Experiments in the kitchen - vegetable soup

When suffering with a cold, all I want to do is get something warm inside of me. And while a liquid diet (if you know what I mean ;-) ) can work wonders, a healthier option is some soup.

Here is my version of a quick-fix vegetable soup.

Ingredients:

• 1 potato, boiled and mashed
• 1-2 onions, chopped coarsely
• 7-8 cloves of garlic, finely chopped 
• ginger, finely chopped
• 1-2 green chilies, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 4-5 french beans, sliced
• 1/2 tsp olive oil or butter (the butter is more yummy!)
• 2 pods of cardamom
• 3-4 cloves
• 1-2 cinnamon stick
• 7-8 whole peppercorn
• 2 cups of milk
• Salt and pepper -to taste

1. Heat a pan, and add the olive oil/butter. Ensure the wok is completely coated with it. 
2. Now add the onions, ginger and garlic. Cook till light brown and slightly translucent.
3. Add the spices and roast for a minute. 
4. Add the green chilies and vegetables. Saute lightly. 
5. After the veggies are half-done, add the milk, stirring continuously.
6. Add salt and pepper, cover with lid and let it rest for a minute or two. Serve.

Hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Experiments in the kitchen - Stir-fry chicken with veggies

I like to cook, and am a big proponent of healthy, easy-to-cook recipes. Tonight, I cooked-up something rather interesting - a little twist to the usual stir-fry recipe.

Here's what it takes to make it.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 kg chicken, cut into medium pieces
• 2 onions, chopped coarsely
• 7-8 cloves of garlic, finely chopped 
• ginger, finely chopped
• 4-5 green chilies, finely chopped
• some colorful veggies (I used the ones listed below)
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 1 capsicum, sliced
• 9-10 french beans, sliced
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp honey
• a pinch of fennel seeds 
• 1 tsp canola/olive oil (I used canola oil)
• coriander leaves- chopped
• Salt and pepper -to taste

1. Clean and wash the chicken. Heat a wok/pan/kadhai, and add the canola oil. Ensure the wok is completely coated with it. 
2. Add the chicken pieces; turn the gas to medium sim, and cover the wok with a lid to ensure the chicken is cooked. Once light brown, keep it aside.
3. Now add the onions, ginger and garlic. Cook till light brown and slightly translucent.
4. Add the green chilies and vegetables (except tomato). Saute lightly. 
5. After the veggies are half-done, add the tomato, soy sauce, honey, fennel seeds and salt and pepper. Cook for another 10-15 minutes.
6. Garnish with coriander leaves, cover with lid and let it rest for a minute or two. Serve.

Some twists to the standard recipe of stir-fry -

• Cooking food on low to medium sim ensures that the protein and vitamins (from the ingredients) are not over-cooked.
• The tomato brings out a slightly tangy flavour. I liked the outcome, but some may not. Exercise your judgement.
• The amount of honey added can be varied. It accentuates the taste of carrots and beans. 
• I just tossed in the fennel seeds and coriander because ...well, just because. :-)

I served this with some plain steamed rice. Tasted slightly spicy, yet very fresh. Let me know if you decide to try it out.