Pepper – Batter Up With Sujata

Mediterranean Green Lentil Soup

Mediterranean green lentil or sabut moong soup. Delicious, flavourful, filling and comfort bowl of this lentil soup is perfect for winter.
Flavour of different powder spices like cumin, cinnamon etc. and the goodness of power packed green lentil and carrots with drizzle of extra virgin olive oil made this soup nutritious and mouthwatering.

After green gram Kabab here is a soup with green gram or lentil or beans.
This lentil is packed With Healthy Nutrients.
Mung beans (Vigna radiata) are small, green beans that belong to the legume family.
Mung beans are incredibly versatile and typically eaten in salads, soups and stir-frys.
They’re high in nutrients and believed to aid many ailments.
Mung beans are rich in vitamins and minerals.
Mung beans are high in nutrients and antioxidants, which may provide health benefits.
In fact, they may protect against heat stroke, aid digestive health, promote weight loss and lower “bad” LDL cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar levels.
Since mung beans are healthy, delicious and versatile, consider incorporating them into your diet.
To read more about health benefits of green beans click here.

You may like some more green lentil recipes on this blog.

1. Oats soya green gram toast

2. Green moong idli

3. Egg dal tadka

4. Sprouts and oats pan fried cutlets

5. Sprouts and oats appe

6. Green gram veg Kabab

I have already shared three more lentil or dal soup on this blog. Click on the name below for recipe.

1. Lebanese lentil lemon soup

2. Red lentil soup

3. Green gram carrot spinach soup

Monday again and this week’s 222 #Foodiemonday bloghop theme is Mystique Mediterranean suggested by Archana who blog at The Mad Scientists Kitchen.
Archana is a very dear friend and a talented blogger. She has a vast collection of recipes. Visit her space for different types of delicious recipes. I have already bookmarked her Ridge gourd chutney and Gobhi musallam to try.

According to Wikipedia Mediterranean cuisine is the foods and methods of preparation by people of the Mediterranean Basin region.
When Archana suggested the theme I was searching for a simple but comforting dish for winter. And loved this healthy and delicious recipe.
I have made little changes according to my taste and availability of the ingredients.
I have pressure cooked the lentil to make it quickly. But if you don’t want to use pressure cooker, you can make it in pan. After frying onion, garlic, ginger and carrots add the lentils and all the spices with salt. Mix and add 3 – 4 cup water. When it starts to rolling boil reduce the heat. Cover and cook on simmer for 40 – 45 minutes or till lentils becomes soft. Check in between and add more water if require.

You can also add chopped spinach in the soup.

Recipe

Green lentil or sabut moong – 1/2 cup

Carrot – 2

Onion – 2 medium, chopped

Garlic – 2 – 3 cloves, minced

Ginger – 1/2 inch piece, grated

Tomato – 4 medium, chopped

Cilantro or coriander leaves – handful, chopped

Salt to taste

Extra virgin olive oil – 2 tablespoon + to drizzle

Turmeric powder – 1/2 teaspoon

Cumin powder – 1 teaspoon

Coriander powder – 1 teaspoon

Black pepper powder – 1/2 teaspoon or to taste

Red chilli powder – 1 teaspoon

Cinnamon powder – 1/2 teaspoon

Lemon juice – 1 tablespoon or to taste

Water – 3 & 1/2 cup

Method

1. Soak the lentil in sufficient water for 15 minutes.

2. Rinse well and pressure cook with 2 cup water, salt and turmeric powder. After 1 whistle reduce the heat. Cook on simmer for 10 – 15 minutes or until lentils becomes soft. Let the pressure settle down on it’s own.

3. Wash, peel and chop the carrots into small cubes.

4. Crush or grind the tomatoes.

5. Heat olive oil in a pan. Add chopped onions and fry till translucent.

6. Add minced garlic and grated ginger. Saute till onion becomes brown.

7. Add chopped carrots and saute for 2 minutes.

8. Add crushed or ground tomatoes, all the spice powder and salt. Add salt carefully, we have added salt in lentil also.

9. Saute till everything dried up.
Add boiled lentils and mix well.

10. Add 1 & 1/2 cup water and let it boil. When it starts to rolling boil, reduce the heat. Cover and cook on simmer for 10 minutes. Taste and adjust salt if require. You can add little more water if you want. But don’t make too runny.

