Soups & Salads

Spiced Turmeric Noodle Soup

Spiced Turmeric Noodle Soup

Just that perfect winter nourishment-in-a-bowl to ward off your pangs of indulgent guilt! Besides, who could have imagined that such a gorgeous looking, divine tasting immunity booster & anti-inflammatory could also double up as a deliciously perfect low calorie dinner option sending your palate for a frenzy!
In fact it will be completely in order to say that this is a totally feel-good stew loaded with a slew of great health boosters which include onions, ginger, garlic, turmeric, greens, chickpeas and ultimately flavoured with coconut milk.
It’s indeed that holistic gourmet experience and a must try for one and all… Continue Reading…

December 21, 2021 By
Soups & Salads

Puy Lentil Salad with Grilled Halloumi Steaks

Puy Lentil Salad with Grilled Halloumi Steaks

Puy Lentil Salad with Grilled Halloumi Steaks, complete wellness in a bowl is what I call this magical recipe! An ensemble of fresh ingredients, mostly straight from your kitchen and topped with a tangy and minty yogurt dressing, this is indeed a great comeback health food. Unlike its contemporaries, it’s a temperature controlled salad which is truly comforting to all your senses specially during these winter months and also doubles up a wholesome dinner option! Bon appetite friends!

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Servings 2 – 4 persons
Course Salad
Preparation Time 10 to 12 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour

Ingredients for the Salad

(1 cup=200 ml, 1 tbsp=15 ml)
1/2 cup Puy lentil or (black masoor dal)
1/2 cup Diced green cucumber (Lebanese variety preferably)
1/2 cup Roasted red capsicum, diced
1/2 cup Spring onions, chopped
1/2 cup Pomegranate kernels
2 stalks Celery chopped finely
2 nos. Green chilies finely chopped
1 – 2 tbsp Olive oil (for roasting purpose)

Ingredients for the Lentil Salad Dressing

(1 cup=200 ml, 1 tbsp=15 ml)
2 tbsp Red wine vinegar
2 tbsp Lemon juice (fresh)
3 – 4 tbsp Olive Oil
A few drops Tabasco
½ tsp Jeera powder
Salt to taste

Ingredients for the Halloumi Steaks

(1 cup=200 ml, 1 tbsp=15 ml)
200 gm Halloumi cheese (cut into rectangles)
2 tbsp Thick yogurt
1 tsp Tandoori masala
Salt to taste
1 tbspv Lemon juice
1 tsp Oil

Ingredients for the Green Goodness Dressing

(1 cup=200 ml, 1 tbsp=15 ml)
¼ cup Thick yogurt
½ cup Mint coriander garlic chutney

Instructions for the Puy Lentil Salad
1 Wash and soak lentils for one hour.  Then rinse.  Cook with salt and four cups of water in a vessel.  Do not cover.  Cook until lentils are tender but not mushy.  Drain the water and leave aside to cool.
2 Coat pepper with olive oil. Roast the red pepper on a slow flame.  Once it turns black, remove skin.  Dice the pepper into cubes.
3 Now add the roasted pepper, cucumber, green chilies, spring onions, celery and pomegranate to the cooked lentils.
4 Mix all ingredients for lentil salad dressing and mix it with the lentil mixture. Keep aside in fridge to cool for ½ hour to 1 hour.

Instructions for the Halloumi Steaks
1 Mix the yogurt, tandoori masala, lemon juice, salt and oil.
2 Marinate the halloumi steak for 10-15 minutes.
3 Grill on a grill pan until the edges turn brown.

Green Goodness Dressing
1 Mix the mint coriander garlic chutney along with thick curd.  Beat until smooth consistency.  Chill in refrigerator for 15-20 minutes.

Assembling the Salad
1 Take out the salad in a bowl or plate.
2 Top with the halloumi steaks.
3 Drizzle the green goodness dressing on top (Do not use entire.  Just add the amount you require as per taste).

Note: You can substitute halloumi with paneer.

 

December 13, 2021 By
Soups & Salads/ Others

Potato & Leek Soup

Potato & Leek Soup

A warm and comforting deliciousness to soothe your palate during these gorgeous winter months!
Making this soup personally felt like choreographing a symphony. It’s the perfect timing, measures & coordination which gives it the rich, creamy & ephemeral experience. Even though originally a Welsh delicacy, this preparation feels very much at home & to top it, a light drizzle of truffle oil garnished with parmesan takes it to a totally different realm!!!
Bon Appetite will be amply in place for those giving it a try…

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December 5, 2021 By
Snacks/ Others

Beetroot Soya Shammi Kebab

Beetroot Soya Shammi Kebab

With the advent of winter, our taste buds also shift towards craving savory snacks. When I think of winter, I think of kebabs. Nothing brightens up a cold winter evening than some hot kebabs prepared with the right amount of spices. Shammi Kebabs immediately springs to my mind as one of the best snacks to devour during this season, or when entertaining. A twist to the classic Shammi Kebab is hereby adding high protein Soya & vitamin-rich beetroot. Beetroot Soya Shammi Kebab is a unique take on a classic snack that is sure to tingle your taste buds..

