Cream of Broccoli Soup (Without Cream)

With the onset of Fall, I gravitate to the hearty and comforting soup-bread routine. That pretty much sums up the dinner at times. I searched for various cream of vegetable soup recipes online and most of them used roux - the classic base for any white sauce and cream which I prefer to skip. I replaced the roux with potatoes (you will still get close-to-creamy texture) and added milk instead of cream. This may not be a classic cream of broccoli recipe but serves the needs (calories) and nutritional requirements of my family. 

The body of the soup is more often than not, very thin and finely blended. To build it up, I created a good base with Celery and Onions. For a touch of green, I added few sprigs of Arugula popularly known as Rocket. All this brought together with a pat of butter (its about 25 calories) and milk. We enjoyed the soup with Garlic Crostini made out of soft Baguette.

In Summer this year, I watched a documentary narrated by Anthony Bourdain, incidentally one of my favorite food writer and travel narrator, suggesting the method followed by Chefs in French cuisine  for Cream of Veg. soups of any kind. The restaurant style pureed soups are apparently strained through a sieve multiple times for a silky, smooth texture. I didn't bother to do that, besides it leaves your soup with coarse home made flavor.

~ Cream of Broccoli Soup ~
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:
Broccoli (cut into tiny florets) - 4 cups
Warm Milk (reduced fat) - 1 cup
Celery (finely chopped) - 1 and 1/2 cup
Red Onions (finely chopped) - 3/4 cup
Potato (medium sized, diced) - 1
Arugula (coarsely chopped) - 1 cup
Whole Black Pepper (coarsely crushed) - 1/2 tsp
Olive Oil
Butter (unsalted) - small pat
Hot Vegetable stock - 2 cups
Salt

For Garnish -
Red Chilli flakes - a pinch
Bread croutons - 4-5 per serving

Contraption needed -
Immersion Blender/ Heavy duty Blender 

Method:

Cut two large heads of Broccoli into tiny florets. Remove the tough fiber from the stem and chop the tender core and add to the florets. In a separate utensil, bring to boil the reserved vegetable stock. 

In a deep bottomed non-stick vessel, heat a pat of butter and splash of olive oil together. This prevents butter from burning. Saute red onions and celery. Let it wilt and cook to reduce in size. This process takes around 10 minutes. 

Add the Arugula, Potatoes and Broccoli now, season with salt and pepper. Add the hot vegetable stock and bring to boil. Warm up 1 cup of milk and add to boiling broth. Simmer and bring the veg. broth to boil, cover with lid on and let it cook till vegetables have fall-apart texture. This takes roughly 15 minutes. Turn off flame and allow to cool. Once semi-cool, blend it to a coarse puree. Serve warm or bring to boil before serving. Add more/less milk as per texture desired. I prefer to have thick consistency. Add a ladle of soup in a soup croc and garnish with red chilli flakes and croutons. Serve hot with hunks of toasted Peasant Bread/ Baguette. 

Root Vegetable Soup

Cold, chilly winters are ahead. It gets dark by 4:30 evening and suddenly you feel like the day's finished early. The good thing is we wind up dinners early, most of the cooking is left to the oven and the sheet pans, bakeware have been put to good use. The kitchen is substantially warmer owing to the heat generated by the oven. I spend less time in the kitchen and get to catch up on a book soon due at the library or watch a favorite TV program of my choice.

I love a Soup and Bread dinner. The bread makes up for the carbohydrate intake and the soup provides simple nutrition without adding lot of calories. This soup is very mild and holds good for diverse palates. Few years ago, when I was working in Bangalore, my parents were out of town and I fell sick. It took me a week to recover from flu and cold. My dear friend, Deltu took care of me for couple of days and made this soup inspired by Root Vegetables available in the season. It had a light seasoning of ground cloves and cinnamon richly smothered and cooked in the vegetables mashed to perfection. This soup is a comfort blanket for cold, winter days. Its very easy to prepare and pairs well with grilled bread.

