Red Lentils Soup

Red lentils curry is a staple side dish in Sri Lanka. Most of the Sri Lankans will have it for all three meals; with bread for breakfast, with rice for lunch and with string hoppers (steamed noodles with rice flour) or pittu (steamed couscous with rice flour) for dinner. Dhal curry is a versatile dish that can be served with many different main meals.

Sri Lankans call all our side dishes as curries. It could be a stir fry vegetable with grated coconut or yellow curry with coconut milk and turmeric or even a curry with a curry sauce. However here in Western cultures, curry is a term used only for meat or vegetable served in a spicy gravy. However in Sri Lanka any side dish that is served with rice or any main meal is called a curry.

Roasted Butternut & Yellow Split Peas Soup

Its getting cooler by the day,  we had our first snow last weekend. This icy cold weather is making me crave for steaming hot soups or very spicy food. I have cooked pumpkin curry many times and its one of my favorite curry to have with rice. Making soups with pumpkin  is a relatively new experience. I have tried this soup few times and has been a hit in our small nest.

Dal Makhani – Black Lentils in Spicy Cream Sauce

Dal Makhani is one of my favorite dish in North Indian Restaurants. I love its nutty taste in tangy cream, flavored with pungent garlic. I never bothered to try it at home. Didn't even know what type of lentils is used to make this dish. Later on only when I checked it with one of my Indian friend, I got to know the type of lentils used to make this awesome dish.

I’m glad I like lentils and legumes, as it’s a good source of low fat protein for vegetarians. Quinoa is the best protein source for vegetarians and vegans. However I’m still not that fond of quinoa, even though I’ve tried them on salads and soups I really didn’t like its taste. Second best protein source is tofu, which is a very versatile product. You can use them in fried rice, noodles, soups, salads and stir fries. Stir fried tofu in spicy chili sauce would be a wonderful dish. You can apply the same method I used to make stir- fried eggplant and cook tofu.

My preferred protein sources are lentils, legumes and dairy instead of tofu or quinoa. But lentils are not a complete source of protein, you always have to combine number of lentils or consume dairy to get complete protein. Black lentils, red lentils and chickpeas are my favorites. Black lentils are also used to make Dosa – Indian Crepes.

Spicy Legumes & Tomato Soup

We have been on a constant battle with our weight. We both feel if we lose couple of stones, we’ll look and feel much greater. Somehow this realization strikes in front of the scale and seem to disappear in front of food. Hence we are on a constant battle.

Some time back I used to have notebook jotting down everything that went inside and calorie counting, rigorous exercise and having soups and stews for dinner. But after having soups very regularly I’ve lost appetite for them. I’m bored doing the same type of exercise repeatedly. Now I’m looking for new suggestions to help me conquer my weight. (All your suggestions are most welcome)

My DH still likes taking soups for dinner. This is one of soups I made for him. It had to be mildly spicy for which I added coriander and chili powder, tanginess from juicy pulp of tomatoes, and of course wholesome - by adding three type of legumes i.e. red lentils, Black beans and Garbanzo beans. You can try it out with your own preferred legumes.

Legumes are a good source of protein for vegetarians. They are low in fat, good source of fiber, and are rich in vitamins and minerals. It’s always recommended that vegetarians combine legumes because one legume can compensate certain type of protein lacking in other and vice versa.

Spinach & Yellow Split Peas Soup & a Free Recipe Book Giveaway

I first tasted this as a side dish served with banana leaf lunch. Typically in a banana leaf lunch they serve around 8+ side dishes. So some of them I eat alone without rice. As soon as I tasted this curry it stroked me that what a healthy curry that can be made as a soup.

Spinach combined with legume – yellow split peas provides complete nutrition and protein.  Spinach is ranked as one of world’s healthiest vegetable. It’s rich in vitamins (vitamin A, K & C) and minerals (Iron, magnesium, folate etc) and also a powerful anti-oxidant. It is best to eat spinach in raw form, (in salads & sandwiches) else if you are cooking spinach it has to be cooked for less than a minute to preserve its nutrition’s.

