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. 

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.

Paneer Kadhi

 

        Kadhi is a very common dish in the menu platter of any North Indian homes. It is basically a yoghurt-gram flour based gravy with a tempering. It is a sort of a comfort food and is best relished with steamed rice or any flavored rice. Some people enjoy it with naan, kulcha, tandoori roti or chapatti.

          

          Kadhi is sometimes served plain or with pakoras (fried fritters) / veggies added to it. It varies largely from one region to the other with some minor changes in the ingredients. 

          So check out my version of kadhi, where I added some fried paneer cubes to the yoghurt sauce. The end result was just amazing and I enjoyed this protein based dish with steamed rice. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this yummy classic dish.

       

• 200 gms. paneer cubes
• 1 cup yoghurt
• 3 tbsp. gram flour / besan
• 3 cups water
• salt to taste
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1 dry red chili
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida / hing
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 2 green chilies, slit
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. coriander-cumin powder
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped 
• 1 tsp. of pickle oil 

          Heat oil in a pan and sauté the paneer cubes till light golden in colour. Keep aside.

          Whisk together yoghurt, gram flour, salt to taste and water. Keep aside. 

          Temper the same oil with dry red chili, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, curry leaves, green chilies and asafetida. Allow it to splutter.

           Now add the ginger-garlic paste and all the dry spices mixed with some water. Sauté till the oil separates. Add the whisked yoghurt and bring it to a boil. 

           Simmer on a low flame for 8-10 minutes or till you get the right consistency. Keep stirring at intervals.

          Now add the fried paneer cubes and simmer for 2 minutes more. When done, switch off the flame and garnish with coriander leaves.

          Drizzle some pickle oil and enjoy with pulao, hot steamed rice, jeera rice, naan, kulcha, tandoori roti or just plain chapati for a great comfort meal.

Heat oil in a pan &sauté the paneer cubes till light golden in colour. Keep aside.

Temper the same oil with dry red chili, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, curry leaves, green chilies and asafetida. Allow it to splutter.

Add the ginger-garlic paste & all the dry spices mixed with some water. Sauté till the oil separates. 

                  Add the whisked yoghurt & bring it to a boil. 

              Add the fried paneer cubes & simmer for 2 minutes more. 

When done, switch off the flame & garnish with coriander leaves.

Drizzle some pickle oil & enjoy with pulao, hot steamed rice, jeera rice, naan, kulcha, tandoori roti or just plain chapati for a great comfort meal.

Indrahar ki Kadhi (Madhya Pradesh Cuisine in a Fusion style)

 

           Indrahar is a traditionally healthy steamed snack of Bagelkhand in the State of Madhya Pradesh. It is a lentil based recipe. Not much is know about this particular dish that is almost a lost recipe now. It is a very easy and a quick snack that can be relished with any chutney of your choice. It is also a great tea time snack. This recipe can also be turned into a gravy.

               Kadhi on the other hand, is a yoghurt-chickpea flour based sauce with a tempering. So I combined both Indrahar and kadhi to come up with my version of this yummy fusion dish of Indrahar Ki Kadhi. 

               So enjoy it with pulao, hot steamed rice, jeera rice, naan, kulcha, tandoori roti or just plain chapati for a great comfort meal. Kadhi being my personal favorite, I can clean up my plate in a jiffy. Do check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

Indrahar Ingredients - 

• 1/2 cup mixed lentils (both whole & split), soaked overnight
• 1" ginger
• 2-3 green chilies
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp. red chili powder
• 1 tsp. roasted coriander-cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt or to taste
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• pinch of baking soda
• oil to shallow fry

Kadhi - 

• 1/2 cup yoghurt
• 2 tbsp. gram flour / besan
• 3 cups water
• 1/2 tsp. salt or to taste
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida / hing
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1 tsp. coriander-cumin powder
• 1 tsp. sambar powder
• 2 sprigs curry leaves, dry roasted & crushed
• coriander leaves & a drizzle of pickle oil to garnish

          Indrahar - Blend the soaked lentils along with ginger, green chilies and some water into a smooth paste.

          Transfer it to a mixing bowl and add all the dry spices (except Baking soda). Whisk vigorously for 1-2 minutes so that the batter becomes light and fluffy.

