A Spoonful of Immunity: Turmeric Amla Pickle

" Aah! You can feel the healing goodness travel through your entire being," exclaimed Mads Masi with every bite. That definitely had my attention. I backtracked to the table to get better acquainted with this health bomb I had missed. Never would I have guessed that the bowl of blinding sunshine I had dismissed as just another chutney was the reason for the health hallelujah! 

Turmeric and Amla Pickle. Yet another ingenious method Nani had devised to sneak immunity into our daily food. And its no grandma's tale, really. Science has backed the benefits of the Indian gooseberry for years. And turmeric of course, is already hailed as the super-food of 2016.

Turmeric has proven anti-inflammatory properties. It has been known to reduce the risk of cancer, normalize insulin levels, banish aches and arthritic pain, promote healthy digestion and boost brain function. Now, I could list all the proven benefits in detail, or you could just read them here and here.
As for Amla , the humble and much ignored Indian Gooseberry is loaded with Vitamin C making it ideal to stave off those pesky coughs and colds. The high iron content is great for combating anemia and getting that gorgeous glow. It is also a known agent for stabilizing blood sugar, promoting heart health and also the high fiber content means bye bye constipation.
On their own turmeric and amla are a little strong to munch. But toss them together in this super healthy and you will have the entire family lining up to get their daily dose. Bursting with freshness and flavour, who would have thought great health came in such chatpata form!
And yes, Mads Masi was right! You can truly feel the healing goodness travel through your entire being!

Ingredients:
Raw Turmeric Root        250 gm
Amla                              250 gm
Lemons                          3
Kala Namak                  to taste
Sugar                             3 teaspoon
Oil                                 2 tablespoon
Asafoetida                     a pinch
Red chilli powder          1/4 teaspoon

Method:
Grate the turmeric and amla as finely or coarsely as you like. Toss in the sugar and kala namak or black rock salt. Squeeze the juice of the lemons on top and mix well. Heat the oil in a small pan till it starts smoking. Add the asafoetida and turn off the heat. Let the oil cool a little and then add the red chilli powder to it. Once the oil is completely cool, mix in with the rest of the ingredients. Spoon into  a sterilized bottle and let it rest in the fridge. After three days, the pickle is ready to eat. It keeps well for a month if refrigerated. Just a spoonful with your lunch and let the pickle work its magic!
 

Carrot and Raisin cake

The monster munchkin has turned two! There were days that never ended, and yet when I look back time seems to have just flown. Parenting hasn't gotten easier, just the challenges have changed. Just when I thought I had figured it out, the munchkin will throw a curveball my way. Mum rolls her eyes when I mention it. Her grandkid is an angel and I am the monster!
One thing that hasn't changed, is my obsession to provide him balanced, nutritional meals. And this includes sweet indulgences. Luckily he hasn't taken to chocolates and sugar laden treats like his dear ol' mum! Last birthday he was indulged with a blueberry yogurt cheesecake. And now it is the year of the super healthy Carrot and Raisin Cake. Now scoff all you like. I did too. But surprisingly, it was delicious. And the monster munchkin actually asked for seconds! Guilt free indulgence on his birthday? Hey! Why turn him down?!
So give this kid friendly recipe a go. Duly endorsed by an ecstatic two year old :)

Ingredients:
Carrots                                2, large
Soft Brown sugar               3/4 cup
Eggs                                   2
Butter                                 1/2 cup, melted
Whole Wheat Flour           1 1/4 cup
Baking Powder                  1 teaspoon
Baking Soda                      1/2 teaspoon
Milk                                   1/4 cup
Cinnamon powder             1/4 teaspoon
Clove powder                    1/4 teaspoon
Nutmeg powder                 1/4 teaspoon
Ginger powder                   1/4 teaspoon
Raisins                                1 cup

Method:
Pre-heat the oven to 180 C. Run the eggs and carrots in a food processor till the carrots are finely chopped. Add butter and sugar. Process again till well blended. Pour into a bowl and fold in the rest of the ingredients. Bake in 9x5 inch loaf tin for 45-50 mins. Serve up a slice of health and happiness.