~ Root Vegetable Soup ~
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Servings: 4-6

Ingredients:
Potatoes (peeled and diced) - 2 cups
Carrots (peeled and diced) - 1 cup
Beetroot (peeled and diced) - 1 cup
Parsnip (peeled and diced) - 1/2 cup
Turnip (peeled and diced) - 1/2 cup
Red Onion (chopped) - 1/2 cup
Bay Leaf - 1
Black Pepper (coarsely ground) - 1/2 tsp
Olive oil
Salt

For Garnish - chopped Coriander leaves

Contraption - 1 Soup Croc

Method:
Rinse all the vegetables to get rid of grime and dirt. Peel off the skin and dice and pressure cook for 4-5 whistles. Allow to cool and mash in the cooked broth with a vegetable masher. In a deep bottomed pan, heat few spoons of olive oil, season with a bay leaf, saute chopped onion till they are lightly browned. Add the mashed vegetables now and adjust water, salt and pepper as per taste. Bring to a rolling boil and simmer on low flame with the lid on for 5-8 minutes. Once done, blend with an immersion blender until pasty and smooth textured. Serve hot in a Soup Croc with grilled bread slices on the side. Garnish with chopped Coriander leaves. A Ciabatta or Portuguese roll blends well with this rich soup.

Tomato Saar with Ginger (Alle Tomato Saaru)

In my household, using Ginger/ Alle as an herb for Saaru is unheard of. Saaru is a soupy broth of herbs and condiments, couples well with rice and constitutes as a light and soothing lunch and dinner. Having said that, one cannot undermine the importance of Ginger and its curative properties in Indian food. This recipe is from my Ma's collection, sourced from Kannada magazine - Taranga. Interestingly, this one is a favorite among our household. The flavour of this Saaru has a very soothing effect, hence holds good for kids as well as elderly and senior citizens in the family. I added a stash of red lentils which needed to be used and it added a good texture to the Saaru.

My Ammama - maternal granny, is an octogenarian, a true matriarch of our family, hale-o-hearty woman, however cannot eat boiled or cooked rice and needs a good mash of food before she can eat. She is on dentures, hates to wear them, rebukes them as artificial aid and like a true Konkani, loves her dose of Dalithoi, Upkari and Patrode. Funnily, she enjoys spicy and savoury food and dislikes bland food. If she dislikes what is made for lunch or dinner, she will grab a bite and stop right there. She will pompously declare that the food is no good. She jokes around by saying - Don't give me patient food when I am ok. We all oblige with laughter! Ma makes Alle Tomato Saaru for her on many occasions and she enjoys her lunch with a satiated calmness which only my Ma and Pachi's can read and comprehend. She eats a little bit and then declares with a grin that this food makes her soul happy. I like this recipe for the tenderness and nostalgic memories built around it.

~ Alle Tomato Saaru ~
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 1o-15 minutes
Source: Original recipe from Kannada magazine - Taranga

Ingredients:
Tomato (ripe, chopped and pureed) - 2 cups
Red Lentils (washed and drained) [optional] - 1/2 cup
Ginger (grated) - 1 tbsp
Garlic (grated) - 1 tbsp
Onion (finely chopped) - 3 tbsp
Coriander powder - 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1/3 tsp
Green Chilli (split lengthwise) - 1
Salt

For Seasoning -
Red Chillies (split into two) - 1
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - 3-4
Oil/Ghee

Method:
Rinse the tomatoes and puree them in a blender. Bring this to a boil along with grated ginger and garlic. Adjust salt, add green chilli and chopped onions when semi-cooked. Add 1/2 cup of hot water if desired. Add washed red lentils at this stage. After it comes to a rolling boil, simmer with the lid on for 5-8 minutes. Once done and lentils are cooked, add coriander powder and give a good stir and turn off the flame. In a separate frying pan, heat few spoons of oil/ghee, season with mustard seeds and once they begin to pop add curry leaves and red chillies. Pour this seasoning on the Saaru and cover with a lid. Serve hot with cooked white or parboiled rice.

Temple Saar (Devasthan Saaru)

Devasthan is temple in GSB Konkani. Saar or Saaru is a soupy version of spices, herbs and vegetables cooked in vegetable stock/plain water. While I was growing up, this was the version of Saaru available during festivities and celebrations with mass lunches and dinners served in temples, thus was coined the name - Devasthan Saaru. There are many different variations which are practiced. The taste of this Saaru is superb and very spicy. Certainly not for the faint hearted and meant for those who enjoy a spicier version of Saaru. Some versions add the seasoning some don't, either ways the broth tastes awesome with cooked white rice.

