Lemon Coriander Soup

I am sure you all must have tasted this delicious soup in some Indo-Chinese restaurants. It is a very simple soup to make it will get ready in about 20 minutes. Add some quinoa/barley into the soup it will become a one pot meal. I tasted this for the first time when our friends Venu and Usha took us to a restaurant near their house. So, without further adieu, i give you the recipe for this light yet satisfying soup.

Perp time: 15 Minutes

Cook time: upto 20 minutes

Serving: upto 3

Ingredients:

1. Lemon Juice - 1/4 cup
2. Coriander - a handful, not too much though.
3. Green chili - 2 to 3 (more if you like it  very hot)
4. Vinegar - upto 3 tsp
5. Garlic - 4 pods grated/minced or upto 3 tsp paste
6. Water - upto 6 cups
7. Tofu - 1 cup diced (optional)
8. Mushroom - 1/2 cup finely chopped
9. Spring onions - 1 bunch, finely chopped
10. quinoa/barley - 1/4 cup (optional) [if you choose to use barley, soak it for 4 hours prior to use]
11. Corn Starch - 2 tsp (use only if not using quinoa or barley)
12. Salt - to taste
13. Oil - 2 tsp

Method:

• Heat oil in a pot which can hold all the ingredients.
• Saute garlic and spring onions for a minute.
• Add Mushroom and saute for a minute.
• Add water and 2 tsp vinegar and add quinoa or barley if you are using them and let it boil. 
• In the mean while, take the coriander, green chili, 1 tsp vinegar and two pinches of salt and make a paste of it.
• Add tofu and the paste to the soup and stir to mix well.
• Now add the paste, salt and boil for 5 minutes.
• If you are not using quinoa or barley, mix the corn starch in cold water and mix it in the soup while adding water in the beginning. 
• Add half of the lemon juice, stir and give it a taste, if it is not sour enough, add more till you get your desired taste. Add salt mix and enjoy this soup hot.

Tip:

If you do not eat green chili, you can eliminate it and use pepper powder instead. just add some cracked pepper in to the soup after it cooks and stir well.

Alasande kalu palya (lobia/cow peas curry)

Alasande Kalu Palya

Hi there everyone, hope all of you who visit my blog are doing well. I have been away from blogging a very long time and after being nudged by a few friends to write more, I am back again. I had a perfect excuse for my laziness all these days, "My comp is not working"... it was not. We got it fixed a few weeks ago, however I was feeling so comfortably lethargic not do anything. After mentally posting quite a few recipes, I am now making an attempt to put my thoughts into actions (hopefully). It is like me against my lethargy... let me see who wins. 

This recipe of alasande, lobia, in Hindi and cow peas, in English, is fairly simple to make, not to mention very nutritious and exceptionally tasty. It is a good match with chapati and rice. Make a paste of this and you can spread it on bread and also use as a dip for your chips. A very versatile thick curry not only to satisfy your sense of smell, it will keep your body happy. Very high in protein, low in carbs and fat. 

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 10 mins (if using ready cooked alasande or about 45 mins)

Servings: About 3

Ingredients:

1. Alasande Kaalu/ lobia / cow peas - 1 cup soaked over night and cooked well. (use the small red variety if you can find, that gives the best taste)
2. Salt - to taste
3. Coriander/Cilantro - finely chopped

For tempering:

1. Oil - 2 tsp
2. Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
3. Turmeric - a pinch
4. Asafoetida - 2 pinches
5. Curry leaves - 1/2 the string 

For Masala:

1. Green Chilies - 3 to 5 (depending on your taste)
2. Whole pepper corns - 5 
3. Cumin seeds - 2 tsp
4. Fresh/ Frozen Coconut - 1/2 cup (grated or pieces) 
5. Ginger - 1 inch piece or 1 tsp paste

Method:

• To cook the cow peas/lobia/alasande, soak it over night and pressure cook it with a little salt till it is well done but not mushy. If you do not have a pressure cooker, take a lot of water in a big pot, add the cow peas and enough salt and cook for about an hour or till well done on the stove top. After it is done, drain the peas and set aside. Keep a cups' worth water to dilute the curry as and when required otherwise we will not be using the water in this recipe. Please check the tips part of this recipe for suggestions on using the drained water.
• Grind all the ingredients of masala and set aside.
• Make the tempering in a pot or pan which can fit all the ingredients by heating oil on medium. Add mustard seeds and wait for it to splutter. Add turmeric, asafoetida. Add the cooked and drained alasande/cow peas/ lobia and saute for a few minutes. Add the curry leaves and a little water, close the lid and let it cook for 2 minutes.
• Add the ground masala and salt as required to the cooking alasande/cow peas/lobia and mix well. Add a little water from the drained beans if it is getting too thick too soon. Cover the pot/pan and cook for a 2 to 4 minutes.
• Garnish with finely chopped cilantro and serve with steaming hot rice or chapati. Or let it cool and then grind it in to a fine paste to use as a dip.