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Servings 4 – 6 persons
Course Snack
Preparation Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes

Ingredients for the Beetroot Soya Shammi Kebab

(1 cup = 200 ml, 1 tbsp = 15 ml)
1 cup Cooked soya granules (Veg Pro) (½ cup uncooked)
½ cup Chana dal, boiled
1 big Beetroot boiled and grated
1 tbsp Cashew
1 tsp Ginger paste
2 tsp Garlic paste
2-3 Green chilies, finely chopped
½ tsp Garam masala powder
1 tsp Red chili powder
1 tbsp Fried onion, finely chopped
Salt to taste
1 tsp Amchur powder
2 tbsp Lemon juice
1-2 tbsp Bread crumbs
1 pc Coal for smoking
1 tbsp Ghee for smoking
Oil to shallow fry the kebab

Instructions for the Beetroot Soya Shammi Kebab
1 Boil the soya granules as per the packet instructions. Rinse and squeeze out all the excess water.
2 Now take the granules, beetroot grated, chana dal, and cashews in a bowl. Mix well or blend the mixture for ½ minute in a food processor.
3 Add in the pastes, chilies, and all the masalas. Season with salt. Add in bread crumbs to the mixture and mix well. Add in lemon juice too and mix.
4 Now smoke this mixture with the coal and ghee. Keep covered for 10 minutes.
5 Make round tikkis as shown in the image. Shallow fry the tikkis on the pan and serve hot. Serve with green chutney.

 

 

November 29, 2021 By
Desserts

Badam (Almond) Halwa

Badam (Almond) Halwa

Every Diwali, you can smell the aroma of this traditional sweet in our house!
Badam ka halwa made with the Mamra quality is indeed as good as any halwa can get and amply distinguishes itself from those available in the stores! The deep brown colour and slightly abrasive texture is a treat to the eyes and mouth but only until the flavour hits your palate…all these different experiences in just that one spoon of this badam ka halwa will surely whirl your senses in a frenzy wanting more!
Wish you all a very happy sweet and safe Diwali ?

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November 3, 2021 By
Mains

Paneer Lasagna

Paneer Lasagna

Bored of your regular meals! Well, then it’s time for that most welcome transgression to satisfy your palate. A delectable marriage between Indian and Mediterranean culinary delights, this Paneer Lasagna boasts of oodles of protein with abundant flavour in a ‘vegetarian avtaar’! Great visuals and a meal in itself…can be paired with a wine of your choice for those romantic or indulgent evenings with friends.

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October 2, 2021 By
Appetizers

Corn Fritters Bhutte Ki Pakodi

Every Indian knows that monsoon season is incomplete without the pakoda and chai. As soon as you step out on the streets of Indore during this season, the aroma of the golden corn being roasted with chilli and butter surrounds you. This monsoon I’m sharing the recipie of my sinful corn fritters aka Bhutte ki Pakodi, which is the perfectly crisp on the outside and still melt in your mouth as soon as you take a bite!

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August 8, 2021 By
Appetizers

Oat & Semolina Handvo

Handwa aka Handvo is not only an unfailing part of Gujrati food lore but is now ubiquitously Indian as well! Made in a myriad ways, this recipe was taught to me by a dear friend Sonal Teli during her stay with us at Indore.
As opposed to the usual technique of fermenting the rice and pulse batter for a few hours, this recipe uses steel-cut gluten, free oats & semolina…is relatively healthier while it gives you the convenience of instant preparation!
An awesome snack when paired with refreshing buttermilk or an invigorating cup of masala chai especially when the rains come pitter-patter creating that beautiful romantic mood.
For that added visual treat you can bake these in mini muffin moulds or in a Bundt cake pan as well!
Looking forward to your feedback!

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July 8, 2021 By
Soups & Salads

Edamame and Asparagus Salad

Edamame or immature soya beans which was typical to east Asian cuisines is now relished
world over for flavour, texture, beauty and protein value (a key supplement for vegans).

The delicate spears of Asparagus are not only low in calorie and high in fibre, they pack in
some great look and feel-in-the-mouth characteristics as well. An awesome side dish which
can be sautéed or served up in a myriad of ways.

Now imagine when these two great elements come together! Just a slight drizzle of
vinaigrette dressing with a hint of mustard and the saltiness of the feta cheese leaves you
wanting simply more of these greens!

Indeed a simple, minimalistic, gorgeous n delicious salad, and yet packed with so much
power…what an awesome way to kick-start your week!!!

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June 18, 2021 By