~ Temple Saaru ~
Preparation time: 5 minutes Cooking time: 15-20 minutes

Ingredients:
Coriander leaves (chopped) - 1/4 cup
Turmeric powder - 1/3 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1/3 tsp
Warm filtered water
Oil/Ghee
Salt

Saaru masala -
Coriander seeds - 1 and 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 and 1/2 tsp
Red Chillies (Byadgi) - 4-5
Grated Coconut (fresh or frozen) - 3 tbsp
Asafoetida (edible gum) - one small lump
Curry leaves - 5-6

For seasoning -
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - 3-4
Oil/Ghee

Method:
In a frying pan, heat few spoons of oil and roast coriander seeds, cumin seeds, red chillies, curry leaves and asafoetida. Allow to cool. Set aside. Grind to a smooth paste with grated coconut and warm water to form a paste. Bring the ground paste to a bubbly boil, add turmeric powder, red chilli powder and salt as per taste. Once cooked, cover with a lid. In the same pan used previously, heat few spoons of oil and season with curry leaves and mustard seeds. Pour this seasoning on the cooked broth. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Mix before serving and serve with cooked white rice.

Note: Use whole spices for good taste and flavour. Do not use powdered asafoetida, use the edible gum which is lumpy and strong flavoured. Add seasoning or omit seasoning as per choice. Cooked Toor Dal and Tomato can also be added to bring about volume and lessen the spice level.

Lemon Rasam (Lemon Saaru/ Nimbe Saaru)

I love Lemon Saar or Nimbe Saaru (Nimbe's Lemon in Konkani/ Kannada) along with white rice. Mom has been making this Saaru for many years now and we all appreciate the tart and tangy flavour of Lemon juice in the Saaru. Fresh green chillies are pan seared with little oil and then ground to a smooth paste with coconut and spices. I like this simple Saaru for light lunches and dinners during scorching hot summer days.

~ Lemon Saaru ~
Preparation time: 5 minutes Cooking time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:
Lemon juice - 5 tbsp
Coconut grated (fresh or frozen) - 5 tbsp
Green chillies (fresh) - 2
Coriander leaves - 5-6 strands
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt

For seasoning -
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - 3-5
Oil/Ghee

Method:

In a deep pan, heat few spoons of oil and sear the chillies. Be careful to protect your face from spurting chillies which could potentially have the seeds flying in all directions. Allow the chillies to cool. Grind grated coconut, turmeric powder, fried chillies and salt together with little water. During the last spin of blender, add the coriander leaves and blend to smooth paste. Bring this paste to bubbly boil, add lemon juice and adjust salt, once done & cooked, turn off the flame and set aside. In the same pan used previously, heat the remaining oil and temper with mustard seeds and curry leaves. Pour the seasoning mixture on the boiled broth. Mix well and serve hot with rice.

Note: The searing of chillies should be carefully done since they have a tendency to burst open and fly everywhere around. Immerse the chillies completely in oil and use the same flavoured oil for seasoning later. If you are allergic to the heat of chillies, wear kitchen gloves to protect your hands.

5 Vegetable Alphabet Soup

5 Vegetable Soup is a soup which Mom frequently made for brunch when we were tiny tots. I simply loved the concept of Soups, so Mom found it easy to trick me into this by adding all vegetables which are finely chopped along with Alphabet pasta which is incidentally also quite popular soup amongst tiny tots in US. She added all colorful vegetables and each spoonful used to be full of proliferated Pasta alphabets. We all had a fun time guessing the letters and of course eating them! Even after growing up, on a rainy day I used to request Mom to make this soup and now after many decades when I am a woman, I insist on her final touch, with some execution from me. This soup is the perfect panacea for missing-mommy syndrome. :)

The Alphabet pasta which are available in US (you can find them at Trader Joe's) are large and little different from the ones you get in India but never mind the flavour compensates for it all the way. Some alphabets are colored, they also add a good texture and flavour to the soup.

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15-20 minutes
Serves: 4 medium servings

Ingredients:
Vegetables (chopped) - 3 cups
[Onion, Cauliflower, Carrot, Beans, Cabbage]
Alphabet Pasta - 1/2 cup
Ghee/Oil
Maggi Cube (vegetable) - 2 cubes
Salt

Method:
Take a deep bottomed pan; once heated up, add ghee and ensure it coats the bottom of the pan. Saute onions for a while and once they are translucent, add the vegetables one by one. Once all of them are added, add 3 cups of water and bring to a gentle boil. Simmer on low flame, covered, add the Alphabet pasta & Maggi cubes. Check after 5-7 minutes, once completely cooked, turn off flame and serve hot.

Note - Maggi cubes pack in lot of salt, so do not add lot of salt in the soup.

Northern Beans Soup (Tingalore Thoi)

Growing up, we used to get enjoy a special kind of bean, primarily a legume called as Tingalore in Konkani. Mom used to serve this hot for lunch when her little munchkins were back from school. She used to make soupy textured broth based side dish seasoned with Garlic known as Tingalore Thoi in Konkani.

