Curried Red Lentil Soup

Modest cook that I am, I must say this must be one of the best lentil soups I have ever prepared. I adapted it from At Home with Madhur Jaffrey. Easy to prepare, this dish is a good choice for a mid-week meal or anytime for that matter served with rice or an Indian flatbread. Slightly smoky, spicy and creamy, this healthy blend of ingredients is warming and won't fail to tickle your taste buds.

I served this as a rather unconventional vegetarian Christmas meal with fresh cooked white rice, a Caesar salad, cheese biscuits and assorted vegetables.

This recipe goes to Priya, who is hosting this month's MLLA, a legume event started by dear Susan of The Well Seasoned Cook.

Curried Red Lentil Soup

Recipe by Lisa Turner Adapted from At Home with Madhur Jaffrey: Simple, Delectable Dishes from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka Cuisine: Indian Published on December 28, 2010 Simple but astonishingly flavorful spiced red lentil soup — a comforting and nourishing bowl at any time of year Print this recipe Soup: 1 cup red lentils, well rinsed and drained 4 cups water or vegetable stock 1/2 teaspoon turmeric 1 medium carrot, diced generous handful of parsley or cilantro, chopped Seasoning: 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 small onion, chopped 1 inch piece fresh ginger, grated or minced 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon ground coriander 1 teaspoon curry powder 1/2 teaspoon cayenne 2 large tomatoes, finely chopped 1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste Instructions: Thoroughly rinse the lentils and combine with the water or vegetable stock in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Add the turmeric, carrots and parsley or cilantro, partially cover, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 45 minutes or until the lentils are soft and tender, stirring occasionally. For the seasoning, heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat. When hot, add the onion and stir for 5 minutes or until the onion is softened and begins to brown. Now add the ginger, cumin, coriander, curry powder and cayenne, and continue to stir for 1 minute. Now add the tomatoes amd simmer, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are softened — about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and spices to the cooked lentils and let the soup simmer, covered, for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding more water if necessary to achieve your desired consistency. Remove from heat and blend a portion of the soup with a hand blender or in a food processor or countertop blender. Serve hot. Makes 4 to 6 servings

More lentil soups from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:
Curried Carrot and Lentil Soup with Cashews
Green Lentil Soup with Cashew and Coconut Milk
Lentil Soup with Prunes and Apricots
Greek Lentil Soup

Buttermilk Cheddar Biscuits

My regular readers will know how much I enjoy making various types of biscuits. My latest attempt were these moist buttermilk and Cheddar biscuits with a golden brown top. Savory biscuits such as these ones make a nice treat for lunch and an ideal accompaniment with most any meal and would certainly be a welcome addition to the Christmas table. Easy to prepare and very filling, the only drawback is the amount of dishes and clean up after you are done baking, but I can assure you it's worth the effort. If you don't have buttermilk on hand, simply add 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice to a measuring cup and add enough milk to measure 1 cup. Let sit for 5 minutes. Any remaining soured milk that is left over will keep in the fridge for three or four days.

Buttermilk Cheddar Biscuits

Recipe by Lisa Turner Published on December 21, 2010 Easy, moist and creamy buttermilk dinner biscuits baked with sharp old Cheddar cheese Print this recipe Ingredients: 2 cups unbleached white flour 1 tablespoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) cold unsalted butter 1/2 cup buttermilk 1 large egg 1 cup fresh grated extra old white Cheddar cheese 1 egg, beaten Instructions: Preheat an oven to 425° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Cut the butter into the mixture with a pastry cutter or a knife and fork until the butter is reduced to small crumbs. Gently whisk together the buttermilk and egg in a small bowl and pour into the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. Fold the cheese into the mixture. Turn the dough out onto a floured board and gently knead 5 to 7 times. Roll the dough out into a rectangle, roughly 10 × 5 inches (the thickness should be about 3/4 of an inch). Cut the dough lengthwise in half and then across in quarters into you have 8 squares. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and brush the tops with the beaten egg. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the tops are nicely browned and the biscuits are baked throughout. Cool on a wire rack and serve warm or hot. Makes 8 biscuits

More biscuit recipes from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:
Quick and Easy Ricotta Cheese Biscuits
Cheddar Dijon Biscuits
Olive Oil Parmesan Biscuits
Lime Biscuit Thins

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Audio Accompaniment: Translucence/Drift Music by John Foxx and Harold Budd

No Croutons Required - Festive Photos for December

The theme this month for No Croutons Required was to come up with a festive photo. It has become a tradition to deviate from our usual practice of asking for vegetarian soups or salads as December is a busy time of year and it's fun to share images of winter landscapes and Christmas preparations. There are some talented photographers out there and I am excited to see the submissions. I am not much for decorating my home for Christmas, and I hoped to send in a picture of a Christmas treat to Jackie, but the deadline for submissions is today, so I am sending along this picture from a few weeks ago when we were hit with nearly 4 feet of snow in a matter of days.