I had to put some extra effort to do this post, as I’m still recovering from post holiday syndrome. Slowly getting back to my routine. I really enjoyed this holiday in Europe, wonderful weather, indulged in scrumptious food and took 1000+ photos in picturesque sights. Stay tuned I’ll share some photos with you’ll in photography page. Some of you may wonder why I’ve enjoyed weather, it’s because I come from a hot, humid 24*7 sweating weather, I love to walk outdoors, but I can’t do that here because of weather. That’s why from morning till 10pm or so, I was out enjoying 20+^C weather in Europe.

Greek Style Tomato & Bean Stew

Everyone has their own successful weight loss formula. For me it’s taking soups for dinner, sandwich and milk for lunch combined with regular exercise. When I switched to carb meals for dinner it started showing up in the scale. So with much determination I’m trying to take more soups / stews for dinner.

Idea for this soup is adapted from one of my favorite Spanish Vegetarian food blog. But I’ve added / subtracted some ingredients and modified the method to suite our taste preferences. Spanish food blogger Natalie also shares lovely pictures of country side surrounding she lives in. I’m so much in love with that type of country side living.

This stew is packed with legumes that are rich in nutrition, including protein, calcium, vitamins and minerals. Legumes are being used to lower cholesterol levels, improve blood glucose control in diabetics, and reduce the risk of many cancers. Legumes contain many important nutrients and phytochemicals, and when combined with grains, they form a complete protein.

Tomato and Rice Stew

This is a satisfying meal made with savory blend of rice and tomato.


Ingredients
Serves 2-3


2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 tbsp minced garlic and ginger
50g long grain white / red rice washed
200g can tomatoes, diced
2 tbsp tomato puree
1 potato diced
1 celery stalk sliced
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp chili powder
1 vegetable soup cube
Salt and pepper to taste
Handful of roasted peanuts and coriander leaves for garnishing


Method


Heat oil in a large pan sauté onion, garlic ginger for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, tomato puree, sugar, chili powder, stock cube, potatoes, celery and rice. Stir occasionally till liquid is absorbed by rice.


Add one bowl of water, close the lid, lower the heat, and cook for 15 minutes till rice is soft.


Turn off heat add salt and pepper to taste. Serve in soup bowls garnish with coriander and roasted peanuts.

Provencal Bean Stew

Cannellini beans, these traditional Italian beans are loaded with nutrients. Cannellini beans are low-fat, high in fiber and provide a high quality of magnesium, fiber, iron and folate. They have twice as much iron as beef. Maintaining high iron; ensures a stable supply of hemoglobin. This carries energizing oxygen to every cell in the body. This gives you energy to spare!

Ingredients

Serves 2-3

150g boiled cannellini beans

2 tbsp olive oil

1 onion sliced

1 tsp minced garlic

½ of both red & yellow pepper thinly sliced

200g can tomatoes chopped

2 tbsp tomato puree

1 tsp of both minced thyme and basil

1 vegetable soup cube

1 bay leaf

50g pitted black olives

Salt and pepper to taste

Parsley for garnishing

Method

Heat oil in a large pan, sauté onion, garlic, and herbs for 2 minutes. When onion turns translucent, add peppers stir for 1 more minute.

Add chopped tomatoes, tomato puree and soup cube stir well. Add one soup bowl of water, cover lid and let it simmer.

When soup starts simmering season with salt and pepper, add cannellini beans and black olives.

If you prefer a thick stew, you may add corn starch (1 tbsp mixed in cold water) and stir well.

Ladle stew into bowls garnish with parsley.

Lemon Grass and Vegetable Soup

The Lemon grass is a good cleanser that helps to detoxify the Liver, pancreas, kidney, bladder and the digestive tract. It cuts down uric acid, cholesterol, excess fats and other toxins in the body while stimulating digestion, blood circulation, and lactation; it also alleviates indigestion and gastroenteritis. Also, it can reduce blood pressure. Lemon grass, when boiled contains high amounts of beta-carotene; the powerful anti-oxidant that helps to prevent cancer.

