.Now take a pan and add all the tempering ingredients in it.Pour this tadka over the dhokla.Our pumpkin dhokla is done.Serve it with green chutney as a delicious snack.

HOME-MADE TOMATO SOUP-Tomato has lot of antioxidants and vitamins like beta-carotene,vitamin C and vitamin E,potassium, folate,vitamin K.It has 95% water and 5% of carbohydrates and fibre.And is a great immune booster.So let’s start with the making of homemade tomato made from scratch—
Ingredients:-Tomatoes-1/2 kg(ripe)
Onion-1
Ginger-1 stub
Pigeon pea lentil or Arhar dal-4 tbsp
Pepper powder-A pinch
Salt-According to taste
Bay Leaf-1
For tempering:-
Cumin or carom seeds-A pinch
Butter-1/2 tsp
Cinnamon stick-A small stub
Method:-Wash,chop the tomatoes,onion,ginger and adding arhar dal boil everything with water in a pressure cooker till done.Mash up the cooker contents and strain through a strainer.Now take a pan, add some butter,cumin or carom seens(ajwain),cinnamon stick and let it splutter.Add this tadka to the soup.Now remove the bay leaf and cinnamon stick.Our homemade tomato soup is ready.Serve it with roasted, plain or Gujarati poppadums or roasted foxnuts.
Dear friends do try the recipe at home. Share your comments and feedback. Have a safe,proper week ahead.Stay safe and happy.Till then healthy cooking,happy living!!!