Tips:

You can make Saru/Rasam from the drained water or use the water in making soups. Just store it in the refrigerator, it will keep upto seven days.

Azefa/Azifa [Lentil Salad]

Azefa is an Ethiopian lentil salad. It tastes out of this world and is so healthy. High in protein and high in taste. Very easy to put together and will fill you up as well. Generally Azefa is served with injera,  my bet is it just goes well with any kind of bread or just plain as a salad. Azefa stores well, so you can make it ahead of time and store it for later use. It can be had as a salad, so go ahead and carry it for picnic lunches or just lunch on a work day...It is a starter in an Ethiopian restaurant at NYC... This could be one of those recipes spinsters or bachelors may love for the ease of making it. In the picture as you can see, I have served it with Indian dosa.... Personally, it tasted better with dosa than Injera :)... By the way lentils are just toor in India, not the daal, but the whole toor. In Kannada togari kaalu.

Prep time: 15 mins [if you don't have to soak and cook lentils]

Servings: 2

Ingredients:

1. Lentils -  1 16 oz can or 1 cup (soak it for an hour and then cook it with lot of water and 1 tsp salt for 20 mins till it is well done. Do not over cook, it has to hold it's shape)
2. Onion - 1 medium, finely chopped
3. Garlic - 2 pods, grated
4. Avocado - 1, finely chopped
5. Lemon or lime juice - 1 to 2 tbsp
6. Mustard - powder 1 tsp or 1 1/2 tsp paste
7. Plain white Vinegar - 3 tsp
8. Parsley - 2 tsp dry or 3 tsp fresh, finely chopped
9. Jalapeno - 1 seeded and finely chopped
10. Oil - 2tsp
11. Salt - to taste
12. Ground black pepper - to taste

Method:

Rinse the lentils from the can after, drain them well, combine all the above ingredients in a large bowl and enjoy. If you have cooked the lentils, Drain all the water and let it cool completely before you combine it with the rest of the ingredients.

Steamed and sauteed Green beans

A wonderful tasty, yet very simple vegetable to make. Is a good combination with mashed potatoes and gravy. Makes a very good low fat, low carb and low calorie appetizer as well. Jazz it up with the flavours you like, this is just one way of making it. Here goes the recipe.

Prep time: 10 Mins
Cook time: 4 to 10 Mins
Servings: 4 approx

Ingredients:

Green beans - 1 pound
oil - 1 tsp
Parsley - 1/2 tsp dry or fresh
Garlic - 1 clove minced or grated
Salt - to taste
Ground pepper - to taste
Adobo - 1 tsp (Optional)

Method:

1. Wash and take out the fiber from the sides of the beans. If you think the beans is not very stringy you can use them straight after washing. Steam then in the microwave for 4 minutes, let them stay inside the box for a minute longer before you open the lid. If you do not want to microwave beans, you can blanch them. This may take a little longer than microwaving. To blanch the beans, Boil water in a large wok or pot. Drop the beans into it and let it stay in there for 5 minutes. In the mean while, in another big vessel, fill cold water and drop in a few ice cubes to make the water chilly. After 5 minutes of hot water bath, drain the hot water from these beans and drop them in cold water. This will shock them, make their colour brighter and stop them form cooking further. Let them stay there for 3 minutes, drain the cold water and set the beans aside.

2. In a pan which can hold all the beans, Heat oil saute garlic and dry parsley. If you use fresh parsley, sprinkle the finely chopped parsley after sauteing beans.

3. Drop the beans in to the pan, add salt and pepper. This would be the time to sprinkle fresh parsley, toss everything together till well mixed. If you are using adobo, add that before tossing. Keep in mind, adodbo has salt too, so you may want to first taste the beans if they need more salt if you are adding adobo. Steamed and sauteed green beans are ready to be served.

Tips:
1. These steamed beans can be made many different ways. This is just one of the low fat versions. If you want it slightly tart, squeeze some lime juice. You can add 1 tbsp of finely chopped scallions to it, give a mild onion flavour.
2. Use less oil to saute beans, more oil makes the beans extremely greasy and wont be pretty to eat.