Ingredients
Serves 2-3
1 vegetable soup cube
1 bowl of vegetables, like celery, cabbage, carrot, tofu, green and red chili, mushroom - diced
Lemon Juice
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp minced garlic and ginger
Salt to taste
2 lemon grass sticks cut into 4 inches length
1 tsp corn flour mixed in cold water
For garnishing
Few spring onion diced
Coriander leaves finely chopped

Method


Heat oil in a pan, sauté garlic and ginger for a minute. Add vegetables, stock cube and lemon grass, stir for 2-3 minutes.


Add one bowl of water, cover the pan with lid and boil the soup for 5-10 minutes till vegetables are tender.


When soup is simmering add corn flour mixture, and salt to taste stir for 2 minutes. Turn off heat add lemon juice and salt to taste.


Ladle soup into bowls garnish with coriander and spring onion.

Peas, Rice and Asparagus Stew

Ingredients
Serves 2-3


100g de-frozen green peas
100g asparagus, trimmed cut into 3 cm lengths
100g French beans, trimmed cut into 3cm lengths
1 tsp turmeric powder
2 tbsp curry powder
1 vegetable soup cube
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion finely chopped
1 tbsp minced garlic and ginger
100g red/white rice - washed
100g grated parmesan cheese / soy cheese


Method


Heat oil in a large pan, sauté onion, garlic ginger for 2 minutes. Add washed rice, salt, turmeric, soup cube, curry powder and stir well till rice is mixed with spices.


Add 2 bowls of water, lower the heat, close the lid, and boil for 30 minutes till rice is cooked.


Separately blanch greens, by boiling water in a sauce pan, when water is boiling add salt, French beans and asparagus; let it boil for 2 minutes. Finally add green peas, leave it for a minute. Drain all vegetables, wash them in cold water and set aside.


When rice is cooked, turn off heat, stir blanched greens and grated Parmesan cheese. Mix well and serve immediately.

French Onion Soup

This is perhaps the most famous of all onion soups. Non-alcoholic variation is tried to this western recipe replacing wine and brandy with curry powder to infuse spicy flavor. Yes it worked and was delicious.


Ingredients
Serves 2-3
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp vegetable oil
5 large onions, sliced
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp sherry vinegar
2 tbsp all purpose flour
1 vegetable soup cube
2 tbsp curry powder
50g grated cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

For the roasted bread
2-3 slices of French bread
Garlic butter
50g cheese grated


Method


Heat butter and oil in a large pan; add onions, salt, sugar and vinegar. Sauté stirring occasionally for 10 minutes till onion turns to golden color. Add all purpose flour, thyme and curry powder, stir for few more minutes.


Add soup cube and one bowl of water, bring to boil. When soup starts simmering, season with salt and grated cheese. Mix well and turn off heat.


To make the toast, spread garlic butter to bread, sprinkle cheese, toast in oven for 5 minutes.


Ladle soup into bowls serve with toasted bread.

Jamie Oliver’s Leeks and Chickpea Soup

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Serve’s 2

Ingredients

1 medium size leek stick chopped

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 onion chopped

1 tbsp minced garlic & ginger

100g boiled chickpeas

2 tsp corn flour mixed in cold water

1 vegetable soup cube

Parsley for garnishing

Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Heat oil in a large pan, sauté onion, garlic, and ginger for a minute. Add chopped leeks, soup cube sauté till leeks are wilted turns to golden colour. Add one bowl of water and boil for about 5 minutes.

When the soup starts simmering, add corn flour mixture stir well. Add boiled chickpeas, salt and pepper to taste.

Ladle in soup bowls and garnish with parsley.

Spicy Lentil Dhal Soup

This chunky lentil soup makes a sustaining meal in a bowl.


Ingredients
Serving size 2 -3

3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion chopped
2 green chilies chopped
1 tbsp minced garlic and ginger
100g red lentils washed
1tbsp cumin powder
1 vegetable stock cube
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp coriander powder
100g diced tomatoes
2 tbsp lemon juice
Salt & black pepper to taste


For garnishing
3 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
Fried onion
Thinly sliced green chilies


Method

Melt oil in a pan, sauté onion, chilies, ginger, garlic for 2 minutes. Stir in lentils and 2 cups of water, soup cube and bring to boil. Reduce heat, boil stirring occasionally for 20-30 minutes until lentils are soft. 