          Add baking soda and mix well. Transfer to a greased plate and steam for 20 minutes. Set aside to cool. Then cut into squares and keep aside. 

          Heat oil in a pan and shallow fry or deep fry till golden brown in colour. Keep aside.

          Kadhi - Whisk together yoghurt, gram flour, salt to taste and water. Keep aside. 

          In a small bowl, mix ginger-garlic paste, turmeric powder, red chili powder and coriander-cumin powder along with some water to form a paste. Keep aside. 

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with cumin seeds, mustard seeds, curry leaves and asafoetida. Allow it to splutter.

           Now add the spice paste and sauté till the oil separates. Add the whisked yoghurt and bring it to a boil. 

           Simmer on a low flame for 8-10 minutes by stirring at intervals. Then add the sambar powder and simmer further for 2-3 minutes or till you get the right consistency.

           When done switch off the flame and sprinkle the crushed curry leaves. Give it a stir.

          To serve, ladle the kadhi in a serving bowl and arrange the fried Indrahar over it. 

          Garnish with coriander leaves and pickle oil. Enjoy with pulao, hot steamed rice, jeera rice, naan, kulcha, tandoori roti or just plain chapati for a great comfort meal.

Whisk together yoghurt, gram flour, salt to taste & water. Keep aside. 

In a small bowl, mix ginger-garlic paste, turmeric powder, red chili powder & coriander-cumin powder along with some water to form a paste. Keep aside. 

Heat oil in a pan & temper with cumin seeds, mustard seeds, curry leaves & asafoetida. Allow it to splutter.

                   Add the spice paste & sauté till the oil separates. 

Add the whisked yoghurt & bring it to a boil. Simmer on a low flame for 8-10 minutes by stirring at intervals. 

Then add the sambar powder  simmer further for 2-3 minutes or till you get the right consistency.

When done switch off the flame & sprinkle the crushed curry leaves. Give it a stir.

    Ladle the kadhi in a serving bowl & arrange few of the fried Indrahar over it. 

          

Garnish with coriander leaves & pickle oil. Enjoy with with pulao, hot steamed rice, jeera rice, naan, kulcha, tandoori roti or just plain chapati for a great comfort meal.

Kosambari (Moong Dal Salad)

 

          Kosambari is a typical South Indian style salad from the State of Karnataka. The main ingredient in this recipe is the soaked & drained split moong dal (green gram). This is then mixed with other basic ingredients and then served with a tempering of mustard seeds, dry red chilies and curry leaves. It is a very simple and easy to make salad. You can enjoy as a snack or as a part of a full meal. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this refreshing protein rich salad. 

          Kosambari is part of every festive meal and celebration. It is a very common dish in every Kannadiga home. Besides, moong dal, chana dal is also used to make this delectable salad. 

          Veggies like cucumber and carrot are typically used. However I had to skip the latter as it was unavailable. Instead, used some chopped tomatoes. The fresh grated coconut and chopped coriander leaves are other two ingredients that goes into preparing this simple healthy salad. 

• 1/3 cup split moong dal (green gram), soaked overnight & drained
• 1 small cucumber, chopped finely
• 1 tomato, chopped finely
• 1-2 green chilies, chopped finely
• 1/3 cup fresh grated coconut
• handful of coriander leaves, chopped
• salt to taste
• 1 tsps. lime juice

Tempering - 

• 1 tbsp. oil
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1-2 dry red chilies
• 1 sprig curry leaves

          In a large bowl, mix the soaked moong dal with rest of the ingredients (except salt and lime juice).

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with dry red chilies and mustard seeds. After it stops spluttering, add the curry leaves. Sauté for a few seconds and then switch off the flame. 

          Pour this tempering over the prepared salad and give it a mix. While serving, season with salt to taste and lime juice and enjoy this healthy salad on its own as a snack or as a part of a meal. 

                                  Keep all the ingredients ready for the salad. 

                     In a large bowl, mix the soaked moong dal with rest of the ingredients (except

                     salt and lime juice).

                        Heat oil & temper with dry red chilies & mustard seeds. After it stops

                        spluttering, add curry leaves. Sauté for a few seconds.

 

                                 Pour this tempering over the salad and give it a mix.   

                                 While serving, season with salt to taste & lime juice.

                   Enjoy this healthy salad on its own as a snack.