Broccoli Carrot and Baby Corn Soup

Today's recipe is a simple vegetable soup loaded with fiber and nutrients. As is typical of Oriyarasoi recipes, it is easy to prepare and tasty to eat !! This clear soup is sparingly flavored with some light soy sauce and chilli sauce. As I have mentioned before, soups are integral to any weight loss diet and act as great fillers in between meals.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 20-25 mins

Ingredients -

• 1 cup Broccoli florets
• 1 carrot (sliced into 2-3 mm pieces)
• 1 cup sweet corn ( chopped into medium sized pieces )
• 3 cups vegetable stock
• 3-4 garlic flakes (finely chopped)
• 1 tsp light soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp Chilli sauce ( or as desired) 
• 1 tsp olive oil
• salt to taste

Preparation - Wash the vegetables thoroughly. Drain off the excess water.

Cooking - Heat the oil in a large pan. Throw in the garlic and fry till brown.

Add all the vegetables and stir fry on medium flame for 3-4 mins.

Pour in the vegetable stock and season with salt. Bring to a quick boil and let it simmer for 15-18 mins.

Remove from the flame and pour into the soup bowls.

Season with soy sauce and chilli sauce as per taste. Serve immediately.

Dal and Palak Soup

Heart warming and healthy, soups are the way to go whether you are following a weight loss regimen or suffering from any malady. Sometimes, it can be just the balmy weather conditions that attract one to a glorious bowlful. And this is one of the easiest soups that I have ever come across.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 15 mins


Ingredients -

• a fistful of yellow lentils / toor dal
• 1/2 cup shredded baby spinach
• 2-3 tsp carrot juliennes (optional)
• 1 tsp ginger juliennes
• a dash of pepper
• salt to taste

Preparation - Wash the baby spinach, drain and keep aside.

Cooking - Wash the lentil and transfer to a pressure cooker with 1 1/2 cup water and a pinch of salt. Cook for 3 whistles. Keep aside till steam escapes.

Slightly mash the lentils. Transfer the contents into a saucepan. Add some more warm water to bring it to the desired consistency. Bring to a boil and adjust the salt.

Add the shredded spinach and carrot. Boil for 2-3 mins.

Sprinkle ground pepper and ginger juliennes just before turning off the flame.

Serve hot.

Methi Daliya Pulao

Day 5 of the Daliya challenge !! So, finally we have reached the last day and I am feeling quite exhilarated. I can see a visible difference and I am keen to take up this challenge next week too ( coz it is tough to keep temptation at bay during the weekends ).

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 15 mins

Ingredients -

• 1/3 cup daliya
• 1/2 cup methi leaves (tightly packed)
• 1 small onion
• 1 small potato
• 1/4 tsp cumin seeds
• a pinch of fennel seeds
• a pinch of coriander powder
• 1-2 tbsp tomato puree (optional)
• a pinch of garam masala
• 1-2 green chili
• 1 tsp oil
• salt to taste

Preparation - Wash and drain the fenugreek leaves to remove excess water. Roughly chop it up. 

Wash and peel the potato. Chop into small bits.

Dry roast the daliya to a light brown and till it gives off a fragrance.

Cooking -  Heat the oil in a pressure cooker. Add the green chili along with cumin and fennel seeds.

Once they stop spluttering, add the onion. Fry till translucent.

Add the fenugreek leaves and potato pieces and fry for 2 mins. Add the coriander powder and garam masala. Fry for 1 min.

Add the washed daliya along with 1 cup water and salt to taste. Cook for 3-4 whistles.

Keep aside till steam escapes. Open the lid and give a gentle mix.

Serve hot with raita.

Pesto Daliya Upma

Yes, I am on a 5 day 'Daliya' challenge this week. And it calls for trying out a new recipe each time that is simple and low on calories. This is a really easy and tasty recipe that I created using some boiled daliya, homemade pesto sauce, lime juice and a bit of tempering.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 20 mins

Ingredients -

• 1/2 cup daliya
• 2 tsp pesto sauce
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1/5 tsp mustard seeds
• a pinch of asafoetida
• 1 dry red chili
• 1/2 tsp oil
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp lime juice

Preparation - Dry roast the daliya or cracked wheat till it gives off a sweet smell.

Cooking - Cook the daliya with 1 cup water and salt in a pressure cooker for 3-4 whistles. Keep aside till steam escapes. Transfer to a mixing bowl.

Heat the oil in a wok. Add the mustard seeds followed by the asafoetida, curry leaves and dry red chili.

Pour this tempering over the cooked daliya. Add pesto sauce and lime juice. Mix well.

Serve immediately.

Chilkewali Moong Dal

While enough is said about the benefits of consuming whole lentils ( that includes the skin ), few of us can resist the irresistible lure of  yellow dals . As a result, whole lentils usually make a rare appearance on the plate in the form of sprouts salad or maybe a sundal . But this is one recipe that will change the way be treat whole lentils. I first discovered it thanks to a neighbour who cooks it regularly for her two year old. Since then, it has become a part of our menu.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation time - 15-20 mins

Ingredients -

• 1 cup green moong dal ( split ones will also do if they have the skin on )
• 1 large ripe tomato
• 1 small onion
• 1/2 tsp GG paste
• 1/2 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tbsp coriander leaves
• 1/2 tsp red chili powder
• pinch of garam masala
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 1/4 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 tsp oil
• salt to taste

Preparation - Wash and soak the green/whole moong overnight .

Finely chop the onion and tomato.

Cooking - Take the soaked moong dal in a pressure cooker along with salt, turmeric, coriander powder and half of the coriander leaves. Add 2 1/2 cups water. Cook for 2-3 whistles. Keep aside till steam escapes.

Heat the oil in a wok. Add the cumin seeds. When they stop spluttering, add the onions and fry to translucent. Then add the GG paste and fry for 2 mins more.

Add chopped tomato along with red chili powder and garam masala . Cook till tomato turns mushy. Pour the cooked lentils into the wok. Bring everything to a gentle boil. Simmer for 2 mins

Add the chopped coriander and  remove from the flame.

Serve with roti/chappati. Goes well with rice too !!