Week 16 - Corn soup with vegetables

Ingredients 

One can cream style corn 
2 level tbsps Corn  flour
1 cup  finely chopped  mixed  vegetables--cauliflower, carrot, cabbage, onion ,french  beans
1 1/2 tsps ajinomoto powder
3 tbsps butter
2 tbsps cheese
ginger and garlic  paste  as  required
4 green chillies 

For  serving
chillies in vinegar and chilli sauce and grated cheese

Method

Mix the corn flour with 6 cups of water.  

Add the corn and ajinomoto powder and  cook for ten minutes. 

Add the vegetables, butter, cheese and boil for a few minutes.

Serve with hot chillies in vinegar and chilli sauce and cheese.

 Week 15 - Cream of Almond soup

Ingredients 

20 almonds (blanched) - chopped
1 1/2 cups cauliflower - cut into small florets
oil/butter
3 cups water
1 1/2 cups milk
Salt/pepper

Coriander leaves and finely chopped almonds to garnish

Method

Saute cauliflower in a little oil/butter for 3 to 4 minutes.  Then cook in 3 cups of water until soft.

Blend the almonds with 1/2 cup milk to a smooth, thin paste.  Remove from the blender and mix with the remaining 1 cup milk.

Blend the cauliflower with the water into a puree.

Mix both the purees together and heat it up.  Add salt & pepper.  Garnish.  

Optional - seems bland, maybe use some chili oil to garnish.

 Week 14 - Veggie cutlets

https://www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/veg-cutlet-recipe-vegetable-cutlet-recipe/

 Week 13 - Bowl

Ingredients 

1 cup cooked grain (any one of quinoa, millet, etc - I use quinoa)

2 carrots 

1 beetroot

salad greens (optional - I use arugula+baby spinach)

pomegranate (optional)

1 tbsp roasted almonds (or any other nut)

1 tsp sunflower or pumpkin seeds (optional)

olive oil

salt

Herb - Cilantro, thai basil (optional)

For the sauce:

handful of mint leaves

handful of coriander leaves

1 green chilli

sweetener (a bit of jaggery or a couple of dates)

1/3 of a handful of raw almonds

1 tsp olive oil

salt

Method

 

1. Grind together the ingredients for the sauce.

2. Steam the beetroot for 6 minutes and the carrot for 2 minutes.

3. Peel the beetroot and slice them into 1/4 inch thick strips.

4. Do the same with the carrots.

Assemble the bowl separately for each person according to taste or it can be assembled together.

In a bowl, first add the grain. Then add the carrots and beetroot. Add salad greens if using. Add some olive oil and salt and mix. Add some green sauce - as much as you would like. Add the herb if using - not necessary. Top with crushed toasted nuts/seeds and pomegranate if using.

Above bowl is very versatile. This is just one variation. One can use different sauce, different vegetables, etc.

 Week 12 - Cream of Vegetable soup

Ingredients 

• 1 white onion
• Chopped veggies like cabbage, turnip, white pumpkin
• 1 carrot
• 1 potato
• 1 capsicum
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• Salt
• Spice bag - coarsely crushed thyme (omam), 1 flake garlic, few peppercorns

Method

1. Finely chop all veggies.  Heat butter in a pressure cooker, saute onions first, then add all veggies and cook for a few minutes.  
2. Pour just enough water to cover the veggies and pressure cook along with the spice bag.
3. Cool down, discard spice bag.  Blend the mixture and strain through a sieve.  
4. Dilute with milk and water to required consistency.  Reheat with salt and sugar.  

Week 11 - Indian Carrot & Yogurt soup

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 1 tbsp black mustard seeds
• 10 curry leaves
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/2 inch fresh ginger, chopped
• 1 or 2 green chillies, chopped 
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 pound or 1/2 kg carrots (about 6 large), peeled and grated
• 3 cups vegetable stock (can use Knorr or Maggi seasoning cube) or water
• 2 cups plain yogurt
• 1/4 cup rice flour dissolved in 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup chopped coriander to garnish
• salt
• oil/butter/ghee

Variation

    Can use 4 tbsp chickpea flour dissolved in 2 cups buttermilk instead of the yogurt and rice flour.

