Brown Lentil and Vegetable Soup

This was our dinner tonight. Very hearty soup with tons of vegetables. Well balanced as the brown lentils provided reasonable amount of protein, fiber and good carbs. I thought it was a little bland, so added a splash of soya sauce in the end which enhanced the taste.

Brown Lentils / Kala Masoor Dal - 1/2 cup, washed
Olive Oil - 1 tbsp
Green Chilli - 1, finely chopped
Garlic - 4 cloves, finely sliced
Onion - 1/2, chopped
Carrot - 1/2, diced
Cabbage - 1/2 cup, chopped
Tomato - 1 big, peeled and chopped
Baby Spinach - 1 cup
Salt
Roasted Coriander Powder - 1 tsp
Fresh Ground black pepper
Soya Sauce - 1 tsp (optional)
Water / Homemade Vegetable Stock - 4 cups

Heat oil in a pan. Add garlic, green chilli, onion and saute for a minute.

Then add the carrot and cabbage and cook for a couple of minutes more.

Add tomato, spinach, brown lentils, salt, pepper, coriander powder, water and cook in a pressure cooker for 4 minutes after full pressure is reached.

Remove the pressure, check for seasoning. Add a dash of soya sauce on top and serve hot.

Caramelised Banana

A simple dessert but tastes heavenly. Banana, when caramelised is wonderful. It tastes good as it is, even without the icecream.

Banana - 1, ripe but firm
Butter - 1 tbsp
Turbinado Sugar - 2 tsp
Icecream / Frozen Yoghurt

Cut the banana into thick slices. Heat butter over low flame in a large skillet. Arrange the banana slices in a single layer on the pan. Sprinkle brown sugar on top. Cook on medium heat till the bottom side caramelises and becomes crispy. Flip them and sprinkle brown sugar on the other side. Cook till the other side caramelises. Remove from heat and serve immediately with icecream / yoghurt.

Pasta with Broccoli, Mushroom and Peas

A well balanced one pot meal. Can be cooked in less than 20 minutes. Baby Broccoli is very nutrious and quick to cook, whole grain pasta provides a lot of fiber and good carb and mushrooms gives the protein. I packed it for A's lunch today and surprisingly, he loved it even though he is not very fond of pasta.

Whole Wheat Pasta / Gluten free Brown Rice Pasta - 1 cup
Baby Broccoli Florets - 1 cup, chopped
Frozen Peas- 1/2 cup
Sliced Shitake Mushroom - 1 cup
Olive Oil - 1 tbsp
Garlic Cloves - 4, finely sliced
Shallot - 1, thinly sliced
Red Pepper Flakes - 1/4 tsp
Shredded Parmesan Cheese - 1 tbsp
Salt

Cook the pasta in boiling water with lots of salt till al dente. Reserve some of the pasta liquid in a cup, drain the pasta well and keep aside.

Heat olive oil in a big skillet. Add the sliced garlic, shallot and red chilli flakes and saute till slightly caramelised.

Add the broccoli florets, salt and toss for a minute. Then add the green peas and the sliced shitake mushroom. Cook for a couple of minutes more. Add the reserved pasta liquid and the drained pasta. Toss well. Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top and remove from heat. Serve hot.

Crispy Oven Baked Sweet Potato Fries

Adapted from http://twovegansisters.blogspot.com/2009/07/sweet-potato-fries.html

Sweet Potato - 1 large
Olive Oil - 1/2 tbsp
Cornflour - 1/2 tbsp
Brown Rice Flour - 1/2 tbsp
Salt
Pepper
Chilli Powder - a pinch
Brown Sugar - 1 tsp (optional)

Scrub and wash the sweet potato well. If there are any dark spots, peel those portions only. Leave the skin on for the rest of the potato.

Cut into half inch wide fries. Put them in a bowl of water and leave the bowl in the refrigerator for atleast an hour.

Preheat the oven to 450F. Mix cornflour, rice flour, salt, pepper, chilli powder in a bowl. Keep aside.

