Pumpkin soup and spinach risotto

veggie dishes

Pumpkin soup with cream
-----
butter pumpkin
small onion
oil
salt to taste
a mixture of ground spices about 1/2 teaspoon or this spice but in the same amount:
Indian cumin (jeera) turmeric, coriander, ginger, pepper
unsweetened cream

-------
Peel the pumpkin, remove the seeds and cut the pumpkin into small pieces. Put the pieces of pumpkin in the oven and bake them for about 15 min. Meanwhile, peel the onion and cut into very small pieces - then blanch onions in a little bit of hot water (or simply pour hot water on onion in a colander - this way onion does not cause indigestion). Heat the oil in a pot - and add the onion - fry until it has light brown color and add the spices - mix thoroughly. Remove from the flame until the pumpkin is ready. Put the pumpkin in a pot with onions, cook for a minute. Then pour the water and add salt-cook on medium flame until the pumpkin starts to fall apart - about 15 min. Remove from flame and mix it (use a rod mixer or in a blender). Then, add a little water and let cook a minute. Remove from the flame. . Add unsweetened cream - I recommend adding cream just before serving. However, always mix it well.

Spinach risotto
-------
ingredients:
frozen (or fresh) chopped spinach approx 150 grams
rice about 100 -150 g
oil
salt to taste
spice mix - could be the same as in the recipe for pumpkin soup
pinch of dried garlic or to taste (it can be also substitute by a pinch of asafoetida / hing - if you have a sensitive stomach)
appropriate amount of water - about 2 to 3 times higher amount than rice and spinach ( it depends on the type of rice)
tomato paste (or ketchup) - cca 5 tablespoons
-------
Rinse the rice in a colander and set aside. In hot oil add spice mix for a little while - do not let burn the spices-add the rice and mix thoroughly. Then add the spinach mix again cover with water - mix again - cook over medium heat until the rice is cooked (about 20 min. but it depends on the type of rice). When the rice is "just right" and the water is almost absorbed through the rice- add the tomato paste. Stir thoroughly - after about 1 minute (once you add tomato paste risotto could be easily burnt) remove from heat and mix thoroughly again.