Since the dish used to be mushy one, I used to love slurping on it like a regular soup. The seeds are known & available as Northern Beans are available in US grocery stores as well. They are shiny, white and oval shaped. The beans cook well to a mushy texture when soaked previously for atleast 4-6 hours.

Preparation time: 5-7 hours of soaking time
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Serves: 2-4 individuals

Ingredients:
Northern Beans or Tingalore - 3/4 cup
Green Chillies - 2

Salt

For Seasoning:
Garlic Pods - 5-6
Oil/ Ghee

Method:
Presoak the beans ~ Tingalore overnight (atleast for 5-7 hours). Upon soaking, the beans proliferate in size. Pressure cook for atleast 5 whistles. Mash rigorously after boiling. Add Green chillies which needs to be slit in the centre. Bring to a gentle boil. Adjust salt as per taste. Once completely cooked, turn off the flame. In a separate small pan, heat few spoons of oil and saute the crushed Garlic pods. Once the pods are charred and lightly browned, pour this seasoning over the cooked broth. Serve hot with white steamed rice.

Black Tori Saar (Kaali Tori Saaru)

Its interesting how your spouse influences your eating habits. Turns out that my husband is very fond of lentils and legumes (Dhaanya in konkani). Years later I smile as half my pantry is stocked with zillion varieties of seeds, beans, pulses, lentils, legumes etc.

One such tasty variety of legume is called as Kalee Tori in Konkani. Usually we make Ghashi, a coconut based curry with Kooka/ Jackfruit (Kadgee)/ Magge added along with Black Toree as supplement. I have not found these seeds in US Indian ethnic grocery stores and get a small pack from India. I am not sure the English equivalent of this bean. If anyone is aware, kindly enlighten.

In India, one can find 2 varieties of these - dry variety and fresh variety (Jeevo Tori). Personally, I like the fresh one but its a chance catch and is full of flavor. Once during a casual conversation, my MIL had suggested Saaru out of these chubby little black seeds. I tried this and we both liked the flavour. Although its a non-conventional approach I found the dish quite tasty and easy on the palate. Goes well with with steamed white rice.

~ Black Tori Saaru ~

Preparation time: Soaking time of 4-6 hours

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

Black Tori/ Kaali Tori - 3/4 cup

Salt

Ghee/ Oil

Green Chillies - 2

Asafoetida - a pinch

For Seasoning:

Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Curry leaves - 3-4
Red Chillies (optional) - 2

Method:

Wash and soak the seeds in water for 4-6 hours. Pressure cook the seeds upto 4 whistles or till completely cooked. Transfer to another cooking vessel. Adjust the consistency by adding enough quantity of water, adjust salt as well. Mash up a little for better taste. Add slit chillies & asafoetida. Bring to boil and simmer on low flame for 5-8 minutes or till completely cooked. Turn off the flame.

In a separate vessel, for tempering, heat few spoons of Ghee, once hot add mustard seeds and once the seeds begin to pop, add curry leaves. If using green chillies, omit red chillies and vice-versa. Pour this seasoning on the boiled broth and cover with a lid. Mix while serving with white steamed rice.

Note - For seasoning, one can use both approaches either use crushed garlic and ghee seasoning or mustard, curry leaves and ghee. Take your pick as per taste and preference. The quality of seeds is key while determining the boiling point for these seeds hence do not skip the soaking time of 4-6 hours else the seeds will remain undercooked.

Bilimbi Soup (Bimblaa Saaru/ Bilimbi Saaru)

Here's wishing all the Foodie's around the globe a very HAPPY NEW YEAR!! Great health and prosperity to everyone.....

Last few week's have been hectic hence been MIA from the blog zone. Special thanks to all my readers who inquired on my well being and whereabouts. After all the year long festivities are done, a good way to detox one's diet is to partake simple, nutritious food. I prefer this version of Bilimbi Saaru which is very apt and soothing on the palate as well.

This is my Mom's version of Saaru. Her recipe mixes sweet and sour flavours to create a different taste all together. Its a very simple recipe but very dear to my heart. As kids, we had couple of Bilimbi tree's growing in our ancestral farms.

