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. 

Carrot Soup

 

          Carrot Soup is a very healthy and a nutritious soup, loaded with proteins and fibre. It is also low in fat, thus a guilt free soup for you. Enjoy this hearty soup with few bread sticks, croutons or grilled delicacies. This amazing comfort and soul satisfying soup can be a great start to any meal or as a light dinner. It may be served hot or cold. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this amazing and healthy carrot soup.

• 2 medium size carrots, sliced
• 1 tsp. butter
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2-3 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1" ginger, chopped
• 1 fresh red chili
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp. pepper powder
• 1 cup water
• 1-2" cinnamon stick
• coriander leaves & slivered pistachios to garnish

          Heat butter and oil in a pan. Add the onion, ginger, garlic and fresh red chili. Sauté till they turn translucent. 

          Add the carrot, salt to taste and pepper powder. Sauté for 1-2 minutes.

          Add 1 cup water and cinnamon stick. Pressure cook for 2-3 whistles. 

          Discard the cinnamon stick and allow it to cool down.

         Blend till smooth. Adjust the water and heat through before serving.

         Garnish with coriander leaves and slivered pistachios. 

          Serve hot as a healthy light meal along with croutons, bread sticks or veg./ non-veg. grilled delicacies. 

Heat butter & oil in a pan. Add onion, ginger, garlic & fresh red chili. Sauté till they turn translucent. 

     Add the carrot, salt to taste & pepper powder. Sauté for 1-2 minutes.

      Add 1 cup water & cinnamon stick. Pressure cook for 2-3 whistles. 

                    Discard the cinnamon stick & allow it to cool down.

          Blend till smooth. Adjust the water & heat through before serving.

                   Garnish with coriander leaves & slivered pistachios. 

Serve hot as a healthy light meal along with croutons, bread sticks or veg./ non-veg. grilled delicacies. 

Veg. Tom Yum Soup

 

           This is a simple and a healthy vegetable clear soup - Thai style. It is a soul satisfying soup with some kaffir lime leaves and lemon grass thrown in for some lemony flavor. You can go ahead and add many more veggies, pasta and boiled grains for some variety. 

          Few pieces of boiled and shredded chicken or prawns can also be added for a non-veg. version. It is a complete and a wholesome light meal in itself. 

• 1/2 cup long beans, cut into 1" thick pieces
• 1/2 cup carrots, cut into 1" thick pieces
• 1/2 cup broccoli florets
• 2-3 tbsp. tom yum paste
• 5-6 kaffir lime leaves
• 2 lemon grass stack, crushed
• 1/2 cup noodles
• salt to taste
• 1/2 cup Enoki mushrooms
• 1/2 cup white part of the spring onion, cut into 1" pieces
• 1 spring onion (green portion) sliced

          Add the tom yum paste, salt to taste, kaffir lime leaves and lemon grass to a litre of water and mix well. Bring it to a boil. 

          Add the long beans, carrots, broccoli and noodles. Simmer for 2 minutes. Then add the mushroom and the white part of the spring onion. Simmer further for a minute more. 

          Switch off the frame and garnish with chopped spring onion. Serve in individual bowls for a healthy light meal along with some grilled delicacies.

Thai Tom Yum Prawn Noodle Soup

 

                  Tom Yum is a traditional Thai clear soup which has all the flavours - spicy sweet and sour. It is simply delicious, spicy and mouth watering. The prawns and mushrooms brings out the true flavor. Prawns can also be substituted with boiled and shredded chicken. For a more wholesome dish, I also added some noodles. It is a complete meal in itself and a bowl of this appetizing soup gives complete satisfaction. 

           

                   This is a Thai street food which is found all over the country. It has become very popular here now and can be found in many restaurants and eating joints. This is an instant version where I made use of store bought tom yum paste. So when time is a restraint, this is a perfect one pot comfort meal to lift up your spirits. It is almost like a South Indian rasam. 

• 1/2 litre water
• 2-3 tbsp. tom yum paste
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 2 green chilies
• 1 tomato, cubed
• 1 onion, cubed
• 1 cup Shimeji mushroom
• 8-10 prawns / shrimps, cleaned & deveined
• 1/3 cup evaporated milk
• juice of 1/2 lime
• 2-3 tbsp. spring onion (both white & green part)
• 1 tsp. coriander leaves to garnish
• lemon slices to garnish
• 1-2 boiled eggs, sliced into half
• 2-3 dumplings (opt)

          Bring the water to a boil. Then add the tom yum paste, sugar and red chili powder. Simmer on a low flame for 4-5 minutes.

          Then add the prawns, mushroom, onion, tomato, milk, white part of the spring onion and green chilies. Simmer for 2-3 minutes.

          Ladle the soup into a serving dish and add lemon juice. Serve, garnished with chopped spring onion, coriander leaves, dumpling, lemon slices and boiled eggs.