11. Remove from heat. Add lemon juice and mix. You can add more lemon juice if you like your soup tangy.

12. Delicious lentil soup is ready. Drizzle olive oil. Garnish with cilantro or coriander leaves and lemon wedges. Serve hot.

Notes
1. Recipe adopted from here.
2. You can also use green chilli if you want your soup spicy.
3. If you don’t want pressure cook soak the lentil for 30 minutes and add after frying onion, garlic, carrots and toqmatoes. Add water as require. When it starts to rolling boil cover and cook on simmer for 40 – 45 minutes or till the lentil becomes soft.
4. Spinach can be used in the soup with carrots.
5. You can also use potato if you like.

If you tried my recipe, you can share your food pictures with me in the social network sites by using hashtag, #batterupwithsujata
I would love to see your creations.

I would love to hear from you. Please share your thoughts and suggestions in comment.
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Ginger Noodles

Ginger noodles.
Today sharing one of my most favourite and very easy to make noodles recipe.
To make this delicious noodles you can use cabbage or any vegetable of your choice. I don’t like cabbage so I didn’t use. I have used whatever vegetables I had in my pantry. Sometimes I also use broccoli and capsicum.

Its a vegetarian recipe but if you want you can add shredded and boiled chicken or scrambled egg or sliced omelette in it.
Enjoy the noodles with chilli paneer, honey chilli potatoes, chilli chicken or manchurian etc.

This post is going to be a part of A to Z challenge, a challenge initiated on Facebook Group, created by Jolly
and Vidya.
Wherein a group of bloggers come together and we choose key ingredients alphabetically to cook and post a dish every alternate month. This month’s Alphabet is letter G.

Some more recipes for this challenge I have posted earlier.

Beetroot shot

Corn cottage cheese stir fry

Date walnut fudge

Eggs in poppy seeds or dim posto

Fennel oats millet cookies

To make this noodles cut the vegetables in thin slices and cook on high heat to retain the crunch of the vegetables. Be careful while boiling the noodles. Noodles shouldn’t be over cook. If you want you can also add chicken, eggs etc.

Recipe

Noodles – 150 gram

Ginger – 1 tablespoon, grated

Onion – 1 large, sliced

Garlic – 3 – 4 cloves, minced or finely chopped

Tomato 1 medium, sliced

Red Bell pepper – 1 medium, sliced

Yellow Bell pepper – 1 medium, sliced

Spring onion green – 1 – 2, chopped

Green chilli – 1 – 2, chopped

Carrot – 1 medium, thinly sliced

Vinegar – 2 tablespoon

Tomato sauce – 1 tablespoon

Schezwan sauce – 1 & 1/2 tablespoon

Soya sauce – 2 tablespoon

Chilli sauce – 1/2 tablespoon

Black pepper powder – 1/2 teaspoon

Oil – 2 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon

Method

1. Boil the noodles and 2 minutes or according to the instructions printed on the noodles packet. Add 1 teaspoon salt in the boiling water then add the noodles. Boil for 2 minutes and drain the water immediately.

2. Rinse the noodles with tap water.
Spread on a plate and toss with 1 teaspoon oil to prevent sticking.

3. Peel and chop the carrot into thin slices.
Thinly slice the red and yellow bell pepper and tomato.

4. In a bowl mix vinegar, soya sauce, tomato sauce, chilli sauce and Schezwan sauce. Keep aside.

5. Heat oil in a pan. Add sliced onion, garlic and green chilli. Fry till onion becomes translucent.

6. Add grated ginger and carrot. Fry for 2 minutes.

7. Add bell peppers, spring onion green and tomato. Saute for 1 minute.

8. Add vinegar, soya, chilli, tomato and Schezwan sauce. Mix well.

9. Now add the boiled noodles, salt and black pepper powder. Toss well.

10. If you feel difficult to toss, mix with the help of two spatula or tongs.

11. When the noodles will coated well with sauce, remove from heat.

12. Garnish with chopped spring onion green and ginger julienne.
Serve hot with chilli paneer, chilli chicken or manchurian.

Notes
1. You can use any vegetable like cabbage, broccoli florets, capsicum, beans etc.
2. Boiled and shredded chicken can be used with vegetables.
3. You can add scrambled eggs or omelette pieces in the noodles.
4. Use chilli according to your taste. If you are making it for kids then you can skip chilli and chilli sauce.

