Warming Fenugreek
Lentil Soup (Serves 4)
Ingredients:
1.5 cups red lentils or moong dal
4 cups water
2 tbsp ghee or olive oil
½ tsp turmeric
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
½ tsp black pepper
1 tsp grated ginger
2 bunches fresh fenugreek leaves only tender stems only chopped
finely
2 tsp salt
Preparation:
Wash the lentils or moong dal in three changes of water. Place
the lentils along with the measured water in a medium sized
pot and bring to a boil. Skim off the foam frequently. In
the meanwhile, heat the ghee or oil and add all the spices
and sauté for 45 seconds. Now add the fenugreek leaves
and stir-fry for about 6-8 minutes. Add the spiced fenugreek
to the cooked lentils along with the salt and simmer or about
6-8 minutes. Serve warm with a dollop of plain yogurt.
Polenta with Spinach and Goat Cheese
Ingredients:
1 cup polenta
2 tsp olive oil
2 bunches spinach washed and chopped coarsely
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
¾ cup goat cheese
Preparation:
Cook the polenta according to directions on the package. Grease
a baking tray with 1 tsp olive oil and add the cooked polenta.
Smooth it with a spatula to form an even layer. In the meanwhile,
heat the other tsp of oil and sauté the spinach on
high heat along with the salt and pepper only until it wilts.
Spread the spinach on the polenta and sprinkle on the goat
cheese. Cut into 1 inch squares and serve immediately.
Thai flavored Quinoa
Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa
1 cup of coconut milk
1 cup water
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
½ tsp grated ginger
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp lemon zest
¼ cup finely chopped basil
1 tbsp finely chopped mint
11/2 tsp turbinado sugar
Preparation:
Wash the quinoa is three changes of water. Drain completely.
Place the washed quinoa is a medium sized pot and add the
coconut milk, water, ginger and oil and bring to a boil. Place
a tight-fitting lid and cook on low heat for about 25-35 minutes
or till all the water is absorbed. Allow it to cool and then
add the rest of the ingredients and mix well and serve warm.
Sautéed Vegetables
Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp ginger grated
½ tsp turmeric
2 broccoli crowns cut into bite sized pieces
2 yellow squash cut into one inch pieces
2 zucchini cut into 1 inch cubes
1 tbsp coriander powder
1 ½ tsp salt
¾ tsp black pepper
1/8 cup water
Preparation:
Heat the oil in a wok and sauté the ginger and turmeric
for about 1 minute. Then add all the vegetables on high heat
for about 4 minutes. Sprinkle the salt, pepper and coriander
powder and stir to coat the vegetables. Add the water and
cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook for 5-7 minutes. Serve
with rice and dal.
Basmati Rice
Ingredients:
2 cups of Basmati rice
4 cups of water
Preparation:
Wash the rice in three changes of water. Drain completely.
Place the rice and 4 cups of water in a medium sized pot and
bring to a boil. Place a tight-fitting lid and cook on low
heat for 15 minutes or till all the water is absorbed. Serve
with dal.
Dal
Ingredients:
1 ½ cups red lentils
3-4 cup water
For Seasoning:
2 tbsp ghee or olive oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
A pinch of hing (asafetida)
1 tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp turmeric
1 Roma tomato chopped coarsely
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
¼ bunch of cilantro chopped finely
Preparation:
Wash the dal in three changes of water. Drain completely and
add 5-6 cups of water in a large pot. Bring to a boil. Cook
on high heat and remove any foamy scum that appears on top.
It is important to discard this as it causes gas in the digestive
tract. The dal will be ready for seasoning in about 15-18
minutes. In the meanwhile, heat the ghee or oil in a small
skillet. Add the mustard seeds, cover the skillet and allow
it to pop. Then add the hing, cumin seeds and turmeric. Let
it sizzle for 30 seconds and then add the tomato. Sauté
for about 5 minutes. Add the salt, pepper and cilantro to
the cooked dal. Simmer for 4 -5 minutes. Serve as a soup with
pita bread or with rice.
About
the Author
Aparna
is a personal chef and caterer in Santa Barbara. She
teaches healthy vegetarian and Ayurvedic cooking classes and
caters for retreats and yoga events. Aparna supports local
farmers and uses only fresh, organic and seasonal produce
for her cooking.