Add tomatoes, ground coriander, cumin, turmeric, salt and pepper to taste cook stirring. Turn off heat and mix lemon juice.

Serve soup in bowls and garnish with chopped coriander, green chilies and fried onion.

Bean and Capsicum Stew

Ingredients
Serves 2-3


200g cannellini beans boiled
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion chopped
1 tbsp minced garlic and ginger
½ of each red, yellow and green capsicum thinly sliced
1 celery, chopped
200g can tomatoes roughly chopped
2 tbsp tomato puree
1 vegetable soup cube
50g pitted black olives, roughly chopped
1 tbsp brown sugar


Method


Heat oil in a large pan, sauté onion, garlic ginger for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, tomato puree, soup cube and sugar stir well for 2 more minutes.


Add capsicum, celery and one bowl of water, bring to boil for 5 minutes.


Once soup starts simmering stir cannellini beans, season with salt and pepper. Turn off heat and add black olives.


Serve with crusty bread.

Beans with Chili Stew

This flavorful beans with chili stew is made with rice, kidney beans, garlic, onions, red pepper, and chili powder. This is a wholesome meal to revive you after a long tiring day.


Serves 2-3
Ingredients


1 onion chopped
1 tbsp minced garlic and ginger
½ red capsicum thinly sliced
100g kidney beans / black cowpea boiled
1 carrot diced
100g green beans cut into 2.5cm pieces
200g canned tomatoes mashed
50g rice washed
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 soup cube
1 tbsp tomato puree
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp curry powder
1 vegetable soup cube
Chopped coriander leaves


Method
Heat oil in a large pan, sauté onion, garlic ginger for 2 minutes. Add tomato puree, tomatoes, soup cube, curry powder and chili powder, mix well to form a thick paste.


Add washed rice, stir till rice is discolored and coated with spices. Add 1 bowl of water, lower the heat and boil for 15 minutes till rice is cooked.


Add carrots and capsicum mix well cook for 5 more minutes.


Separately blanch French beans. Boil water, when water starts boiling add salt and beans, cook for 3 minutes, drain water, wash beans with cold water and set aside. By doing this you can retain and enrich colors of vegetables.


When rice and vegetables are cooked, add boiled kidney bean, salt, blanched French beans, chopped coriander, mix well and serve.

Country Vegetable Soup

Soup making is a good way to make the most of seasonal vegetables. It is also a great way of making healthy meals from the best selection of frozen food. Plain or frozen vegetables cook’s fast and taste terrific. Serve this classic mixed vegetable soup with crusty garlic bread and perhaps a wedge of cheese as a light meal.

Ingredients

Serves 2-3

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 onion finely chopped

1 carrot diced

1 celery sliced

½ stick leek sliced

1 potato cut into small cubes

1 small parsnip, cut into small cubes

1 tbsp minced garlic and ginger 

1 vegetable stock cube 

100ml milk / soy milk

1 tsp corn flour mixed in 2 tsp cold water

50g de-frozen green peas

Parsley for garnishing

Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Heat oil in a pan sauté onion, leeks, minced garlic and ginger for 3-4 minutes. When onion and leeks are soft and changing to golden color, add potatoes, carrots, celery and parsnip stir well for 3 more minutes.

Add one bowl of water, soup cube, milk bring to boil for about 5 minutes. When soup starts simmering add corn flour mixture, salt and pepper to taste stir well until soup thickens a bit.

Turn off heat add green peas and parsley. Ladle the soup into bowls. 

Depending on your preference, serve this soup with roasted garlic bread and cheese.

Minestone Soup

This is a classic minestrone from the Lombardy region of Italy. Milanese cooks vary the recipe according to what is on hand, and you can do the same.

Ingredients

Serves 2-3

100g boiled / canned cannellini beans

1 onion chopped

1 tbsp minced garlic and ginger

200g chopped tomatoes 

1 vegetable soup cube

2 tbsp vegetable oil

Salt & pepper 

1 carrot chopped

1 celery stick chopped

100g macaroni pasta

2 tbsp flour dissolved in cold water

Chopped Parsley & parmesan cheese / soy cheese for garnishing 

Method

Heat oil in a large pan and sauté garlic, ginger, onion, soup cube and tomatoes for 2 minutes. Add macaroni pasta, carrot, celery and 1 bowl of water. Boil for 15-20 minutes till pasta is cooked. 

