Pumpkin and Spring Onion soup

Pumpkin is a kind of sweeter in taste but they are very low in fat and low calorie vegetable, also they are a rich source of potassium. And they are good anti-oxidants with beta-carotene in them. Pumpkin was sitting in my fridge for more than a week. Before expire, I decided to make a soup with spring onion. Let’s start the recipe.

Spring Onion
This is my first entry for Click event by Jugalbandi.
Ingredients:

Pumpkin - 2 cups, cubed
Spring Onion - 1 cup, chopped
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Black pepper powder - 1 tsp *
Ginger- 1/2 tsp, minced
Coconut milk-2 Tbsp
Salt *

Directions:

Heat the pan mildly and cook the pumpkins until tender (with the lid on). Mash the pumpkins and set aside, heat the oil in a large pan, add cumin seeds when it starts to sizzle add ginger and spring onion. Stir for 3 - 4 minutes, add water (depending on required consistency) and all other ingredients and bring it to boil. Optionally garnish with spring onion, mint and add a dash of ground black pepper.

Thai Green mango salad

Generally we don't have lot of recipes for green mango. This salad is mixture of different flavors. Green mango lovers will eat it in any form but will love this salad. It tastes very good. I found this recipe from here. I made slight variations in the original recipe. The wild mango originated in the foothills of the Himalayas of India and Burma. Mangoes contain enzyme similar to papain in papayas, a soothing digestive aid. It has lot of enzymes which helps to stimulating metabolism and cleansing the intestinal tract. This is low in protein and high in fiber. If you would like to know more about mango click here.This is my entry for IAVW-Thai event hosted by Priya and Vaishali.

Ingredients:

Green Mango - 1 cup, grated
Spring onion - 1/2cup, chopped
Bean sprouts - 1 cup
Cilantro - 4 tbsp, chopped
Grated coconut- 4 tbsp, dry fried
Pea nuts/Cashew nuts - 4 tbsp/per taste

For Dressing:

Soy sauce - 2 tbsp
Fresh lemon juice - 1 tbsp
Brown sugar - 2 tbsp *
Chili flakes - 1/2 tbsp *

Directions:

In a large bowl place the grated green mango and add all the ingredients except 2 tbsp of coconut powder and 2 tbsp of the nut of your choice. Toss well and garnish with remaining coconut powder and the nuts. If you like the crunchy nuts in the salad, add them before serving.

Guacamole

Ingredients

Avocado -2 ripe, seeded and peeled
Onion - 1/4 cup, chopped
Cilantro - 2 Tbsp, chopped
Tomato - 1/4 cup, seeded and chopped
Lemon / lime juice - 1 tbsp
Garlic cloves - 1, chopped
Cayenne or Serrano chilies/- 1, minced
Kosher salt *

Directions:

Guacamole is one of the most easiest and healthiest dips. Just in a medium bowl mash the avocado with 1 tsp of lemon juice (do not make it like a paste). Add all the remaining ingredients and mix well. Let at sit for an hour in room temperature and its ready to serve.

Chickpea and Greenpea soup

The name “chickpea” is derived from the Latin cicer. The botanical name of the chickpea plant is Cicer Arietinum. Garbanzo, the name more commonly used in Spanish-speaking countries, is thought to come from the Greek chickpeas are good source of folate and protein. It is high in dietary fiber and low in fat. Chickpeas are rich in magnesium, iron and phosphorous.

The chickpea was cultivated on the lands bordering Mesopotamia and the eastern Mediterranean. From there it spread to India and some parts of East Asia. In 2008 India is the most chickpea cultivating country. If you like to know more about chickpea click here.

This is my entry to My Legume Love Affair monthly event hosted by Glamah and Susan.

Ingredients:

Chickpea - 1 cup cooked
Green pea - 1/2 cup, cooked
Garlic cloves - 2, crushed
Coriander powder - 1 tbsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Milk - 1 cup
Rice flour - 1 tbsp (make a paste using water or milk)
Parmesan cheese - 2 tbsp
Green chili - 2 ,crushed
Salt *
Oil - 1 tsp
Cilantro or basil for garnish

Directions:

Pressure cook the chickpeas and green peas with 1/4 tsp of salt. Heat oil in a skillet; add cumin seeds and garlic and sauté till the garlic turns golden brown. Add the green chilies and coriander powder, stir for few seconds then add the cooked chickpeas, green peas, milk and flour paste. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes and add the Parmesan cheese, check the salt. Cook until for the soup to get the desired consistency. Stir in between to prevent burning, garnish with cilantro or basil. We are ready to serve.

Beet Root Gravy / Kulambu

In all fairness I like the sweet root vegetables (Carrot, Beet root) but I don't like to use in kulambu or chutney, at least have not found out a way until now. But I tried to make a spicy kulambu using beet root with a slight variation of Thakaalai (Tomato) kulambu. Some goodness of beetroot is that it contains very less fat, low in calories and is a great source of fiber, vitamin c, magnesium and iron. Beet root contains the natural red (disliked by most) coloring agent BETAINE. It is used for cancer treatments. Let's hit the recipe.

Ingredients:

For seasoning :
Mustard seeds - 1/8 tsp
Fennel seeds - 1/4 tsp
Cilantro or mint

For Paste:

Beet root - 1 cup, peeled and cubed
Split Bengal Gram - 1 tsp
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Coriander seeds - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Cinnamon stick - 1/4'
Cloves - 2
Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp
Grated coconut - 2 Tbsp
Oil - 2 tsp
Red chili - 2 *
Tamarind Paste - 1 tsp
Salt *

Directions:

Cook the beets on stove top until it becomes soft. Heat a tsp of oil and roast all the ingredients except beets. Let it cool and blend all the ingredients along with the beets, add water to get the desired consistency. In a small pan heat the remaining oil and add mustard and fennel seeds. When starts to sizzle add the paste and let it boil for a minute. Serve with idly, dosa or with rice.

Tip : To cook the beets, microwave for 2 minutes without adding water

Kale Poriyal

Ingredients:

Kale - 1 bunch, chopped
Moong dal - 1 cup, sprout/soaked over night
Onion - 1/4 cup, chopped
Green chili - 2 *
Grated coconut - 2 Tbsp
Oil -1 Tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1/8 tsp
Urad dal - 1/2 tsp
Split Bengal gram - 1/2 tsp
Salt *
Lemon - 1/2 tsp

Directions:

Cook the kale on stove top on medium heat covered with lid. Cook till the kale become soft. Stir it
every few minutes, so that to prevent from it burning and for evenness. In the mean time cook the moong dal in stove top or microwave. Once the kale is done transfer it to a bowl.

In the same pan add the remaining oil, once the oil is hot enough add the mustard seeds, Urad dal, split Bengal gram. Add the onion and green chili when the dals turn light golden brown. Sauté until the onions become translucent, add the grated coconut and moong dal and sauté till the coconut turns light golden brown.To this add the kale and stir well for 2 minutes. Switch off the stove and optionally add the lemon juice and mix well.