Gado Gado, Indian Style

This is a meal by itself. There is a combination of chilled salad with peanut sauce which makes Gado Gado.

For the salad

½ cup chopped cabbage, length wise

½ cup French beans, diagonally sliced

½ cup carrots, grated

½ cup cucumber, chopped

½ cup tomatoes, chopped

Method for Salad

1. Boil the French beans for 5 minutes.

2. Then turn of the gas and add finely grated carrot and cabbage to the hot water and drain.

3. Pour cold water over the veggies and keep aside.

4. Add chopped tomatoes and cucumber and put in fridge. Add salt, pepper and little powdered sugar to the salad just before serving.

For the Peanut Sauce

Make 4 to 5 cups peanuts paste.

For the peanut paste:

To be ground into a paste

2/3 cup peanuts

2 tsp chilli powder

1/3 cup gud

3 tablespoons lemon juice

Grinding instructions

Add the chilli powder, peanuts, gud, lemon
juice, and pulse grind for a minute. Add 1/3 cup water and grind again.

1 tablespoon oil

1 onion, chopped

1 tsp cumin seeds

7 curry leaves

salt to taste

Procedure for the paste

1. Heat the oil, add the cumin seeds , onions and curry leaves and cook for a few minutes.

2. Add the paste and cook for 3 to 5 minutes.

3. Then add 3 cups water and bring to a boil. Add salt. Stir in between to prevent lumping.

For Serving:

Crushed papad.

How to serve:

Place some salad in a bowl.

Add the peanut curry and some crushed papad.

You may add brown rice to make this a complete meal.

Tomato Gazpacho

Very tasty and healthy. We have not strained the soup so it retains the fibre.

Serve 4.

800 grams ripe tomatoes, cored, seeded and coarsely chopped

1 small onion, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 large clove garlic, peeled

3/4 yellow capsicum, stemmed, seeded and coarsely chopped

2 tablespoons extra virgin oil

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1/4 tsp whole cumin seeds, toasted

1 tsp sea salt

3/4 cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced

1/4 cup diced red pepper

1/3 cup parsley

Method

1. Working in batches, place the tomatoes, onion, garlic, capsicum, oil, vinegar, cumin and salt in a food processor and pulse (on and off) to coarsely chop. Transfer to a bowl.

2. Add salt if required and stir in the cucumber and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours.

3. Pour or ladle the soup into chilled bowls.

Corn, Corn on the Cob

Avoid any form of corn as it has a high glycemic index of 80. So no corn at the multplex without butter!!! and no bhutta from the roads of Mumbai. :) Sad but i will have to give up this great ingredient.

Vegetable Cheese Omelette

This is a healthy omlette as it is good source of proteins and has a small amount of carbs. The cheddar cheese is from cows which is a healthy source of fat and having this in the morning is great when your metabolic rate is high. Note that i have used only 1 egg yolk from the 4 eggs as that is a good combination.

3 egg whites
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
1 green chilli, finely chopped
1/2 chopped tomato
2 mushrooms, chopped
salt to taste
2 to 3 tablespoons grated cheddar cheese

For the filling
Heat 1 tsp oil in a frying pan and add the onion and fry for a minute.
Add the green chilli, tomato, mushrooms and salt to taste and fry again till well cooked. Keep aside.

How to proceed
1. Beat eggs in small bowl with fork or wire whisk until yolks and whites are well mixed.
2. Heat a non stick pan and add 1/2 tsp oil.
3. Add the egg mixture and cook on a medium flame till the egg is lightly done.
4. Add the vegetable filling and grated cheese to the centre of the omelette.
5. Fold the omelette and serve hot.

Spicy Stir Fry Soup

A clear soup with crisp vegetables like cabbage and capsicum to lend a vitamin C boost.

Preparation Time : 6 mins.
Cooking Time : 5 mins.

Serves 4.

Ingredients

2 spring onions, sliced
½ cup cabbage, shredded
1 red capsicum, cut into thin strips
3 red chillies
4 cloves garlic
2 tsp lemon juice
a pinch sugar
1 tsp oil
salt to taste

Method
1. Put 4 cups of water to boil.
2. Soak the red chillies in ½ cup of hot water for some time. Then pound them with the garlic into a smooth paste. Keep aside.
3. Heat the oil in a saucepan, add the chilli and garlic paste and stir for some time.
4. Then add the spring onions, cabbage and red capsicum and sauté for a few seconds.
5. Add the remaining 3 cups of hot water, the lemon juice, sugar and salt and bring to a boil.
6. Serve hot.

Source : Healthy Soups and Salads by Tarla Dalal

Mogri

This is a great green side dish. I am a lover of mogri.

Ingredietns

1 cup chopped mogri

1 tsp oil

1/2 tsp rye

1/4 tsp hing

1 green chilli, slit in the centre

Method

Heat the oil and add the rye.

When the rye crackles, add the hing and green chilli and cook for a few seconds.

Add the mogri and cook for 1 minute.

Serve hot.