At this stage if you prefer a thick soup add flour mixture, stir well.

When the soup is boiling add cannellini beans and salt and pepper to taste. Stir in chopped parsley. Ladle soup into bowls and sprinkle with plenty of shredded parmesan cheese or cheddar cheese.

Tarka Dhal Red Lentil Soup

 This thick soup is based on classic Indian tarka dhal. Also spelt tadka, tarka is the term for the hot oil seasoning that is drizzled over and folded into a dish before serving. Dhal varies in thickness according to the particular recipe, cook's preference and type of meal. Served slightly thin, it makes a fabulous meal-in-a-bowl.

Ingredients

Serves 2-3

50g red lentils, washed

50g yellow split peas

1 cube vegetable stock dissolved in bowl of water

1 tbsp minced ginger and garlic 

1 tsp turmeric powder

2 green chilies chopped

2 tbsp curry powder

Salt to taste

For tarka

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 onion chopped

1 tsp mustard seeds

2 dried red chilies chopped

1 tomato sliced

1 sprig curry leaves

Method

Wash red lentils and yellow split peas. In a large wok add vegetable stock, minced ginger and garlic, tomatoes, turmeric, curry powder and chopped green chilies. Bring to boil for 15-20 minutes, reduce heat when lentils are soft. 

Mash the lentils to a consistency of your preference; add 2 tbsp yoghurt or 100ml milk if the soup is too thick. 

To prepare the tarka, heat the oil in another pan and fry onion, mustard seeds, dry red chilies, curry leaves and sliced tomatoes for 2 minutes.

Ladle soup into bowls, add tarka on top and garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Serve piping hot.

Nigella Lawson's Pumpkin and Chickpeas Soup

Southeast Asian herbs like lime leaves and lemon grass infuse aromatic flavor to this creamy pumpkin soup, with chunky chickpeas. Mouth watering yummy soup to warm you up, in a cold winter weather and sooth your senses after a tiring day.

Ingredients
Serves 2-3
500g Japanese Pumpkin, chopped
200g boiled / canned chickpeas
200ml coconut milk
2 tbsp curry powder
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 lime leaf, torn / grated lemon rind
1 lemon grass crushed
1 onion chopped
1 tbsp minced garlic and ginger
1 vegetable soup cube
2 tbsp vegetable oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Spring onion chopped
Coriander leaves for garnishing

Method
Heat oil in a large sauce pan, sauté onion, garlic ginger for 2 minutes. Add pumpkin, salt, sugar, lemon grass, lemon leaves, curry powder and soup cube. Stir well till pumpkin is coated with spices.

Add coconut cream, lower the heat, close the lid, let it simmer for 10 minutes till pumpkin is soft.

Add one bowl of water bring to boil for 5 more minutes. When soup starts simmering, add chickpeas and mix well.

Turn off heat, season with lemon juice, pepper and salt. Ladle soup into bowls garnish with coriander and chopped spring onion.

Split Pea and Bottle Gourd Soup

Channa dhal also known as bengal gram gives a fabulous nutty taste; best for spicy stew type dishes like this...

Ingredients

Serves 2-3

100g yellow split peas washed

1 cube vegetable stock
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 green chili chopped
1 onion chopped
1 tbsp minced garlic and ginger
6 curry leaves
1 tbsp curry powder
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp turmeric powder
200g bottle gourd diced
1 tbsp tamarind paste
2 tomatoes chopped
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves for garnishing


Method

Heat oil in a large pan, stir fry chopped onion, garlic, green chili, curry leaves, tomatoes, turmeric, chili and curry powder for 2 minutes.

Add one bowl of water, soup cube, tamarind paste, yellow split peas and boil for 15 minutes till split peas are tender.

Add bottle gourd and salt stir and cook for 5 more minutes.

When soup is simmering serve in bowls and garnish with coriander.