SPINACH STALKS SOUP

Wanna gatecrash to great health…Stick to this rule: Don’t throw away those sticks…Pal..aka…Spinach! Stay slim with this all season super versatile veggie that is dense in nutrients and low in calories, heals your heart and guards your health.

 Dish Type:  South Indian sss enjoy copy

Preparation Time:  10 min

Cooking time:  20  min

Serves:  4 persons

Ingredients

Spinach sticks                    1 bunch

Water                                   500 ml

Salt to taste                        2 tsps approx.

Cinnamon                           ½” pc

Cardamom                          1 no.

Clove                                     1 no.

Flour                                      1 tbsp (Ragi or Rice or Wheat flour)

Fresh cream                       1 tbsp

Pepper powder                                1 tbsp

Directions:

Separate spinach stalks and leaves. Wash the stalks thoroughly in water. Drain out the water.

Boil the sticks in about 250 ml water. Grind the boiled sticks to a paste. Put the paste back to the boiled water. Add some more water (250 ml approx.) and salt. Continue boiling. Tie cinnamon, cardamom and clove in a cloth and put this into the boiling water. Add flour to a bowl. Make it into a paste using few spoons of water. Add this paste to the boiling water. Continue boiling for 10 to 15 min. When the stock reaches soup consistency, add fresh cream whisked along with few spoons of milk, a pinch of salt and pepper. Add this to the boiling broth and switch off the flame.

Spinach Stalks Soup is now ready.

ChefsChat:

Boiled peas, sweet corn or any other boiled vegetable, boiled noodles, fried bread pieces may also be added to this soup.

Spinach stalks are rich in fibre and easy to digest as compared to those of few other leafy greens.

Since only stalks are used here, the soup is not really green in colour. To get a clear green coloured soup, cook spinach leaves, grind and add the paste to the soup. The more of the paste that you add, the greener shall be the soup in colour!

SPICY MANGO DRINK (Raw Mango Soup)

Gently spicy, subtly sweet, trickily tangy, clear soup consistency and a divine drink! You just can’t miss making this uber cool recipe that saves you, every time you are going through trying times, say when guests appear from nowhere taking you by surprise and shock, putting your culinary skills to test! What better way to greet them than with this health drink!

Excellent source of Vitamin C and also in Vitamin B, raw mango, in dried powdered form (also known as Amchur), is helpful for treating scurvy. Raw Mango Soup is an ideal summer drink to combat negative effects of excessive heat. It prevents excessive loss of sodium chloride and iron that happens due to sweating. It is also known to cure blood disorders, increase body resistance etc. Eating raw mango with salt prevents dehydration.

Dish Type:  South Indian Soup Variety Spicy Mango Drink

Preparation Time:  5 min

Cooking time:  5 min

Cooling time:  5 min

Grinding time:  2 min

Serves:  2

Ingredients

For boiling:

Raw mango grated     3 tbsps

Salt to taste                 1 tsp approx.

Jaggery                        2 tbsps

Turmeric pwd             A pinch

Water                          200 ml approx.

For grinding:

Pepper corns               6 nos.

Cumin seeds                ½ tsp

Coriander seeds          1 tsp

For seasoning:

Oil                               1 tsp

Mustard seeds            ½  tsp

Red chillies                  2 nos.

Curry leaves                3 or 4 nos.

Asafoetida                   A pinch

For garnishing:

Coriander leaves         1 tsp

Directions:

Wash raw mango thoroughly in water. Peel the skin. Grate and transfer to a vessel. Add salt, jaggery, turmeric powder and 100 ml. water to this and boil them together for about 5 min. till mango gets cooked properly. Let it cool. Store the boiled water that is settled on top to a vessel for later use.

Dry fry pepper corns, cumin seeds and coriander seeds in a small skillet. Let it cool. Powder it in a mixie. To this add boiled and cooked raw mango. Grind them so as to blend the spices and mango. Transfer this ground mixture to the stored boiled water. Add more water (say 100 ml.) if required depending on the desired consistency. Boil once again for 3 to 4 min. Switch off the flame. Now is the time for seasoning.

Heat oil in the same skillet. Add mustard seeds. When it crackles, add red chillies and curry leaves. Switch off the flame and immediately add asafoetida.

Garnish with fresh, thoroughly washed and finely chopped coriander leaves.

Spicy Mango Drink is now ready. Serve it hot or warm or cool. Any which way is fine.