Tip : Don't overcook the mogri as it will turn bad.

Stir Fried Water Chestnuts

Very healthy to have as a side dish.

Ingredients
1 pound (453 grams) water chestnuts
2 cloves Garlic
½ tsp salt
2 tbls extra virgin olive oil

Method
1. Put the water chestnuts in hot water for 2 minutes. Take out.
2. In a small bowl combine garlic, salt and pepper. Set aside.
3. Heat a large skillet or sauté pan over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes.
4. Add the oil to the pan and allow it to heat up for 20 seconds.
5. Add the water chestnuts to the pan. Use a wooden spoon to stir the waterchestnuts and coat the oil.
6. Cook the water chestnuts on a high flame, until lightly browned for 3 minutes.
7. Add the garlic mixture to the pan and cook, stirring continuously for 1 minute.
Serve immediately.

Cutting water chestnuts: You need to slice the end off so that you can see the inside layer of water chestnuts. Then peel the chestnuts as they are very hard to do so.

Mushroom, Dalia and Vegetable Salad

Healthy salad which i have at Moshe's cafe at Crosswords Mumbai. This is my attempt to get it right. I still suggest you go to the cafe and have it there.

Serves 2

1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
1/3 cup sliced capsicums ( red, yellow and green)
1/2 cup shredded iceburg lettuce
1/4 cup dalia
1/4 cup carrot, cut into strips
1/2 cup cucumber, chopped
1/3 cup chopped low fat paneer or tofu
chopped coriander for garnish

For the dressing
200 ml low fat curds
1 tsp lemon juice
a pinch of sugar if curd is sour
salt to taste

For the dressing
1. Beat the curds and add the lemon juice and a pich of salt.

Method:
1. Cook the dalia in 1/4 cup low fat milk and 1/4 cup water for 10 minutes or till tender.
2. Drain and set aside to cool.
3. Add all the ingredients and mix well. Refrigerate.
4. Just before serving add the curd dressing and mix well.

Variation : Use 2 tablespoons of Balsamic vinegar instead of the curd dressing.

Bombay Curry Soup

There is nothing more soothing than a bowl of this protein rich curry soup on a cool day.

Preparation Time: 15 mins.
Cooking Time: 35 mins.
Serves 4.

Ingredients
2 tbsp masoor dal (split red lentil)
1 cup onions, sliced
3/4 cup chopped tomatoes
2 cloves garlic (lehsun), crushed
1/2 tsp chilli powder (optional)
1 tsp oil
salt to taste

To serve
a few lemon slices
¼ cup cooked brown rice


Method
1.Heat the oil in a vessel and fry the onions for a little time.
2.Add the crushed garlic and chilli powder. Fry again until it releases a nice aroma.
3.Add 2½ cups of water, the tomatoes and the washed masoor dal and cook in a pressure cooker.
4.When cooked, pass the mixture through a sieve.
5.Boil for 15 minutes. Add salt.
6.Serve hot with cooked rice and slices of lemon

Source : Healthy Soups and Salads by Tarla Dalal

Red Chili Garlic Chutney

This is a healthy chutney to have with your food as salt levels are low here and garlic is great for your heart. Tastes great and best when made fresh.

20 cloves garlic
5 tbls red chilli powder
1 lemon juice
2 pinches salt


Blend all the ingredients with half cup of water.

Fruity Chana Salad

Fruits combined with a versatile bean - chick peas and perked with lemon juice to fulfil your calcium requirement.

Cooking Time : 20 mins.
Preparation Time : 10 mins.
Serves 4.

Ingredients

½ cup chick peas (kabuli chana), soaked overnight and cooked
½ cup cucumber, sliced
½ cup orange segments, peeled
½ cup onions, sliced
½ cup lettuce, torn into pieces
½ cup tomatoes, sliced
1 tbsp chopped coriander
1½ tsp lemon juice
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Method

1. Combine all the ingredients except the salt and pepper and chill.
2. Just before serving, add salt and pepper and mix well.
3. Serve chilled.

Healthy Soups and Salads by Tarla Dalal

Rocket Leaves Feta Salad

3 cups rocket leaves
1/2 cup orange segments
1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1/3 cup walnuts
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
rock salt to taste

Wash the rocket leaves in cold water and then place in a cloth to remove water.
Put the rocket leaves, orange segments, geta cheese and walnuts in a large bowl and chill in a refrigerator.
Just before serving, add the balsamic vinegar and salt to the bowl and mix well.
Serve chilled.

Pesto Penne with Mushrooms

Pesto Recipe

A traditional recipe with the distinct flavours of fresh basil, pine nuts, garlic and olive oil. Pesto appears in many form throughout Italy - as a sauce for pasta, a salad dressing, a pizza sauce or to aromatise a hot bowl of soup. Pine nuts (chilgoza) are another ingredient that is used in pesto to give it a nutty flavour. In its absence, you can substitute it with walnuts. The ingredients are pounded together to make a thick paste, using a pestle, hence the name "Pesto". For a pasta sauce, you need to dilute the pesto using milk and cream. Pesto is best when it is freshly made. But if you wish to refrigerate it, top with a thin layer of olive oil and it can then be refrigerated in an air-tight container for upto 2 weeks.
Cooking Time : 5 mins. Preparation Time : 5 mins. Makes 1/2 cup.