We had a gala time climbing the huge slippery branches only to pluck the purple flower of this fruit which is very tangy. Chewing the flowers leaves a tangy purple coat on the tongue which was a sought after childhood delight for us as kids. In US, its very difficult to find Bilimbi, but these are available in plenty in India and a must-have-sapling if you are a Konkani and have a backyard. :)

The taste of this Soup is neither sweet nor tangy. For my non Konkani friends, you could just slurp this on a cold winter evening on its own if you do not wish to combine it with rice. This is a very simple recipe but I wanted to document it for the simple reason that with the advent of fast food choices and changes in tastes and preferences, these simple recipes are long forgotten and pushed into periphery.

~ Bilimbi Saaru ~

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

Bilimbi (chopped) - 2 cups

Ghee

Jaggery - 1 teaspoon

For Seasoning -

Red Chillies (split into two) - 2

Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Salt

Method:

Remove the calyx attached to the fruit. Chop them into tiny bits. For one cup of chopped Bilimbi add 1 and 1/2 cup of water and bring to boil. Simmer on low flame till the pieces are soft and cooked. Add a teaspoon of Jaggery while boiling. Adjust salt as per taste. Add more water if desired. Once completely cooked, turn off flame and cover with a lid.

In a separate vessel, heat few spoons of Ghee, once the oil is hot enough, temper with Mustard seeds and Curry leaves roughly chopped. Once the seeds begin to pop, add the red chillies (split into two) and pour this seasoning over the cooked broth, cover tightly with a lid. Mix while serving, enjoy with steamed white rice.

Butternut Squash Soup

Butternut Squash is an uncommon vegetable making a bold scene during the Fall season. I love the silky, butter like flavour of the vegetable and enjoy adding it for Stews and Soups. I discovered on recent Food shows on TV that Nutmeg is a great spice to go along with any Butternut Squash preparations. Chopping the skin of this vegetable can be a hard task, best way to tackle that is half the squash, drizzle some oil and bake in the oven for 30 minutes. Allow to cool and scoop out the cooked portion from the skin for cooking purpose. A warm pot of simmering soup on a hot stove for a quiet chilly evening certainly wows the child in me. To neutralise the taste of sweet Butternut, I added Soup cubes and Red Onions with a free hand of mixed herbs (Thyme, Rosemary and Chives) and a dash of Nutmeg as well. I did not add salt at all. Unlike other soups, this one was not brothy at all; instead I chose to make it very pasty and thick.

Soups are also a great way to build appetite, rev up your metabolism with less calories, camouflage the unfavored vegetables in the family (especially for kids!) and are a potent source of nourishment.

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

Butternut Squash (boiled and mashed) - 2 cups

Vegetable Stock - 1 cup or Water - 1 cup

Nutmeg (grated) - 1/3 teaspoon

Milk - 2-4 tablespoon

Soup Seasoning Cubes - 1

Onion (chopped) - 2 tablespoon
Oil/Ghee

For Garnish - Mint leaves & Mixed herbs [Thyme, Rosemary & Parsley]

Method:

Peel the hard skin of the Butternut. Dice the vegetable chunks. Pressure cook for 4-5 whistles. Allow to cool. Mash and keep aside. In a deep saucepan, heat Oil, saute the chopped Onions till they wilt and charr a bit. Add the mashed puree of vegetable & milk. Give a gentle stir and add vegetable stock. Add water if you don't have vegetable stock handy. Add soup seasoning and mix well. Do not add any salt as the Soup cubes have enough Sodium to hold and bring the flavours together. Bring to a boil and simmer for 2 minutes. Garnish with grated Nutmeg, Mint and mixed herbs.

Spicy Lentil Soup (Pappu Chaaru)

Occasionally, we get lunch and dinner invitations which are seldom easy to forget. I mean, its not about the FOOD always! Its about the people, their hospitality, warmth, finally the company which is what matters the most. They'll cook and present the most simple dishes you can find on the face of earth; yet you feel the love all around. This also compels me to think that any simple dish cooked with love is far more tasty than a banquet dished out in a grumpy mood. I recall this amazing lunch we had at one of our office friend's place in India.

My friend makes the most amazing Chekkalu, Pacchadi, Pappu, Poriyal's and Biryani's. She made this simple spicy lentil soup which is popularly known as Pappu Chaaru in Andhra Pradesh state of India and is a quite a staple recipe in many a Andhra homes. A very simple soupy textured broth with a healthy seasoning of garlic and augmented with lot of tangy flavour of Tamarind juice. This broth is neither too thin nor too thick. Some versions of Chaaru are also made with vegetables of choice primarily Okra, Baby Onions, Tomatoes, etc; I prefer this simple plain one for the simplicity. I was in love with the Chaaru flavour and asked her for the recipe. The compliments surely made her day! I have made this countless times and love the taste. Every time I slurp the soup, it reminds me of the wonderful time we had at her place.

