Beetroot Soup

Beetroot has a lot of health benefits like lowering blood pressure & cholesterol, it is said to produce anti-oxidants and they call it enemy of colon cancer. But for me I simply love the color of beetroot. Soup is one very nice way of relishing beetroot. Here, I share my simple version of beet soup that serves two people.

Ingredients:

1. Beetroot - 1

2. Tomato -1

3. Salt to taste

4. Pepper to taste

Method:

Step 1: Blanch the roughly chopped beetroot and tomato in a cup of water for 3 minutes.

Step 2: Let it cool a bit and then blend together finely in a mixer jar.

Step 3: Add required salt and pepper.

Step 4: Serve warm or heat it to have it hot or refrigerate to have it cool. 

TIPS:
*This is the simplest version. You can try one of the alternate options as mentioned below
*Skip tomato and add juice of lemon
*Saute in some butter or olive oil instead of blanching beetroot
*Add more herbs & seasoning
*Add more vegetables and top it with caramelized onion.

Paneer Bhurji

Paneer Bhurji

I first ate this dish from the Punjabi family I stayed with as paying guest. I fell in love with it the first time I ate it and so did Kundan; so I make this bhurji frequently at home. It is very simple to make and is one of the tastiest combination with phulkas, I swear.

Ingredients:

1.       Paneer –200 gm

2.       Green chilies – 2

3.       Onion – 1 finely chopped

4.       Cumin seeds – ½  tsp

5.       Asafoetida – 1 pinch

6.       Oil 1 tbsp

7.       Salt to taste

8.       Chopped Coriander – 1 tbsp

Method:

Step 1: Grate the paneer either by using whipping option in the mixer or by crumbling by your hands

Step 2: In a non-stick pan, heat oil and crackle cumin seeds in it, sprinkle asafoetida, thrown in chopped chilies, add the chopped onion and sauté till they are soft and translucent.

Step 3: Now, add the grated or crumbled paneer, sprinkle necessary salt over it and mix with a soft hand in simmered stove for 1 minute.

Step 4: Adjust salt, garnish with the fresh coriander and serve warm with rotis/ phulkas.

Tip:

Ø  I make use of homemade paneer to do bhurji as they are crumbly; the store bought paneer are little rubbery is what I feel.

Ø  You can use old paneer (not after expiry) in freezer which are dry in texture, for this dish.

Paneer Capsicum Chinese Gravy

I found this simple recipe on the Szechuan sauce bottle I got last week and tried this easy-peasy dish. Believe me, except for the looks of the dish, it did come closer to a restaurant gravy in terms of taste, flavor  and consistency. It goes very well with fried rice.

Ingredients:

1.       Capsicum – 1 large

2.       Paneer – 100 grams

3.       Onion – 1 large

4.       Szechuan sauce – 1 tbsp

5.       Garlic cloves – 3

6.       Dry chilies -2

7.       Spring onion chopped – 2 tbsp (for garnishing)

8.       Gingelly oil – 1 tbsp

9.       Soy sauce – 1 tbsp

10.   Vinegar – 1 tbsp

11.   Corn flour – 1 tbsp

12.   Salt as per taste

Method:

Step 1: Cut the capsicum and onion into 1.5” square and paneer into 1” cubes.

Step 2: Heat oil add grated onion and broken chilies to it, add cut vegetables and paneer and sauté for a minute or so

Step 3: Add Szechuan sauce and dilute it with 2 cups water. Now separately dissolve the corn flour in some water and stir into the gravy until it thickens.

Step 4: Add soy sauce, vinegar, salt and stir for a minute more

Step 5: Garnish with chopped spring onions and serve hot with fried rice.

TIPS:

·        * You can shallow fry the vegetables and paneer and keep them aside and add at the last to retain its crisp and color.
*     * I've used home made panner which was a little gooey that is why it has dissolved on sides.