If you tried my recipe, you can share your food pictures with me in the social network sites by using hash tag, #batterupwithsujata
I would love to see your creations.

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Rosti Or Swiss Potato Pancake

Rosti or you can call it potato pancake. Easy to make and perfect for breakfast or side dish.

According to Wikipedia
Rösti or röschti is a Swiss dish consisting mainly of potatoes, in the style of a fritter. It was originally a breakfast dish, commonly eaten by farmers in the canton of Bern, but is now eaten all over Switzerland and around the world. The French name röstis bernois makes direct reference to the origins of the dish.

This week our 172 #Foodiemonday bloghop theme is #InternationalFeast.
This week Mayuri Patel who blog at Mayuri’s Jikoni suggested the theme.
Mayuri suggested World Cuisine for this week. So the country we have to choose a dish from to make should begin with our name’s first letter. Interesting isn’t it ☺️

I have chosen beautiful country Switzerland famous for it’s chocolate. And the dish name is Rosti begin with the first letter of my nick name ha ha no its not in the rule but when I was searching for recipes noticed this easy to make potato pancake rosti. I loved the recipe.

Adopted the recipe from
the spruce Eats. This Swiss rosti recipe is very simple. You can add onion, parsley paprika, nutmeg etc.
But I have made it with only salt and pepper. Next time I will try with green chilli, cilantro and some Indian spices. I am sure it will be also taste great with any seasoning.
I have tried to make it little thin but if you want to make perfect round shaped rosti follow the exact recipe.

Recipe credit – the spruce Eats

Recipe

Potatoes – 4

Salt – 1 & 1/2 teaspoon

Black pepper powder – 1/2 teaspoon or to taste

Olive oil or butter – 3 – 4 tablespoon

Method

1. Peel and wash the potatoes.

2. Grate the potatoes. Use a grater with big holes. Fine grater would make your potatoes mushy.

3. Add 1 teaspoon salt in the grated potatoes and mix well. Keep aside for 5 – 6 minutes.

4. Take a fistful grated potato, press tightly and squeeze well. This way squeeze all the grated potatoes and place in a bowl.

5. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and black pepper. Mix well. You can add ground paprika, finely chopped onion or parsley. Or add chopped green chilli, chaat masala, cumin powder and handful chopped coriander leaves or cilantro.

6. Heat half of the oil or butter in a pan. You can also use any vegetable oil. When the oil becomes hot, add grated potatoes in it. Add small amount at a time. Add potatoes about 1 inch deep. Add the potatoes till the bottom part of the pan fully covered.

7. Cook on medium heat. Stir and cook for a minute with a spatula to coat the potatoes with olive oil or butter.

9. Spread the potatoes in the pan and press with a spatula.

10. Press gently with spatula to make the layer evenly. Cook on medium heat.

11. Cook for 10 minutes. Now cover and cook again for 5 – 10 minutes or till the bottom part becomes golden brown.

12. Now place a plate on the top of the pan and transfer it on the plate.

13. Add remaining oil or butter in the pan. When it becomes enough hot slide potato pancake in the pan cooked side up. Press down with a spatula.

14. Cook it for about 15 minutes or until the bottom side becomes golden brown. You can make small sized rosti if you like. I have made one small individual sized.

15. Swiss potato rosti is ready to serve. Transfer the rosti on a plate. Sprinkle salt and pepper if require.

14. Slice and serve hot.

Notes

1. You can boil and peel the potatoes and refrigerate overnight. Next day grate just before making rosti.

2. You can add finely chopped onion and green chilli with grated potatoes if you like.

If you tried my recipe, you can share your food pictures with me in the social network sites by using hash tag, #batterupwithsujata
I would love to see your creations.

I would love to hear from you. Please share your thoughts and suggestions in comment.

Please visit my facebook page and hit the like button to get the latest update
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Savoury Cucumber Smoothie Or Chhach/Lassi

Savoury cucumber smoothie or chhach/lassi.

Do you love chhach or butter milk? Then you will love this delicious cucumber chhach. Butter milk is called the nectar of earth. And in Ayurveda its categorised as satvic food.

This chilled refreshing low fat and low calorie drink help in weight loss. Apart from that its helps in digestion. A best accompaniment to meal.

Its an excellent source of many nutrients and boost your calcium intake.

Not only that research shows its helps to reduce blood pressure, prevent cancer and lower cholesterol.