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

Toor Dal (cooked) - 1/2 cup

Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Red Chilli powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Tamarind extract broth (concentrated) - 1/3 cup

Jaggery or Sugar - 1 teaspoon

For Seasoning -

Red Chillies (Byadgi) - 2-3

Garlic - 3-4 pods

Oil/Ghee

Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Curry leaves - 3-4

Garnish: Chopped Coriander leaves and hot melted Ghee.

Method:

Pressure cook Toor Dal and keep aside. In a vessel, cook the boiled Toor Dal with water in 1/2: 4 proportion. Which means, for half cup of cooked Toor Dal, add 4 cups of water. Dilute the Dal entirely in water and bring to boil. Add Turmeric powder and Red Chilli powder. Soak Tamarind pulp in warm water for 10 minutes. Squish it with your hands and add the juice in the cooking broth. Add Jaggery or Sugar now. Give a gentle stir. Adjust salt and water consistency as per choice. The broth will be brown in color now. Bring to boil and simmer on low flame for 10 minutes and turn off the flame.

In a separate pan, heat few spoons of oil/ghee. Add mustard seeds and once they begin to pop, add curry leaves and crushed Garlic. Let the garlic brown and char a little. Pour this piping hot seasoning over the Chaaru. Cover and close with a lid. Garnish with chopped Coriander leaves if desired. Mix while serving and enjoy with hot steam cooked white rice. Top it up with some hot Tuppa or Ghee.

Sprouted Green Gram Soup (Mugaa Saaru)

There are times when you want to eat simple, delicious and sobre food with oil and spice within tolerable limits or less (Saatvikk food as known in Ayurveda parlance). Mugaa Saaru or Bengal Gram Soup is one such recipe which I relish.

The second day after Ekadashi (a holy day observed in Hindu calendar for fasting and symbolic of sacrifice and penance) is Duadashi. Amongst Konkanis (atleast the ones I know), its a common practice to make dishes using Green Gram or Moong Bean on this day. The common quote in our house on Duadashi day as propounded by my Pop till we get bugged to no end was Duadashi - Mooga Ghashi. Mooga Ghashi is another delicious common recipe for cooking Green Gram sprouts in Coconut and Chilli paste. The scientific rationale behind this practice, in my opinion is that post all the fasting, human body needs nourishment after the wear and tear. Sprouted Green Gram have tremendous cooling and healing properties within them. Green Gram in sprouted form carries lot of nourishment and nutrition value so much that one cup of Green Gram easily gives rise to 5 cups or more of sprouted ones. Some retain the green skin, some prefer to discard it. I remove them as much as I can, rest I just use for my recipes as per choice. Since I am miles away from the prospect of a fast, leave alone a lame attempt, I thought of making this Soup to remember the day and celebrate the spirit of sacrifice!

This recipe is tweaked from my mother's original one. I added tiny helping of Rasam powder to zap up the flavour. Much better is you pick the vegetable stock fresh from the pressure cooker after boiling sprouted beans for a whistle. The taste is very subtle and nutritious. The taste of this soup is an acquired one; if bland soup with a subtle flavour and minimal seasoning appeals you, then try out this recipe.

Preparation time: 2 days (includes sprouting)

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:
Green Gram Stock - 3 cups
Green Gram (sprouted and boiled) - 1/2 cup

Tomatoes (chopped) - 1/2 cup
Rasam powder (optional) - 1/2 teaspoon
Garlic (crushed) - 4-5 pods
Oil/Ghee
Coriander leaves (optional) [chopped] - 1/4 cup
Salt

Method:

Wash the Green Gram and soak to enable sprouting. Once done, remove the green skin to expose the sprouted green gram. Pressure cook for a single whistle. Extract the stock and bring to boil along with the cooked beans. Simmer and Rasam powder, salt as per taste and chopped coriander leaves.

In a separate pan, heat a spoon of oil. Add crushed Garlic pods and saute till get reddish brown hue. Turn off flame and pour this seasoning on the soup. Close the lid. Mix while serving either on its own or with rice and pappad on the side to spruce up the flavour.

