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. 

Snake Gourd Poriyal

         If you are in the lookout for a simple veggie stir fry dish, then you need to try out this South Indian style Snake Gourd Poriyal, which is very popular in Tamil Nadu. It is included in the menu platter / meal in any South Indian restaurant. Both healthy and nutritious, this is a very quick recipe with fresh grated coconut and chopped coriander leaves added to the end product. 

        This Poriyal is traditionally served as a side dish with curd-rice, sambar-rice or rasam-rice. However, you may also relish it with chapattis or any Indian flat bread.  So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this regional delicacy.

    

• 2-3 cups snake gourd
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 2 dry red chilies
• 2 green chilies
• 1 tsp. split urad dal
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• salt to taste
• 1/2 cup fresh grated coconut
• 3 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped 

           Trim both the ends of the snake gourd and scrape off the white part with a knife. Discard the seeds and slice it thinly. Steam for 8-10 minutes or till they are tender and keep aside. 

           Heat oil in a pan and temper with mustard seeds. After it stops spluttering, add the urad dal, cumin seeds, curry leaves, dry red chilies and green chilies. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Add the steamed snake gourd slices and salt. Mix well and stir fry on a low flame for 4-5 minutes.

           When done, switch off the flame. Add the coconut and coriander leaves. Give it a toss and serve as a side dish with rice or chapattis. 

                     Trim both ends of the snake gourd & scrape off the white part with a knife.

                     Discard the seeds and slice it thinly. 

                                  Steam for 8-10 minutes or till they are tender.

 

                                   Heat oil in a pan and temper with mustard seeds. 

                     After it stops spluttering, add urad dal, cumin seeds, curry leaves, dry red

                     chilies and green chilies. Sauté for a few seconds.

                         Add the steamed snake gourd slices & salt. Stir fry for 4-5 minutes.

                                 When done, add the coconut & coriander leaves. 

                                 Serve as a side dish with rice or chapattis. 

Lotus Stem Stir Fry

          This is a simple and a quick homemade style stir fry recipe of lotus stem. I prepared it in a South Indian style where I added some sambar powder along with other dry spices. It goes well as a side dish with either rice or any Indian bread for a nice comfort meal. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it. 

• 250 gms. lotus stem, scraped & sliced
• 2 tbsp. oil 
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida 
• 1-2 sprig curry leaves
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger, grated
• 1 tsp. garlic, grated
• 1 green chili, chopped
• salt to taste 
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp. roasted coriander powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1 tsp. sambar powder
• 1 tsp. tomato paste (opt)
• 1 tsp. lime juice
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Pressure cook the lotus stem for 5-6 whistles. Drain and chop them into small pieces. Keep aside. 

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with mustard seeds. After it stops spluttering, add the asafoetida and curry leaves. Sauté for a few seconds. 

          Add the onion, ginger, garlic and green chili. Stir fry till light brown. Add the lotus stem and all the dry spices. Mix everything well and sauté for 2-3 minutes. 

          Now add the tomato paste, lime juice and coriander leaves. Continue to sauté for a minute more. When done, switch off the flame. Serve as a side dish with rice or chapati. 

                  Heat oil & temper with mustard seeds. Then add asafoetida & curry leaves.
                  Saute few seconds. Add onion, ginger, garlic & green chili. Saute till light brown. 

                  Add lotus stem & all dry spices. Mix well & saute for 2-3 min. 

                 Add tomato paste, lime juice & coriander leaves. Saute for a minute more. 

     

                                Serve with rice or chapati / any other Indian bread.

Noodles in White Sauce

           Pasta in White Sauce is an Italian recipe that is very popular, especially with the kids. But here I gave a twist and prepared it with some leftover boiled noodles. It turned out very yummy. It can be relished for brunch, lunch, dinner or as a snack. 

          I kept it very simple. If you wish some mixed veggies / greens for a veg. version and boiled & shredded chicken for a non-veg. version can be added for some extra flavour. It is a very easy and a quick recipe and can be packed for a lunch box meal too. 

• 2 cups noodles, boiled al dente
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 2 tbsp. plain flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 tsp. pepper powder
• 2 tbsp. cheese
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Heat butter in a pan Add the flour and sauté for sometime till you get a nice aroma. Gently add the milk, salt to taste and pepper powder. Simmer till it slightly thickens.

         Now add the cheese and mix everything well. Switch off the flame and add the boiled noodles. Give it a stir. Serve, garnished with coriander leaves. 

Seaweed Fried Rice with Peri Peri Sauce

          Fried rice is a quick one-pot meal that is very easy to prepare and comes in handy when time is a constraint. So here is my version of a quick and a simple fried rice made with some roasted seaweed, mixed veggies and peri peri sauce. 

          Any leftover rice can be made use of. Enjoy this yummy Seaweed fried rice just as it is, with some extra sauce as accompaniment, with grilled meat / fish, any side dish or with raita. So check out a quick step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this healthy concoction.

           Seaweed contains a lot of nutrients, minerals, iodine, calcium, is low in calories and helps in purifying the blood. So it is recommended for a balanced diet. Besides fried rice, you can dish out various recipes with it. 

          It is widely used by the Japanese, Koreans and the Chinese in their cuisines. As I had some last batch of these roasted seaweed (nori) sheets, I decided to incorporate them in the fried rice along with some veggies. 

• 2 cups cooked rice
• 15 small roasted seaweed (nori) sheets, cut into small pieces
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2-3 green cardamoms 
• 4-5 cloves
• 1 dry red chili, broken
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds 
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2-3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1" ginger, chopped
• 1-2 green chilies, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped mixed veggies
• 3-4 tbsp. peri peri sauce
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1/2 tsp. red chili powder
• 1-2 tbsp. fried onions
• 1-2 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with cumin seeds, dry red chili, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Add the chopped onion, ginger, garlic and green chilies. Stir fry till light brown. Now add the mixed veggies and sauté for 2-3 minutes. 

          Add the peri peri sauce, followed by the cooked rice and all the dry spices. Mix everything well and sauté for a couple of minutes. 

          When done, add the coriander leaves, seaweed and fried onion. Give it a toss and enjoy this yummy Seaweed fried rice just as it is, with some extra sauce as accompaniment, with grilled meat / fish, any side dish or with raita for a great comfort meal.

                       I have made use of these roasted seaweed (Nori) sheets. 

                        I have cut them into small pieces. 

                      Heat oil & temper with cumin seeds, dry red chili, cinnamon, cloves &
                      cardamom. Sauté for a few seconds.

                     Add chopped onion, ginger, garlic & green chilies. Sauté till light brown. 

                        Add mixed veggies & sauté for 2-3 minutes. 

                        Add peri peri sauce, 

                      followed by cooked rice & all dry spices. Mix well & sauté for few min. 

                       Add coriander leaves, seaweed & fried onion. Mix everything well.

                    Enjoy just as it is, with some extra sauce as accompaniment, with grilled
                    meat / fish, any side dish or with raita.