And this savoury smoothie has cucumber too. Low calorie vitamins enriched cucumber keeps us hydrated and cool. Its helps in digestion, stabilize blood pressure, good for diabetic and lowers the uric acid levels and keep the kidneys healthy.

Apart from that cucumbers are a source of several compounds that fight inflammation and aging. It can resolves many skin problems and ensures healthy and younger looking skin and also have anti cancer properties.

Coming to the recipe. You can make it without cucumber too. But cucumber made the drink more delicious and healthy.

Recipe

Yogurt – 1 cup

Cucumber – 1 peeled, grated or chopped

Sea salt or black salt to taste

Black pepper powder to taste

Roasted cumin powder – 1/4 teaspoon

Lemon juice – 1 teaspoon

Mint leaves – few

Ice cube – as require, optional

Mint string, grated cucumber, lemon and cucumber wedges for garnishing

Method

Combine everything and blend until smooth.
Taste and add more salt, pepper cumin powder and lemon juice if require.
I have used sea salt but you can use black salt or normal salt too.
Pour the mixture into a glass and keep in refrigerator until it becomes chilled.

Place some ice cubes in a glass and pour the mixture over it.
Garnish with mint string, cucumber and lemon wedges and little grated cucumber.

Serve chilled.

Stay healthy stay happy 😊

Vegetable Au Gratin Or Baked Vegetable

Spring has past

Summer has gone

Winter is here

And the song that I meant to sing

Is still unsung

I have spent my days stringing and unstringing my instrument .
Rabindranath Tagore

Its true that winter is breathtakingly beautiful. The warmth of cozy blanket, a cup of hot coffee or delicious hot chocolate and an interesting book couldn’t be enjoyable more than this season.

And you can easily get lots of fresh vegetables with plenty of nutrients and flavour in winter.

Vegetable Au Gratin or baked vegetable is a French dish. Traditionally vegetables mixed with white sauce, topped with breadcrumbs and generous amount of cheese, baked till the cheese melts and served with crisp breads.

You can use all the winter vegetables like cauliflower, peas, carrots, French beans, bell peppers, baby corn, capsicum or any vegetables of your choice.

And these winter vegetables supplies great nutrients to our body that are essential in many ways.

This post is going to be a part of #Foodiemonday bloghop theme is winter vegetables.

Traditionally boiled vegetables are used in it but I have sauteed the vegetables in oil. And believe me its taste better.

You will love the cheesy taste and aroma. You can increase or decrease the amount of cheese. If you don’t want to use cheese just omit it and sprinkle little oil or butter over the breadcrumbs on the top.

Recipe

For white sauce
Butter – 2 tablespoon

All purpose flour/maida – 2 tablespoon

Milk – 1 & 1/2 cup

Salt to taste

Black pepper powder – 1 teaspoon

Tomato sauce – 1 tablespoon

Cheese – 1/4 cup

Vegetable

Cauliflower – 1 medium

carrot – 1 large

Green peas – 1 cup

French beans – 10 – 12

Scallion – 2 finely chopped

Green chilli – 1 finely chopped, optional

Potato – 1 peeled

Black pepper powder – 1 teaspoon

Salt to taste

Garlic – 3 cloves grated or crushed

Oil or butter – 1 tablespoon

For topping

Breadcrumbs – 1/2 cup
Grated cheese – 1/2 cup

For garnishing

Tomato – 1 small sliced
Capsicum – 1/2 sliced

Method

Heat 2 tablespoon butter in a heavy bottom pan on low flame. When butter melts add the all purpose flour/maida. Stir continuously on low flame. Colour shouldn’t be changed. Saute for 1 minute.

Remove from flame and add milk. Mix well and return to fire again. Cook till the sauce becomes thick. Stir continuously to avoid lumps. Add salt, cheese, black pepper and tomato sauce. Mix well and remove from heat. Keep the sauce aside.

Wash and chop all the vegetables in small pieces.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil or butter in a pan. Add garlic and fry till it becomes light brown. Now add the chopped scallion. Saute for few seconds and then add all the vegetables, salt and black pepper powder. Mix well and cover the pan. Cook on low flame till the vegetables become tender. Keep stirring and cook on high flame till the vegetables dried up completely.

Let it cool and mix with white sauce. Taste and adjust the salt if require.