Ingredients
1/4 cup pine nuts (chilgoze) or walnuts, chopped
2 cups fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
salt to taste

Method
1. Lightly roast the pine nuts. Cool completely.
2. Combine all the ingredients in a blender, add 1/4 cup water and blend into a smooth paste.
3. Use as required.
Tips VARIATION : CLASSIC ITALIAN PESTO Add 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese at step 2 and follow the same method.



Pesto Penne with Mushroom


Cooking Time : 20 mins.Preparation Time : 15 mins. Serves 4.


Ingredients
3 cups whole wheat penne

For the sauce
1 recipe pesto , given above
1 onion, sliced
11/2 cups mushrooms, sliced
1 cup skim milk
1/2 cup grated cheese
2 tablespoons oil
salt and pepper to taste

Method
1. Heat the oil in a pan and sauté the onion slices till they are translucent.
2. Add the mushrooms and salt and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Add the pesto, milk and mix well. Bring to a boil while stirring continuously.
4. Toss in the pasta, pepper and cheese and serve immediately.
Tips You can add your favourite vegetables like carrots, broccoli, french beans etc. to this dish. Just parboil them before you add them.

Whole Wheat Pita Pockets with Nutritios Patties

PITA POCKETS

Nutritious whole wheat pita breads cooked within minutes on a griddle.
Cooking Time : : 15 mins.Preparation Time: : 20 mins.
Makes 8.

For the pita bread
1 cup whole wheat flour (gehun ka atta)
1 teaspoon (5 grams) fresh yeast, crumbled
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon oil
1/2 teaspoon salt

For the Til Dressing
1 cup curds, put on muslin cloth to remove water
3 tbls sesme seeds, roasted
1 chopped spring onion
Salt to taste



Other ingredients
2 tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 cup lettuce, shredded

For the pita bread
1. Combine all the ingredients except the oil in a bowl and knead into a soft dough using enough water until it is smooth and elastic.
2. Add the oil and knead again.
3. Cover the dough with a wet muslin colth and allow it prove till it doubles in volume (approx. 15 to 20 minutes).
4. Press the dough lightly to remove the air.
5. Divide the dough into 4 equal parts.
6. Roll out each portion into a circle of 125 mm. (5") diameter and 3 mm. (1/8") thickness.
7. Cook the pita breads on a hot tava or griddle on each side for a minute or until the bread puffs up.
8. Remove and keep aside.
9. Cut each pita bread into 2 halves.
For the dressing
1. Blend all the ingredients in a food processor to get a smooth sauce. Keep aside.

How to proceed

1. Warm the pitta bread halves on a griddle (tava).
2. Fill each pita bread half with the tomato and lettuce, one Nutrtious Patty and a tablespoon of the dressing on top.
3. Repeat for the remaining pita bread halves and other ingredients to make 3 more Pita Pockets.
4. Serve immediately.

Tips You can also serve the pita pockets with the red garlic chutney. Use any other patties or cutlets of your choice for filling the pita pocket. You can use 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 grams) of dry yeast instead of the fresh yeast for the above recipe.

NUTRITIOUS PATTIES
Broken wheat, vegetables and paneer make a mouth-watering combination for a patty.

Preparation time : 10 minutes. Cooking time : 15 minutes. Makes 8 patties.

¼ cup broken wheat (bulgur)
1 carrot, grated
1 onion, finely chopped
1/3 cup mushrooms, finely chopped
½ cup paneer, grated
1 tablespoon soya sauce
1 tablespoon chilli sauce
2 tablespoons whole wheat flour (gehun ka atta)
salt and pepper to taste

Other ingredients
oil for cooking

1. Clean and wash the broken wheat thoroughly. Blanch it in 1 cup of hot water for 4 minutes. Drain the water. Keep aside
2. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
3. Divide the mixture into 8 equal parts and shape into patties.
4. Shallow fry the patties using a little oil on a non-stick tava, cooking on both sides till golden brown in colour.

Insert the patties in the pita pockets.

NUTRITIOUS PANEER SOUP

A lip-smacking calcium rich soup which serves as a good change to begin a meal. This is a thin soup.

Cooking Time : 25 mins.
Preparation Time : 10 mins.

Serves 6.

Ingredients

100 grams low fat paneer (cottage cheese), cut into thin strips
2 tbsp yellow moong dal (split yellow moong)
¾ cup spinach (palak), finely chopped
½ cup onions, finely chopped
1½ tsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Method


1. Cook the moong dal, spinach and onion in 4½ cups of water. Cool to room temperature and blend the mixture in a liquidiser.


2. Strain the soup and add the olive oil, salt and pepper.


3. Add the paneer and bring to a boil.


Serve hot.

Healthy Soups and Salads by Tarla Dalal