Remove the fries from the fridge and drain them well. Take a cookie sheet and pour the olive oil on it. Then add the potato wedges and mix well with the oil.  Take each potato wedge, coat with the flour mix and arrange on the baking sheet. Similarly spread out all the fries in a single layer on the cookie sheet. Drizzle a few drops of olive oil on top and bake for around 20 minutes. Open the oven, flip the fries and sprinkle a little brown sugar on top and bake for 10 minutes more till the fries are crispy and golden brown. Serve immediately.

Broccoli Lentil Soup

Adapted from http://healthfooddesivideshi.blogspot.com/2011/06/broccoli-lentil-soup-for-dinner.html

Red Lentils / Masoor Dal - 2 tbsp
Yellow Lentils / Mung Dal - 2 tbsp
Tomato - 1 big, peeled and chopped
Onion - 1 tbsp, finely chopped
Turmeric - a pinch
Broccoli stems - chopped
Salt
Water - 3 cups
Mix the above and cook in a pressure cooker for 3 minutes after full pressure is reached. Keep aside.

Baby Broccoli - 1 bunch, cut the florets from the stems and add the chopped stems along with the lentils
Garlic - 3 cloves, finely sliced
Onion - 1 tbsp, finely chopped
Green Chilli - 2, finely chopped
Roasted Coriander Powder - 1/4 tsp
Roasted Cumin Powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Olive Oil - 1 tbsp

Heat olive oil in a pan. Temper with cumin seeds and green chillies. Add the sliced garlic and onion and cook till soft.

Now add the baby broccoli and the rest of the spices. Cook for a couple of minutes. Dont overlook the florets, they sould remain slight crunchy. Add the cooked lentils, adjust salt, add a little water if required to reach the desired soupy consistency. Bring it to boil once and serve hot.

Maharashtrian Poha with Flattened Red Rice

Flattened Red Rice - 1 cup, I used Amma's Kitchen Kerala Aval

Oil - 1 tbsp

Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Green Chillies - 3, finely chopped
Curry Leaves - 10
Yellow Onion - 1/2, finely chopped
Ginger - 1/2 inch, grated
Potato - 1 (optional), boiled and cut into tiny cubes
Turmeric - a pinch
Salt
Lemon Juice - juice of 1 big lemon
Raw Sugar - 1 tsp
Roasted Peanuts - a handful
Cilantro - a handful, chopped

Wash the poha in plenty of warm water twice. Drain well and add salt, sugar and juice of half lemon. Mix well and keep aside for 15 minutes.

Heat oil in a cast iron pan. Temper with mustard seeds, cumin seeds and green chillies.

Add the chopped onion, grated ginger and curry leaves and cook till the onion gets soft.

If using potato, add chopped potato, turmeric and salt. Mix well. Cook or a couple of minutes.

Add the flattened rice and peanuts and mix well. Lower the flame and cover and cook for a few minutes.

Remove from heat, add lemon juice and garnish with cilantro and serve hot.

Savory Chickpea Flour Crepe / Besan ka Cheela

Adapted from http://ahaar.blogspot.com/2011/05/eggless-omelet.html

For filling:
Mung bean sprouts - 1 cup, may be used raw or cooked for a few minutes with 1 tbsp water
Red Onion - 1/2, finely chopped
Roma Tomato - 1, chopped
Cilantro - a handful, chopped
Green Chilli - 2, finely chopped
Lemon Juice - 1/2 lemon
Salt
Pepper
Mix everything together and keep aside

For crepe:
Chickpea Flour / Besan - 1 cup
Brown Rice Flour - 2 tbsp (optional)
Water - 2 cups
Salt
Red Chilli Powder - 1/4 tsp
Green Chilli - 2, finely chopped
Turmeric - a pinch
Ajwain - 1/4 tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1/4 tsp

Olive Oil

Makes 4 crepes

Add besan, water and all the above ingredients together (except the oil). Mix well with a wire whisk so that there are no lumps in the batter. The batter should be thin with a consistency of whole milk.

Heat a non stick pan with a little oil and pour about a quarter cup of batter. Roll the pan gently so that it forms a big round crepe. Add a few drops of oil.

Cook for a minute and when brown spots appear, flip the crepe and cook on the other side. Add a few drops of oil again. Once the outside becomes golden brown, Remove the crepe on a plate. Add a few spoons of the filling, fold it and serve immediately.

