Lemon Coriander Soup

 

          Lemon Coriander Soup is a simple and a healthy clear soup. It is a soul satisfying tangy soup with some coriander leaves and lime juice. For some lingering aroma, you can throw in few kaffir lime leaves or lemon grass into the soup. I prepared a basic lemon coriander soup. However, you can add many more veggies of your choice to give it a healthy touch. So it is a complete and a wholesome light meal in itself. Do check for a quick step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this comforting soup.

• 1 tbsp. ginger, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp. garlic, finely chopped
• 2 green chilies, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp. coriander roots, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp. oil
• 2 cups water
• salt to taste
• 14 tsp. pepper powder
• 1 tbsp. corn flour 
• handful of coriander leaves, chopped
• juice of 1/2 lime

          Make a slurry of the corn flour and 1/3 cup water. Keep aside,\.

         Heat oil in a pan. Add the ginger, garlic, green chilies and coriander roots. Sauté till they turn slightly brown in color. 

         Now add the water, salt and pepper powder. Simmer on a low flame for 4-5 minutes. 

          Add the slurry and keep stirring till the soup turns slightly thick. 

         Switch off the flame. Add the chopped coriander and lime juice. Give it a stir.

         Serve in individual bowls for a comforting and a satisfying meal experience. 

Heat oil in a pan. Add the ginger, garlic, green chilies & coriander roots. Sauté till they turn slightly brown in color. 

Now add the water, salt & pepper powder. Simmer on a low flame for 4-5 minutes. 

                      Add the slurry.

                      Keep stirring till the soup turns slightly thick. 

Switch off the flame. Add the chopped coriander & lime juice. Give it a stir.

     Serve in individual bowls for a comforting & a satisfying meal experience. 

Shosha Soya Torkari (Cucumber & Soya Chunks Curry - Bong style)

 

          Shosha Soya Torkari is a simple Bengali homemade style recipe that can be enjoyed with either steamed rice or chapati / paratha. Along with cucumber, I also added few soya chunks to make the dish a bit healthy and protein rich. This curry is absolutely light on the stomach and can be had guilt free. Very few ingredients along with few basic spices went into making it and it is diabetic friendly too. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this regional curry. 

• 4 cucumbers. diced
• 1/2 cup soya chunks
• 2 tbsp. mustard oil
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 dry red chili, broken
• 1/2 tsp. panch phoron 
• 1 tsp. ginger, grated
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp. cumin powder
• 2 slit green chilies
• 2 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Soak the soya chinks in warm water for 10 minutes. Then squeeze out the water and set aside. 

          Heat oil in a pan. Temper with dry red chili, bay leaves and panch phoron. Sauté for a few seconds. 

          Then add the ginger and stir fry for a minute.

          Add the cucumber, turmeric powder and cumin powder. Mix everything well and sauté for 4-5 minutes on high flame.

          Now add the squeezed out soya chunks and salt to taste followed by slit green chilies. Cook for another 4-5 minutes.

          Add 1/2 cup water and cook, covered till all the moisture has evaporated and the cucumber turns tender.

          Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve with steamed rice or chapatti. 

Heat oil in a pan. Temper with dry red chili, bay leaves & panch phoron. Sauté for a few seconds. 

                      Then add the ginger and stir fry for a minute.

Add the cucumber, turmeric powder & cumin powder. Mix everything well & sauté for 4-5 minutes on high flame.

                     Now add the squeezed out soya chunks & salt to taste 

                 followed by slit green chilies. Cook for another 4-5 minutes.

Add 1/2 cup water & cook, covered till all the moisture has evaporated and the cucumber turns tender.

                   Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

                    Serve with steamed rice or chapatti. 

Dim Aloo Posto (Egg & Potato in Poppy Seeds Gravy - Bong style)

 

           For all the Egg lovers, want to cook an Egg Curry in a different way?  Then try "Dim Aloo Posto" - a traditional Bengali style Egg & Potato in poppy seeds gravy. Very easy and simple, it is cooked in mustard oil for an authentic touch and flavor and with minimum of ingredients. Relish this delicacy with hot steamed rice, luchi (poori), paratha or roti. You may also try with jeera rice, pulao, plain biryani, naan, kulcha or tandoori roti. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this Bong delicacy.