Pour the mixture in a borosil or any oven proof dish. Spread breadcrumbs over it. Sprinkle grated cheese. Garnish with slices of capsicum and tomato.

Bake in a preheated oven at 250° for 30 – 40 minutes. Or until the cheese melts and becomes light brown.

Every oven takes different time so check the colour after 25 – 30 minutes. Mine is little undone I have baked it again for 10 minutes before serving.

Serve hot as a side dish. Enjoy the cheesy taste.

Potato Stuffed Egg Enchilada

Potato stuffed egg enchilada

A delicious Mexican dish enchilada is a corn tortilla stuffed with variety of ingredients like cheese, potatoes, vegetables , meat, beans etc and covered with a chili pepper sauce. The word comes from enchilar which means add chilli peppers to something. A spicy and super yummy breakfast dish.

Our #Foodiemonday #bloghop theme is #Enchilada. So here is an easiest enchilada recipe with a twist.

Most enchilada recipes call for corn tortillas. But I have used eggs to make the wraps. And very happy with the result. Its thin omelet stuffed with spicy potato and egg mixture. Covered with a delicious sauce.

Recipe
For stuffing

Potato – 2 large

Garlic – 3 – 4 cloves

Green chilli – 2

Oil – 1 tablespoon

Capsicum – 1

Cilantro – 2 tablespoon chopped

Scallion or spring onion – 2 finely chopped

Tomato – 2 small

Red chilli powder – 1 teaspoon

Oregano – 1 teaspoon

Cumin powder – 1/2 teaspoon

Salt to taste

Tomato sauce – 1 teaspoon

Egg – 1 boiled

Black pepper powder – 1/2 teaspoon

For the wrap

Eggs – 5

salt to taste

Black pepper powder to taste

For sauce

Tomato – 4 – 5 medium

Garlic paste – 1 teaspoon

Oil – 2 tablespoon

All purpose flour – 2 tablespoon

Cumin powder – 1 teaspoon
oregano – 1 teaspoon

Red chilli powder – 1 teaspoon

Black pepper powder – 1 teaspoon

Vinegar – 1 – 2 teaspoon

Water – 2 cup

Cilantro – 2 tablespoon

Tomato sauce – 1 tablespoon

Method

For stuffing

Crush or finely chop the garlic and green chilli.
Roast the capsicum on high flame with the help of a knife or fork until it’s skin becomes lightly black. Wash and remove the black skin. Now chop the capsicum, tomatoes and boiled egg.

Peel and cubed the potatoes. Boil or microwave with little water for 6 – 7 minutes. Drain the water and keep aside.

Heat oil in a nonstick pan. Add garlic and green chilli. Fry till the raw smell goes away or garlic becomes light brown.

Add chopped scallion and cubed, boiled potatoes. Mix well and add the chopped capsicum, tomato and egg. Stir and add salt, red chilli powder, oregano, cumin powder and black pepper powder.
Saute till the mixture dried up completely. Add chopped cilantro, tomato sauce and 2 tablespoon enchilada sauce mix well and switch off the flame. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Keep the mixture aside.

Beat the eggs with salt and black pepper powder. Make 4 omelets with it. Fill the potato stuffing. Spread the mixture middle of a omelet, sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese or processed cheese and little oregano over it, then wrap the left side over and then the right. Make wraps like this with all the omelets.

For sauce

Grind the tomatoes and keep aside.
Heat oil on medium heat. Add flour, cumin powder, oregano, red chilli powder, salt and black pepper powder. Stir continuously. Saute for a minute or till fragrant.

Add the tomato paste and garlic paste. Saute till the mixture dried up. Now add tomato sauce and water and stir continuously to remove the lumps. Let it boil on low flame for 7 – 8 minutes or until the mixture thickened. Add the chopped cilantro and 1 teaspoon vinegar. Mix well and switch off the flame. Taste and adjust the seasoning. I have added 1 teaspoon vinegar and black pepper powder more. Adjust as require.

preheat the oven at 200°. Spread some enchilada sauce on a baking pan. Place the stuffed omelets over it. Place the omelette seam side down. Pour sauce over them. Sprinkle mozerella cheese and chopped scallion over it. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes or until the sauce starts bubbling and cheese becomes light brown.

Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot.

Note

If you have corn tortillas you can use them instead of omelets if you like.

Stuffing and sauce can be made a day before and refrigerate for convenience.