Method

1. Heat oil.  Add mustard seeds.  Then, add curry leaves, onion, garlic, ginger, chilli, pepper, carrots and salt and stir fry for 10 mins.  Add the vegetable stock/water and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 30 mins until carrots are tender.
2. Blend the yogurt with the dissolved rice flour (in the mixie) for 5 mins.  This will prevent curdling.
3. Add the yogurt to the pot over low heat, stirring constantly clockwise with a wooden spoon for 5 minutes, until the soup begins to simmer gently. Cover, and allow to simmer over very low heat for another 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.  If the soup is too thick, add some warm water and bring back to a boil.  Adjust seasoning to taste.  Garnish with coriander leaves.

 Week 10 - Chow Chow kootu

Recipe from onehotstove blog

Method

    1. Make a thick paste of

         1 tsp. mustard seeds
        5-6 peppercorns
        8-10 fenugreek seeds
        2 tbsp. coriander seeds
        3 tbsp. fresh/frozen grated coconut

    2. In a pan, heat 1 tbsp. oil. Temper it with

        ¹⁄₂ tsp. mustard seeds
        ¹⁄₂ tsp. turmeric
        ¹⁄₂ tsp. red chilli powder
        Pinch of asafetida
        Sprig of curry leaves

    3. Add the following vegetables (or other vegetables that you have on hand) and saute well

        1 large carrot, diced
        2 Japanese eggplants, diced
        1 large potato, diced

    4. Add salt to taste, a little water and cover and cook the vegetables until they are barely tender.

    5. Stir in

        1 tsp. tamarind paste
        2 tsp. tomato pickle 
        Ground spice paste

    6. Cook for a few more minutes.

 Week 9 - Amma's salad

Ingredients

• 2 cup boiled and shelled peanuts (can be replaced with dried white peas soaked overnight and pressure-cooked or fresh green peas or cooked chickpeas)
• 1/2 cup tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped spinach, blanched
• 1 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped (none for Darshu)
• juice of 1/2 a lemon
• 1/4 tsp chaat masala
• Salt and pepper

Method

            Mix everything and enjoy.

 Week 8 - Bulgur and mung bean pulav

  

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 1 cup mung beans, picked over and washed (whole green moong)
• 4 cups water
• 2 tbsps cumin seeds
• 2 large onions, thinly sliced
• 2 large fresh tomatoes, diced
• 1-inch ginger, peeled and grated
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled
• 1 green chilli chopped
• 2 cups coarse bulgur
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• salt
• pepper
• oil or ghee
• 1 cup dill or coriander leaves to garnish

Method

1. Combine the mung beans, 4 cups water and 1/2 tsp salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, partially over and cook for 15 minutes until beans are almost tender. Set aside without draining.
2. Heat oil. Add cumin seeds, then add onion and fry for 10 to 15 minutes until golden brown. Add the garlic, ginger, chilli and bulgur. Stir fry for 2 minutes until the bulgur browns lightly. Add the turmeric, salt, pepper, tomato and mung beans with the water. Stir gently and bring to a boil.
3. Reduce heat to medium low, cover and cook for about 20 minutes until all the liquid has been absorbed. Add the dill/coriander and pat of butter and fluff gently with a fork.

Simple, like kitchdi. And nutritious. 

 Week 7 recipe - Cabbage Paneer sabzi

Ingredients

• cabbage, two cups, washed and cut
• broad beans, 1 cup
• big onion, 1 cup
• tomato, chopped, 2 cups
• green chilli, 2
• chilli powder
• coriander leaves
• paneer, 10 pieces

To grind:

• badam, 3
• cashew, 4
• coconut, 2 tbsps
• kasa kasa, to taste
• fried gram, 2 tbsps
• cloves, 2
• cardamom, 2
• oil or ghee and salt

1. Cook broad beans and cabbage.
2. Put ghee in a kadai and roast onion, tomato, green chillies. Add turmeric powder and chilli powder.
3. Add cooked cabbage and broad beans. Add salt and the ground masala. 
4.  Turn off heat and add paneer and coriander leaves. 