I will be hosting the next edition of No Croutons Required. Check back at the beginning of January for the challenge.

Green Bean and Borlotti Bean Risotto

My photos here do not do this dish justice. A creamy combination of arborio rice, romano beans, crunchy green beans and Parmesan cheese is a perfect remedy for a diner who is suffering from a lack of appetite. A complete meal on a plate, it is worth the effort of stirring frequently to achieve your desired consistency. Consider serving with a salad, such as my famous vegetarian Caesar salad or perhaps with Bengali-style potatoes.

Green Bean and Borlotti Bean Risotto

Recipe by Lisa Turner Cuisine: Italian Published on December 17, 2010 Creamy, flavorful risotto with earthy romano beans, crunchy green beans and Parmesan cheese Print this recipe Ingredients: 1/2 cup dried borlotti (romano) beans 2 1/2 cups vegetable stock 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 onion, chopped 1 cup arborio rice 1/2 cup dry white wine 1 cup trimmed and chopped green beans 1 tablespoon butter 1/3 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste fresh ground black pepper Instructions: Rinse the borlotti beans under cold running water and place in a bowl. Cover with cold water, add a little yogurt whey or lemon juice, and leave to soak for 8 hours or overnight at room temperature. Drain and rinse the beans, then place in a medium saucepan and cover with fresh cold water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and let simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until the beans are tender. Drain and set aside to cool. Before cooking the risotto, bring the vegetable stock to a low simmer in a small saucepan. When the vegetable stock is hot, heat a medium or large saucepan over medium heat. Add the olive oil, wait a few moments, then swirl to coat the pan. Add the onions and stir for 5 minutes or until the onions are translucent. Turn down the heat slightly, add the rice and stir to coat the grains with oil. Pour in the wine and cook gently for about 5 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed, stirring occasionally to prevent the rice from sticking to the pan. Now begin adding the hot vegetable stock, one good ladleful at a time, stirring and waiting each time until the stock has been fully absorbed before adding the next. After 15 minutes, stir in the green beans and continue the cooking process until most of the stock has been used up. At this point taste the rice and check to see if it is cooked to your preferred texture — the risotto should be soft, creamy and cooked throughout while holding its shape, but you may not want to use all the stock if you prefer your risottos more on the al dente side. With the last ladle of stock that you use, stir in the reserved borlotti beans and warm. Once the liquid has been absorbed, remove from heat, stir in the butter and Parmesan cheese to melt in the warm rice, and season with salt and fresh ground black pepper. Serve hot or warm, as a side dish or as a light lunch. Makes 4 to 6 servings

Other risottos from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen you may enjoy:
Spicy Azuki Bean Risotto
Lemon Risotto with Leeks and Mushrooms
Baked Mushroom Risotto

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Audio Accompaniment: Orang

RAVA LADOO / RAVA LADDU / SOOJI LADOO–EASY DIWALI SWEETS RECIPES

(Updated with new pics)
My MIL is an expert in making Rava ladoo.She makes it  different from the usual method. Just because of this variation my hubby loves this ladoo a lot. I’ve tried this for some occasions. Its a fool proof recipe. Never went wrong. Try this and let me know friends :) I am bad in shaping  the ladoos .So please bear with the irregular shapes;)

INGREDIENTS
1 cup - 250ml

Rava/Sooji/Semolina – 1 cup Sugar – 3/4 cup (increase if u want more sweetness) Elachi / Cardamom seeds – 4-5 nos (powdered) Ghee – 3 – 4 tbsp ( add little by little ) Cashews – 10 nos (break into pieces)

METHOD

Dry roast the rava till nice aroma arises. Make sure the color of rava doesn’t change. In a mixie powder the rava , sieve it. Powder the sugar & sieve it . Mix them well. Now add the roasted cashews and elachi powder . Mix well. Add the Melted ghee little by little and mix well. Stop the ghee when u are able to make a ball..Make even sized balls out of it and store in an air tight container. Enjoy !!

U can add milk and reduce ghee to make laddus . But the shelf life will be reduced..

(OLD PIC)

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Chickpeas with Mushrooms

The first recipe I ever tried from At Home with Madhur Jaffrey was this spicy chickpea and mushroom dish. Well, how could I resist combining chickpeas and mushrooms when they are two of my very favorite ingredients and they pair so well together. This Indian-spiced dish can be served as is but I decided that I liked the idea of presenting it in a wrap topped with yogurt and a sprinkling of hot sauce. I adapted the recipe slightly, but generally stuck to Ms. Jaffrey's instructions. For an extra special mushroom treat, serve with a generous portion of mushroom curry as a side.