Lentil Spicy Soup (Bele Saaru/ Udupi Daali Saaru)

Bele Saaru or Udupi Daali Saaru is an amalgamation of Daal + Saaru. The final product which you get when you marry both is Udupi Daali Saaru or Bele Saaru. This approach of cooking Daal along with Saaru is very popular and sought after in Udupi & Mangalore regions, also practised in Kannada/ Karnataka cuisines. This version is a far cry from the traditional Tomato Rasam or Tomato Saaru Recipe. The only twist here is the addition of Daal plus the consistency is more thicker and not as thin and soupy as Rasam.

If you are making a big batch of this recipe, try putting a bunch of Coriander leaves and Curry leaves tied together as a Herb Bouquet in the soup. Else, put all the herbs in a muslin cloth, tie off the ends and dunk in the soup. Discard once the soup is ready. I believe this is the chef's little secret to get the 'precise' flavour for Saaru. This is one of the approaches still practised in Udupi Krishna Temple where more than 5000+ people enjoy temple food preparations cooked by Shivalli Brahmins cooks; this Saaru is served as part of lunch and dinner to a huge mass of devotees thronging to the holy abode from nooks and corners of the world. I recall watching it on a Travel and Living documentary on Udupi Temple food served on Plantain leaf hosted by Padma Lakshmi ; simply incorporated this method into my recipe. :)

I am forever bowled over by this humble recipe which fuses two cooking methods of Daal and Saaru. In my home, this is a regular one. Daal adds volume and provides the much required pep to improve the texture. Feel sick, just slurp this up from a mug.

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Yield: 2-3 servings

Ingredients:

Toor Daal (cooked) - 1 cup

Tomatoes (finely chopped and pulsed) - 3/4 cup

Rasam powder - 2 teaspoon

Green Chillies (sliced) - 2

Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Asafoetida powder - 1/4 teaspoon

Coriander leaves (chopped) - 1/2 cup

Jaggery - 1 teaspoon

Herb Bouquet - Coriander leaves + Curry leaves strands (bunch of 2-3 strands tied together)

Salt

Water

For Seasoning -

Curry leaves - 1 strand

Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon

Oil/ Ghee

Method:

Cook Toor Daal in a pressure cooker and keep aside. Pulse the tomatoes in blender to rough chops or manually crush them with your hands. Add Toor Daal paste to this. Bring to boil with Green Chillies and the Herb Bouquet. Add Rasam powder, Turmeric powder, Jaggery, Asafoetida powder and adjust salt & water as per taste. Simmer on low flame for 10 minutes. Turn off flame once completely cooked.

In a separate pan, heat few spoons of Oil/ Ghee, add Mustard seeds, once they begin to pop add Curry leaves and saute. Turn off flame and pour this seasoning over the cooked Daal consistency. Garnish with chopped Coriander leaves. Serve hot with warm rice and a dollop of Ghee.

Malabar Spinach Soup (Vaali Bhaajji Soup)

Cold winter, being confined to warm indoors and a bowl of soup to slurp is certainly indispensable. I cherish the warmth and nutrition value a soupbowl brings to the table. I'd a pound of Malabar Spinach which I had bought from Indian store recently. Amongst all the greens, Malabar Spinach is one of my favorites. Basella Alba is the scientific name, Vaalchi Bhaaji in Goan-Konkani, Vaali Bhaajji in GSB Konkani, Basale Soppu in Kannada and Mon Thoi in Vietnamese. Its large stemmed laden with leaves, thick and sturdy, semi-succulent one upon cooking with expansive heart shaped leaves. I enjoy this plant-protein. Upon washing they render a slimy texture to the surface. These are great for Vaali Bhaaji Ambat, a common dish made out of Malabar Spinach in Konkani homes. Malabar Spinach is known to be an excellent soluble fiber and plays a pivotal role in eliminating toxins from the body. The Spinach soup packs all the goodness which health requires. Since, the noodles dissolve and give a great texture and body to the soup, its a good Kiddy Brunch-time soup as well. The tiny tots in my extended family love this to the core.

This recipe was passed on to me by a dear Aunty, who specialises in Anglo-Indian Catholic preparations. A descendant from South Africa, she made this soup with different vegetables as a brunch-time eat for kids. I used to happily slurp spoonful of this soup, rather gobble a bowl and run back home, pestering my mom to learn from her.