 Week 6 recipe  - Vendekkai Gojju 

Ingredients

• 250 gms bhindi
• 1 1/2 tbsps tamarind extract
• a pinch of jaggery
• salt to taste
• oil

For dry masala

• 1 tsp fenugreek seeds
• 1 tsp sesame seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds

For masala paste

• 10-12 coriander strands
• 1 cup coconut
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 1/2 tsp uncooked rice
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 3-4 green chillies

For seasoning

• 2 tsp oil
• 3 whole dry red chillies
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds

Method

Prepare the dry masala: 

1. Dry roast all the ingredients for dry masala and grind them together into a powder.

Prepare masala paste:

1. Grind together all the ingredients for the masala paste with the powdered spices and a dash of water.

Prepare bhindi:

1. Heat 3-4 tsp of oil and start shallow frying the bhindi.
2. To the bhindi, add the tamarind extract and salt.
3. Crumble the jaggery over it and 1 1/2 tbsps of masala paste.
4. Mix well, pour in some water and cook for 5-7 mts.

Prepare seasoning:

1. In another pan, heat 2 tsp of oil, add the ingredients for seasoning and saute for about 30 seconds without burning them.
2. Pour the seasoning over the bhindi and serve hot. 

Loved it. Can use yellow mustard seeds instead of black for a stronger flavor. Fry the bhindi well and see to it that it is not slimy. Getting the right consistency, not too thick, is important so add more water if necessary. 

 Week 5 recipe - Spicy chickpea and eggplant stew

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 3 large eggplant, cubed
• 1 cup chickpeas, soaked overnight
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 large onions, chopped
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 3 * 14 ounce cans chopped tomatoes (about 10 fresh tomatoes)
• salt and freshly ground pepper

For the garnish

• 2 tbsps olive oil
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 garlic clove, sliced
• sprigs of cilantro

1. Place the eggplant in a colander and sprinkle with salt. Set the colander in a bowl and let sit for 30 mts to allow the bitter juices to escape. Rinse and dry.
2. Boil the chickpeas till tender. Drain.
3. Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add garlic and onion and cook until soft. Add the spices and cook, stirring for a few seconds. Stir in the eggplant and cook for 5 mts. Add the tomatoes and chickpeas and season with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for 20 mts.
4. To make the garnish, heat the oil in a frying pan and when very hot, add the onion and garlic. Fry until golden and crisp. Serve the stew with rice, topped with the garnish. 

Can also have this dish with rotis. Add some chilli paste to make it spicier. 

Week 4 recipe - Yellow moong and peanut soup

• Moong dal, 300 gms, washed and cleaned
• Veg stock, 1.2 l
• Coconut milk, 200 ml
• Oil, 2 tbsps
• Brown sugar, 1 tsp
• Roasted peanuts, 2 tbsps, crushed
• Green chilli, 1 deseeded and finely chopped
• Tamarind paste, 2 tsp
• Turmeric powder, 1/4 tsp
• Mustard seeds, 1/2 tsp
• Curry leaves, 6
• Coriander leaves
• Salt to taste

1. Put the moong dal in a pan and cover with the stock and bring to boil.
2. Reduce the heat and simmer for 35 minutes or until the dal is softened and slightly mushy. Add coconut milk. 
3. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a frying pan on medium heat and add mustard seeds. Add curry leaves and chopped green chillies.
4. Stir in the tamarind paste, sugar, turmeric powder in 100 ml water and bring to boil. Add the peanuts and salt and allow to simmer for 2 minutes.
5. Add to the dal and stir. Sprinkle the coriander leaves. Reduce the heat to low and gently fry for 20 seconds.

The soup was delicious. Good choice Amma.