Spinach soup

Spinach is an extremely nutrient-rich vegetable, with high amounts of iron, carotenoids, vitamin C, vitamin K, folic acid, and calcium. It  also contains several other vitamins and minerals, including potassium, magnesium, and vitamins B6, B9, and E. Studies have found that eating cooked spinach – versus raw – results in much higher blood levels of beta-carotene, an antioxidant thought to guard against heart disease and lung cancer.

A word of caution:  People who are prone to kidney stones may want to avoid spinach. This leafy green is also very high in vitamin K1, which can be a problem for people on blood thinners.

Spincah soup is a very nourishing, filling, delicious soup, especially on a rainy day.

Ingredients

2 packed cups of washed, cleaned, cut spinach leaves

2 bowls of water

2 tbsps of milk

2 flakes of garlic, peeled and sliced

1 ½ tbsps of milk cream or malai

Salt to taste

¼ tsp pepper powder

Instruction

-          Put the cut spinach leaves, sliced garlic, milk, and water in a saucepan and bring to boil. Reduce the flame and simmer for 6 to 7 minutes till the leaves are cooked.

-          Let it cool and then liquidize it, adding half of the milk cream.

-          Add salt to taste and keep it on medium heat. When it is hot enough, transfer into two bowls, sprinkle pepper powder and add remaining milk cream on the top and serve.

Tender Jackfruit (Kathal) Dum Biriyani

This is a very delicious preparation. During the season, the tender jackfruit can be skinned, cut into large chunks and pressure cooked for 5 to 6 minutes. I keep these in the refrigerator to make different preparations.

         Biriyani served with roasted papad, tomato onion raita and chilli garlic in lemon juice

Ingredients

For marination

200 grams cooked tender Jackfruit  cut into chunks

¾ cup Yogurt

2 tbsps Ginger garlic paste

¼  tsp turmeric powder

½  tsp red chilli powder

½ tsp  Garam masala powder

1 tbsp lemon juice

Salt  to taste

For biriyani

1 cup rice – I use sona masuri rice, soaked in water for ten minutes

2 tbsp ghee

2 onions sliced thin

1 inch cinnamon stick

2 cardamoms

2 cloves

1 bay leaf

1 Star anise

2 green chillies

2 tbsps cut coriander leaves

Some mint leaves

Salt  to taste

1 tablespoon Ghee

Some yellow food color 

To garnish

Some cashew nuts toasted in ghee

Fried onions

Insstruction

-          Heat oil in a kadai on low heat, fry onions until they turn into brown colour. Drain and keep on kitchen tissue paper .

-          While the onion is getting fried, marinate the cooked tender jackfruit chunks with turmeric powder, red chilli powder, garam masala powder, ginger garlic paste , yoghurt, salt, lemon juice, and keep aside.

-          Boil water in a saucepan with salt. Add the soaked and drained rice and all the spices, cardamom, cloves, bay leaf, star anise, green chillies and cinnamon stick.

-          Cook the rice until 70 % done. I cook soaked sona masuri normally for ten minutes, here I did for 7 minutes.  Drain the rice and keep aside

Assembling the biriyani

-          Smear ghee on a deep, wide pan, sprinkle some fried onions, mint leaves and coriander leaves.

-          Now spread the marinated jackfruit chunks.

-          Add the 70% cooked rice, pour 1 tablespoon of ghee, spread mint leaves, coriander leaves , some fried onions (leave some fried onions for garnishing).

      Pour some yellow food color on the surface in three four areas

-         Cover the pan with aluminium foil and keep on low flame for 15 minutes.

-          Remove the aluminium foil, lightly fluff up the biriyani.

-          While serving, garnish with toasted cashew nuts and fried onions.

-          Serve with tomato onion raita, pickle and papad.

Roasted Sponge Gourd

The high fiber content of sponge gourd contributes to healthy digestive system. It also contains high amounts of  vitamin C, riboflavin, zinc, thiamine, iron, and magnesium. It can be used in salads. Roasted sponge gourd is a delicious preparation.

Ingredients

2 sponge gourds

2 tbsps of oil

Salt to taste

½ tsp turmeric powder

½ red chilli powder

1 tsp coriander powder

Instruction

-          Scrape the surface of sponge gourd, wash and cut it lengthwise and cross wise to make four pieces

-          Preheat oven to 180 degrees

-          Smear oil on aluminium foil, arrange the pieces over it, cut side up. Sprinkle all the masala powders, salt and drizzle oil over the surface

-          Keep it inside the oven. After eight to ten minutes, turn them over and cook for six to eight minutes more  and they are ready