Preparation + Cooking time: 30 minutes

Serves: 4-6 individuals

Ingredients:

Malabar Spinach (finely chopped) - 4 cups

Water or Vegetable stock - 6 cups

Onions (chopped) - 1/2 cup

Maggie Soup Buillion or Maggi Veg Cube - 1

Salt - As per taste

Oil - For frying

Noodles (Uncooked) - 1/2 cup

Method:

Heat oil in a saucepan and saute onions till they are browned and fried well. Add the chopped Spinach, let them wilt a little for 5 minutes. Add the soup cube, salt, water and noodles which are not cooked. Do not add too much salt as cubes essentially carry sodium. Bring to boil and simmer on low flame for 15 minutes. Turn off flame after the vegatable and noodles are completely done and cooked. You will notice a profound color change in the Spinach once its cooked, the broth would have a dark mossy green color. Turn off flame and serve hot with Crackers or warm Italian Bread.

Green Spinach Soup

Soups have this uncanny way of making me happy any time of the day. Quite early on I picked Anglo-Indian eating habits from my close buddy. Mom began making Vegetable soup for me of different kinds growing up. She was for once releived because I refused to eat vegetables otherwise.

I used fresh green spinach which I had got from local grocery shop. It turned out quite well. I had learnt this recipe from Aunty S from India. She used to prepare this soup for brunch and lovingly invite me to have some alongwith warm bread. I miss Aunty S a lot and I am sure she is happy to see this soup simmering in a lot in my kitchen.

Serves: 2-3 individuals
Recipe source: Aunty S

Ingredients:
Green Spinach - 3 cups, finely chopped
Red Onions - 1/2 cup, finely chopped
Maggi Soup seasoning - 1 cube
Salt - as per taste
Herbs for seasoning
Oil - for frying

Method:
Heat oil in a sauce pan and fry onions till they turn transluscent. Add green spinach which is chopped and saute for a while. Cook them down in 1 cup of water, cover with a lid. Cook till done. You will notice that it loses its original color and turns blackish green. Add extra water for boiling now and add seasoning cube of choice and leave aside on low flame on cover.

Check after 10 minutes and give a gentle stir. Serve hot with bread greased with olive oil.

Brocolli and Cheese Soup

Today the weather is quite funny! Its raining when it was just bright and sunny yesterday.
Cannot seem to understand the weather here, nevertheless what better thing than a warm bowl of soup and some farmer bread which is warm and all bathed in butter.

Today I prepared Brocolli and Cheese soup. The dish is simple and gets ready in almost half an hour. We got some produce of Brocolli this weekend. The stem is quite fresh and very cute, I could just devour it all raw!!


Serves: 2-3 individuals
Source: Self


Ingredients:
Brocolli florets - 2 C
Cheese slice - 1
Salt - As per taste
Water - 4 to 6 C
Onion - 1/2 c (chopped finely)
Maggi cube - 1 buillion (vegeterian)



Method:
Boil Brocolli florests in water alongwith salt. Food cooks faster if boiled with water. Add Maggi buillion, if not available one can add local Maggi cubes the one which is available in plenty in any Indian local kirana store or super markets like Food World.

Bring the ingredients to gentle stir and boil and add cheese slice. Once cooked, add onions which is pre-fried and translucent.


Serve hot with Naan or Farmer's bread.

Spring Onion Soup

Its always said that certain food types which we relish in childhood days become a habit once you grow up. One such food type is “Soup”. I love the taste and aroma of
vegetarian soup cooked and served straight from the pot. Thanks to Aunty S, my Anglo-Indian neighbor who introduced me to Soups, Cookies and taught me how to eat with fork and spoon. Ever since I tasted her soupy delicacies I think I can survive all my life on soups given a chance. Here’s one created by yours truly and can be prepared quickly without any hassles. Serves as an ideal supper. I love this soup and can survive on this given a chance all through my life. A soup is a healthy appetizer, builds taste and is easy to make.

Serves: 2-3 individuals

Ingredients:
Spring Onion – chopped (around 7-10 spring onions twigs)
Butter – 1 t
Olive Oil – 2-4 T
Macaroni – 1 c
Maggie cubes – 2 (vegetarian)
Pepper powder – ½ t (garnishing)
Water – 6-8 C
Salt – As per taste

Method:
1. Add butter and olive oil in a pot and allow to melt on medium flame.
2. Add chopped spring onion and sauté gently.
3. Add macaroni and add 2-3 C of water and cover the pot with a lid.
4. Allow the spring onion (onion + spring onion leaves) to boil (2-3 minutes) & lower the flame. Add Maggie cubes to the broth.
5. Add rest of the water & salt and bring to boil.
6. Serve hot and garnish with pepper powder.

Mom’s Special Tip: Once the veggies are semi-cooked, add water, bring to boil, cover the lid and turn off the flame. This way we save on fuel and the content cooks due to the heat available inside the pot.