Chickpeas with Mushrooms

Recipe by Lisa Turner Adapted from At Home with Madhur Jaffrey: Simple, Delectable Dishes from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka Cuisine: Indian Published on December 14, 2010 Buttery chickpeas and tender mushrooms simmered in a fragrant, earthy and spicy cinnamon and spice sauce Print this recipe Ingredients: 1 cup dried chickpeas (3 cups cooked or 2 14 oz cans) 1/4 cup ghee or olive oil 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 2-inch piece cinnamon stick 1 small red onion, finely chopped 1-inch piece ginger, grated or minced 1 clove garlic, crushed or minced 2 teaspoons ground coriander 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon turmeric 1/2 teaspoon cayenne 10 to 12 cremini or white mushrooms, sliced 1 small tomato, diced 2 to 3 green chilies, seeded and finely chopped 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt, or to taste To serve (optional): 8 to 10 soft tortillas 1 small tomato, diced fresh chopped parsley or cilantro 1 small onion, finely chopped yogurt or sour cream hot sauce Instructions: Rinse the chickpeas and soak for 8 hours or overnight in several inches of water. Drain and rinse, then transfer to a medium saucepan and cover with fresh water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until the chickpeas are buttery soft — 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Drain, reserving the cooking liquid, and set aside. Heat the ghee or oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. When hot, add the cumin seeds and cinnamon stick. Stir and fry for a minute. Add the onion and stir for 5 minutes or until the onions begin to brown. Toss in the ginger and garlic, coriander, cumin, turmeric and cayenne. Stir once and then add the mushrooms and cook for 8 to 10 minutes until they begin to lose their liquid. Add the tomato, chopped chilies and a 1/2 cup of the reserved chickpea cooking liquid. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the cooked chickpeas to the pan along with the salt and 1 cup of the reserved chickpea cooking liquid. Bring to a gentle boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for another 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. To serve as a wrap, place a few tablespoons of the chickpea mushroom mixture in the middle of a tortilla. Add some finely chopped tomato, chopped fresh parsley or cilantro and finely sliced onion if desired. Wrap, transfer to a plate, and top with fresh yogurt or sour cream drizzled with hot sauce or with your favorite chutney or salsa. Makes 6 to 8 servings

Other spicy chickpea recipes from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen you are sure to enjoy:
Shredded Paneer with Tomatoes, Chilies, Mushrooms and Chickpeas
Chickpea Vindaloo
Chickpeas and Paneer in a Spicy Creamy Cashew Gravy
Spicy Chickpeas with Ground Pomegranate Seeds

On the top of the reading stack: 1,000 Indian Recipes

Audio Accompaniment: Marsen Jules

Kara Pori Recipe - Spicy Puffed Rice - Murmura Recipe - Easy Snacks Recipes

Kara pori / Spicy puffed rice/ spicy Murmura is our family favourite snack recipe which i learnt from my MIL.I usually make this with leftover/soggy puffed rice we buy for Sarawathi pooja.Its a very simple,easy to make,low calorie and tasty snacks recipe which can be eaten all through the day without guilty. Lets see how to make this spicy puffed rice recipe with garlic.Soon i will share a no garlic masala kara pori recipe.
Do check out my Beach style kara pori recipe here .

Kara pori/Spicy puffed rice recipe

Kara pori recipe - Spicy puffed rice recipe with garlic flavor

Cuisine: Indian

Category: snacks

Serves: Serves 2

Prep time: 5 Minutes

Cook time: 5 Minutes

Total time: 10 Minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 cup - 250ml Puffed rice/Murmura/Pori - 2 cups Ghee - 1 tbsp Roasted peanuts and fried gram dal - a fistful ( optional) Curry leaves - few Sambar powder - 1 tsp   Salt - a pinch Turmeric powder - 1/8 tsp Garlic cloves - 7 nos (crushed slightly with skin) Roasted peanuts & fried gram dal - a handful ( optional)

METHOD

Take a wide mouthed kadai and add a tbsp of ghee.Spread it all over the pan.When it becomes hot,add the peanut and dal ( If adding ), Curry leaves, sambar powder,  salt, turmeric powder and slightly crushed garlic flakes ( no need to peel the skin)..Fry everything for a moment in low to medium flame.Do not burn them.Nice aroma arises. Now add the puffed rice, toss it till its coated uniformly and switch off the flame. Mix it well with the fire off and allow the puffed rice to remain in the kadai for sometime to become crispy.( Note: If u try to eat it hot, puffed rice will be soggy & soft.It will become crispy only after it cools down). For variations, you can use 3/4 tsp red chilli powder + 1/8 tsp turmeric powder. You can also use leftover soggy puffed rice. No need to use crispy puffed rice/ murmura. U can store this pori in an air tight box after its cool down completely and enjoy for few days with coffee/Tea.

Note

You can skip garlic and make it as a no garlic version. But i feel garlic adds more flavor to this recipe.My husband likes to eat garlic with skin.But I remove the skin while eating.Finally its ur choice! Use ghee for tempering. Do not avoid it.

Crispy , yummy , delicious kara pori is ready to Enjoy with tea / coffee :)

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