Millet & Chicken Porridge / Congee / Broth

 

         This is a great comfort meal of Foxtail millet and chicken porridge. Wholesome and nutritious, this diabetic friendly dish is simply divine, heart warming and is just perfect for a cold wintry night. 

          Garnish with some chopped coriander leaves, red chili flakes, boiled egg and lime wedges and enjoy. You may also drizzle some soy / chili / tomato sauce for added flavour. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this soul satisfying yummy meal. 

          

          The main ingredients in this recipe are mainly Foxtail millet and chicken. So it is a perfect blend of the two along with some chicken stock, onion, ginger and garlic. 

          Other varieties of millet can also be substituted according to individual preference. 

          This simple meal can never be so easy, as very few ingredients are required to prepare this amazing and healthy one-pot wonder.

• 1/4 cup Foxtail millet, soaked for 30 minutes
• 1/2 cup boneless chicken cubes
• 1 tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. butter
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1" ginger, chopped
• 1-2 green chilies, chopped
• 1/4 tsp. pepper powder
• 3 cups water
• 1-2 chicken stock cube
• salt to taste (opt)
• chopped coriander leaves, red chili flakes, lime wedges, boiled egg to garnish

          Heat oil and butter in a cooker. Add the onion, ginger, garlic and green chilies. Sauté till light brown.

          Now add the soaked millet, chicken cubes, stock cube, pepper powder and water. (Water can be adjusted according to the consistency desired).

          Pressure cook for 10 minutes in a low flame after the first whistle. Ladle into individual bowls and serve it hot, garnished with chopped coriander leaves, chili flakes, boiled egg and lime wedges. You may also drizzle some chili / tomato sauce for added flavour.

                      Heat oil & butter in a cooker. Add onion, ginger, garlic & green chilies. 

                      Sauté till light brown.

                                Add soaked millet, chicken cubes, stock cube, pepper powder

                                  and water. 

                             Pressure cook for 10 minutes in a low flame after the first whistle.

                       Serve it hot, garnished with chopped coriander leaves, chili flakes, 

                       boiled egg and lime wedges.

Arroz Caldo (Filipino style Porridge / Congee)

 

          This is a classic Filipino style comfort food that is a Chinese inspired recipe with a Spanish name. It is a healthy one pot meal that is simply divine, heart warming and is just perfect for a cold wintry night. 

          Garnish as desired with your favorite toppings and enjoy. I served mine with some chopped spring onion, coriander leaves, fried garlic, red chili flakes, boiled egg and a dash of lime. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this soul satisfying yummy porridge / congee. 

           The main ingredients in this recipe are mainly chicken and rice. So it is a perfect blend of the two along with some chicken stock, onion, ginger and garlic.

          Wholesome and nutritious, this porridge is typically served as breakfast for a much needed energy. However, it can also be enjoyed for brunch, snack or as a light dinner, especially when you are sick. 

           This easy to prepare meal can never be so easy, as very few ingredients are required to dish out this amazing and healthy one-pot wonder.

          Typically, glutinous rice is used in this recipe. However, I added some basmati rice as the former was unavailable. You may also make use of small grain rice as an alternative. 

          Finally, I would like to mention that 2 chicken stock cubes can be added along with water as a substitute for chicken stock. 

• 1 cup boneless chicken, cubed
• 1/2 cup rice
• 3 tbsp. oil 
• 1 onion, chopped
• 8-10 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger, chopped
• 1/4 cup spring onion (white part), chopped
• 1/2 tsp. pepper powder or to taste
• 4 cups chicken stock 
• 1 tbsp. spring onion, chopped
• few coriander leaves
• pinch of red chili flakes (opt)
• boiled egg for each serving
• lime wedges

          Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a pan and fry 3/4 of the chopped garlic till golden brown in colour. Drain and keep aside.

          Heat remaining oil and sauté the ginger, garlic and onion till light brown. Now add the chicken and stir fry for 2-3 minutes on a high flame. 

          Then add the soaked rice and sauté for 2 minutes. Add pepper powder and chicken stock.

         Bring it to a boil and simmer, covered on a low flame till the porridge is thick to a desired consistency. Be sure to stir at intervals.

          When done, spoon in individual bowls and serve, garnished with a boiled egg, fried garlic, chili flakes, spring onion, coriander leaves and a dash of lime. 

                       Heat 1 tbsp. oil & fry 3/4 of the chopped garlic till brown. Keep aside.

                     Heat remaining oil and sauté the ginger, garlic & onion till light brown. 

                                 Add the chicken & stir fry for 2-3 minutes on a high flame. 

                                  Then add the soaked rice and sauté for 2 minutes. 

                                  Add pepper powder 

                      and chicken stock. Bring it to a boil & simmer, covered on a low flame 

                 till the porridge is thick to a desired consistency. Stir the contents at intervals.

                     Spoon in individual bowls & serve, garnished with a boiled egg, fried garlic, 

                     chili flakes, spring onion, coriander leaves & lime wedges.