For a quick pancake, instead of stuffing, finely chopped onion and cilantro can be added to the batter itself.

Masala Lassi

Cold Greek Yogurt - 2 cups
Cold Whole Milk - 1/4 cup
Crushed Ice cubes - 4
Sugar - 2 tbsp
Rock Salt - a pinch
Roasted Cumin Powder - 1 tsp
Mint Leaves - 2 leaves, shredded

Mix everything together and blend in a blender till smooth and frothy. Serve immediately.

Vegetable Fried Rice

Brown rice - 3/4 cup, cooked and kept in the fridge
Eggs - 3, scrambled with a little whole milk, salt, pepper and kept aside (optional)
Olive Oil - 1 tbsp
Ginger - 1 inch, finely shredded
Garlic - 3 cloves, grated
Green Onion - 2, chopped
Shelled Edamame  - 1/2 cup
Mixed Vegetables - 1 cup - carrots, capsicum, green beans, green onions, etc - finely shredded or chopped
Soy Sauce - 2 tsp
Salt
Pepper

Heat oil in a large wok. Add the ginger, garlic and green chillies and fry for a minute.

Add the vegetables, salt, pepper and cook on high heat for a few minutes. The vegetables should not be overcooked. They should remain crunchy.

Add the cold rice and soya sauce. Mix everything well. Cook for a couple of minutes more.

Add the scrambled egg, mix well and serve hot.

Corn Cutlet

Red Potato – 1 (small)
Frozen Corn – 1 cup
Frozen Green Peas – a handful
Roasted Peanuts – a handful
Olive Oil – 2 tsp
Green Chillies – 2, finely chopped
Onion – ½, finely chopped
Ginger – ½ inch, grated
Roasted Cumin Powder – 1 tsp
Roasted Coriander Powder – 1 tsp
Turmeric – a pinch
Aamchur / Dried mango powder – ½ tsp or 1 tbsp lemon juice
Salt
Cilantro – a handful, chopped

Cornflour – 1 tbsp
Water – 1 tbsp or as required to make a thin paste
Whole Wheat Panko bread crumbs – 2 tbsp
Oil for shallow fry – ½ tbsp

Boil the potato till soft. Drain from water, add salt and coarsely mash. Keep aside.

Heat oil in a pan. Add the green chilli and onion and sauté till onion gets soft.

Add frozen corn and green peas. Mix well. Add ginger, cumin, coriander, turmeric, aamchur and cook for a few minutes.

Add the mashed potato, cilantro and salt. Mix everything well. Remove from heat and keep aside to cool.

When the mixture has cooled down a little, divide the mixture into 10 round balls. Flatten each portion between the palms to make slightly elongated shape.

Heat half a tbsp of oil in a cast iron skillet. Make a thin paste of cornflour and water. Dip each portion in the paste, roll in panko bread crumbs and shallow fry on medium heat till golden brown on both sides. Serve with Ketchup.

Besan Barfi

Besan - 1 cup
Ghee - 1 cup
Sugar - 1 cup
Water - 1 cup
Cardamom Powder - 1/4 tsp

Sieve the besan to make it light and airy. Keep aside.

Mix the sugar and water in a large pan.and bring it to boil. Reduce the heat and continue to cook till the syrup reaches one thread consistency.

Using the left hand, slowly add the besan little by little to the syrup and with the right hand, continuously mix the syrup with a wooden spoon or an egg beater.

Once all the besan is added, start adding the ghee, a tablespoon at a time, while continuously mixing the syrup. Continue this process till all the ghee is added. Cook the mixture till it begins to brown slightly, leaves the edges of the pan, starts releasing ghee and becomes porous.

Immediately trasfer the mixture to a glass plate. Cool and cut into desired shape. Store in an airtight container.