           Bengalis are obsessed with poppy seeds. It is a must in each and every Bengali household. This versatile seed can be made use of to prepare various dishes - both veg. and non-veg. It will take your dish to an entirely new level.

           Relishing poppy seeds is a luxury to me. I try to make full use of it during my visit to India. Apart from this recipe of Dim Aloo Posto, you can omit the aloo and prepare just with egg and vice versa. 

 

           Note - In this recipe, I made use of sesame seeds instead of poppy seeds as the latter is unavailable at my place of residence. 

          

• 3 eggs, boil & make few slits on it
• 1 potato, cubed
• 3 tbsp. + 1 tsp. mustard oil
• 1 tsp. nigella seeds
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 green chilies, slit
• 1/3 cup sesame seeds / poppy seeds
• 1/2 cup yoghurt
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 tsp. salt or to taste
• 1 tsp. coriander leaves, chopped

            Grind the sesame seeds / poppy seeds to a fine paste along with yoghurt and water. Keep aside. 

            Heat oil in a pan and fry the potatoes and the boiled eggs separately. Keep aside. 

           Temper the same oil with nigella seeds. Sauté for a few seconds. 

           Add the sliced onion and green chilies. Stir fry till they turn slightly brown in color. 

           Now add the ground paste and mix well.

           Add the fried potatoes and cook, covered, on a low flame till the potatoes are tender.

           Now add the fried eggs and continue to simmer for 2-3 minutes or till the gravy comes to a desired consistency and the oil separates.

           When done, add the chopped coriander leaves and the remaining 1 tsp. oil. 

           Give it a mix and enjoy with steamed rice, poori or paratha. You may also try with jeera rice, pulao, plain biryani, naan, kulcha or tandoori roti.

                   Heat oil in a pan & fry the potatoes ....

                      and the boiled eggs separately. Keep aside. 

           Temper the same oil with nigella seeds. Sauté for a few seconds. 

                  Add the sliced onion and green chilies.

                  Stir fry till they turn slightly brown in color. 

                     Now add the ground paste and mix well.

Add the fried potatoes & cook, covered, on a low flame till the potatoes are tender.

              Now add the fried eggs & continue to simmer for 2-3 minutes ....

         or till the gravy comes to a desired consistency & the oil separates. 

                    When done, add the chopped coriander leaves ....

                  and the remaining 1 tsp. oil. 

               Give it a mix & enjoy with steamed rice, poori or paratha.

You may also try with jeera rice, pulao, plain biryani, naan, kulcha or tandoori roti.

Soya Baingan Bharta

 

         

          Give a healthy twist to the ever popular baingan bharta and turn out into a connoisseur's delight by adding some protein rich soya granules. It simply tastes yummy with a nice smoky flavor. Enjoy it as a main / side dish with rice or chapattis. So surprise your family and friends with this rustic Punjabi dish in a new interesting avatar. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this amazing fusion dish. 

• 1/3 cup soya granules
• 1 large eggplant
• 2 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tsp. tomato paste / puree of one tomato
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves to garnish
• 2 slit green chilies 

            Soak the soya granules in hot water for 5-10 minutes. Then squeeze out all the water and set aside. 

            Brush the eggplant with few drops of oil and make a half slit of the eggplant. Roast on an open flame till it is charred on all sides. 

            When cool, peel off the skin and mash well. Keep aside. 

            Heat oil in a pan and sauté the onion till light brown. 

            Add the ginger-garlic paste, tomato paste and all the dry spices. Stir fry till the oil separates. 

           Now add the soya granules and mix well. Cover and cook till the moisture is all absorbed. 

          Add the mashed eggplant and stir fry for 2-3 minutes. 

         When done, garnish with coriander leaves and slit green chilies.

         Serve as a main / side dish with rice or chapattis.

Brush the eggplant with few drops of oil & make a half slit of the eggplant. Roast on an open flame till it is charred on all sides. 

              When cool, peel off the skin & mash well. Keep aside. 

                 Heat oil in a pan & sauté the onion till light brown. 

Add the ginger-garlic paste, tomato paste & all the dry spices. Stir fry till the oil separates. 

Now add the soya granules & mix well. Cover & cook till the moisture is all absorbed. 

              Add the mashed eggplant & stir fry for 2-3 minutes. 

        When done, garnish with coriander leaves & slit green chilies. 

                 Serve as a main / side dish with rice or chapattis.