Bottle Gourd (Lauki) Soup

There are only three people I know who relish the humble lauki. Baba Ramdev, my grandmother and my lil toddler. Though in all fairness, lil toddler will eat just about anything. What is it about this veggie that puts off people? The blandness say some, the seeds say others. Well, the seeds can be discarded. And as for the blandness, well, that is exactly what makes the veggie so versatile! It happily adapts to any flavour and cuisine.
This recipe is my mum's brainchild. You will never catch her eating lauki, she hates it with such passion! But in an effort to introduce the family to healthy eating, she adapted it to soup and the result was simply delicious! So as you flounder around the market looking for veggies to break your soup monotony, bring home a bottle gourd. I promise you will soon be a convert!

Ingredients:
Bottle Gourd (Lauki)       1, medium
Butter                               1 tsp
Onion                               1, chopped
Milk                                 1
Peppercorns                     6
Chana Dal                        2 tablespoon
Water                               3 cups

Method:
 Peel and cut the lauki in cubes. In a pressure cooker, heat the butter. Saute the onion till just golden. Add the rest of the ingredients. Add some salt to taste. Pressure cook for 7 whistles. Once the cooker cools, remove the solids with a slotted spoon and grind in the mixie. Pour the puree back into the liquid and bring to boil, stirring a couple of times. Serve hot and revel in your latest health choice :)

Mom's Onion Soup

Onion soup? I know the name doesn't conjure visions of heartwarming, delicious, soul stirring food. But contrary to what most people think, the humble kitchen staple morphs into a flavourful gourmet extravanganza for the taste buds. The French Onion soup is sought after across the world, and features on the menu of some of the best chefs. 

The original Onion Soup calls for beef stock and cream, and is topped with generous amounts of grilled cheese croutons. Not too healthy for the heart or waist, i agree! Thus, presenting, Mom's Onion Soup. Her version still retains those gorgeous golden caramelized onions, but the rest of it is simple, light and infinitely more healthy. I warn you though, this soup is super addictive. Just ask hubby. He's put in a permanent request that mum make two extra mugfuls for him each time! Coz as they say, " No one can drink just one!!"

Ingredients:

Onions            4, large

Butter              2 tsp

Milk                2 cups

Water              2 cups

Peppercorn     10

Salt                 to taste

Method:

Heat butter in a pressure cooker. Add chopped onions, Saute till the onions are golden. Add the rest of the ingredients and pressure cook for 4 whistles. Cool. With a slotted spoon remove the onions and peppercorns and grind them in a mixer. Add the paste back to the liquid and heat on low flame, just before serving. Yes, it is that simple! And if you are feeling particularly indulgent, serve up with a side of grilled cheese toast ;)

Oil Free Chicken Raja Mircha

• Those who have been following this blog would have realized that I am rather partial towards food that is light, wholesome, simple but packs a flavourful punch. This new recipe is no exception. I found the original on soulkitchendiaries and knew it was just what I needed to kickstart the winter weekend on a healthy note. I tweaked the recipe a little, playing around with the flavours from the North eastern part of India. It's an addiction I cannot curb! The result was sublime. Need I say more?

Ingredients:

Chicken                  750 gm

Water                      1 litre

Onions                    3, large

Tomatoes                4, large

Raja Mircha            2

Green Chillies         3

Ginger                     1 inch

Garlic                      6

Coriander leaves      1 cup

Mint leaves               1 cup

Coriander powder     1 tsp

Garam Masala          1/2 tsp

Turmeric                   1/2 tsp

Bamboo Shoots         1/2 cup

Method: 

Grind the onions to a paste. Puree the tomatoes. Grind the mint and coriander leaves coarsely. In a mortar and pestle, coarsely pound the ginger, garlic and green chillies. In a heavy bottomed pan, bring the water to a boil. Add all the ingredients, except the chicken and bamboo shoots. Add salt and bring to a boil once again. Add the chicken and bamboo shoots and cook on high flame for ten minutes. Reduce the flame to sim. Cover and cook till the chicken is done. Serve hot with steamed rice, and do invite me over to slurp some!

Notes: 

1) Raja Mircha (King Chilly/ Boxer Mirchi/ Naga Chilly) is rare to source and also too hot to handle for most palates. So feel free to substitute with any regular dry red chillies,

2) Bamboo Shoots are an acquired taste. Also, like Raja Mircha they are hard to find in the mainstream markets. You can easily substitute with fresh green beans or even potatoes for an equally tasty dish.