Capsicum Rice

Adapted from http://www.sailusfood.com/2011/05/02/quick-butter-capsicum-rice/

Brown Rice - 3/4 cup, cook with sufficient water till done and keep aside
Ghee / Clarified Butter - 1 tbsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cinnamon Stick - 1 inch
Green Chilli - 2, finely chopped
Urad Dal / Black gram - 1 tbsp
Curry Leaves - 1 sprig
Capsicum - 1, finely chopped
Frozen Corn - a handful (optional)
Bisi Bele Bhath Powder - 1 tsp (optional)
Salt
Roasted Cashewnuts - a handful

Heat ghee in a pan. temper with mustard seeds, cumin seeds, green chillies, cinnamon stick, curry leaves.

Add the urad dal and saute till the dal changes color to slight brown.

Add the chopped capsicum and salt and cook for 5 minutes. If using corn, add them along with the capsicum. Do not overcook the capsicum, leave them crunchy.

Mix the rice, bisi bele powder(if using) and cashewnuts. Cook for a couple of minutes more and serve hot.

Cabbage and Chickpea Soup

Adapted from http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2011/04/cabbage-chickpea-soup-basil.html

Chickpeas - 1 cup, soaked overnight
Cabbage - 1/2 of a small cabbage or 1/4 of a medium sized one, chopped
Vidalia Onion - 1, chopped
Garlic Cloves - 2, chopped
Tomato - 2, chopped
Veg Bouillon Cubes - 2, (Rapunzel Brand No Salt Vegan Veg Bouillon)
Carrot -1, sliced
Water - 4 cups
Olive Oil - 1/2 tbsp
Red Chilli Flakes - 1/4 tsp
Basil / Cilantro - for garnishing
Salt
Fresh ground black pepper

Heat oil in a pressure cooker pan. Add the garlic and saute. Once the garlic starts changing color, add the chopped onion and cook till they get soft.

Add all the reamining ingredients. Toss well.

Add water and close the pressure cooker. Cook under pressure for 20 minutes.

Sprinkle some more ground black pepper, garnish with fresh basil leaves or cilantro and serve hot.

Black Bean Soup, the Panera Bread Style

Dry Black Beans - 1 cup, soaked overnight
Yellow Onion - 1/2, finely chopped
Garlic Cloves - 3, finely chopped
Green Chilli -1. finely chopped
Tomato - 2, chopped
Roasted Cumin Powder - 2 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1/2 tsp
Chipotle Pepper in Adobo Sauce - 1/2 pepper + a little sauce
Salt
Water - 4 cups
Cornflour - 1 tsp
Olive Oil - 1 tbsp

Heat oil in a pressure cooker pan. Add the garlic and green chilli. Saute for a minute.

Then add the chopped onion. Cook till the onion gets soft.

Add the chopped tomato, cumin and coriander powder. Cook till the oniuon tomato mixture becomes a soft paste.

Add the soaked beans, salt, mashed chipotle pepper with sauce. Add about 3 cups of water and cook under pressure for 20 minutes.

Once it has cooled a little, release the pressure. Mix the cornflour with a little water and add it to the soup. Bring it to boil and cook till the soup gets thick and reaches desired consistency.

Serve hot with baked tortilla chips.

Quinoa Upma

Quinoa - 1 cup
Water - 2 cups
Onion - 1/2, finely chopped
Tomato - 1/2, chopped
Frozen Green Peas - a handful
Carrot - 1(small), grated
Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Ginger - 1/2 inch, grated
Green Chilli - 2, finely chopped
Urad Dal - 1 tbsp
Roasted Chana Dal / Dalia - 1 tbsp
Curry Leaves - 2 sprigs
Peanuts - a handful
Cashewnuts - a handful
Olive Oil - 1 tbsp
lemon Juice - 2 tsp
Salt

Place the quinoa in a strainer and wash well for atleast a couple of minutes. Add 2 cups of water and cook on medium heat till the water dries up and the quinoa is fluffy. The quinoa looks transparent when it is cooked. Keep aside.

Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds. Then add cumin seeds, grated ginger, chopped green chillies, urad dal and curry leaves. Saute till the urad dal turns light brown.

Add chopped onion, salt and cook till the onion gets soft.

Add frozen green peas, grated carrots, tomato, roasted chana dal and the nuts. Cook for a couple of minutes.

Then add the quinoa, adjust salt and mix everything well.

Add a dash of lemon juice and serve.