Roasted Red Pepper Chickpea soup

 Bell Pepper, Channa(chickpeas), Diabetes Friendly, Phase 1, Soups, South Beach Diet
May 142012
 

Off late, I have been trying a lot of things for the first time. My last post was my first ‘Jam’ recipe. This post is my first post, roasting my own red peppers. I did it over an open flame and it is so easy. A jar of roasted red peppers costs about $4 at the grocery store, and it has approximately two bell peppers only, maybe even less. It is preserved in water, but this one is fresh and can be kept in the fridge for a week or so if needed. You can use the roasted red peppers in any way, use it in salads, toppings for pizza, make hummus or pesto etc. Here, I have used it in a healthy soup with chickpeas.

To make Roasted Red Peppers:
If you have a gas stove, you can do this over an open flame, if not use the broil mode in the oven, or a grill. The method is the same: Char the skin of the red pepper. Hold it with tongs and keep turning to ensure an ever char. Once the outer skin is completely blackened(I know, it doesnt look very palatable right now, but trust me.), place it in a bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. Set aside to cool completely. When cool take a paper towel and rub it on the pepper to remove the charred outer skin leaving you the flesh of the roasted pepper. Cut into strips, removing the seeds and the stem. Place in a bowl and cover with olive oil, or place in a ziploc bag and freeze for later use.

Roasted Red Pepper Chickpea Soup
Ingredients
2 roasted red peppers(using method above)
1 large onion chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tsp red pepper flakes
2 tbsp olive oil
4 cups chicken/vegetable broth
1 cup cooked chickpeas(canned or cooked fresh)
salt to taste
Dollop of yogurt/sprigs of cilantro, for garnish

Method:
Heat the oil in a pan, over medium heat. Add the red pepper flakes and let it steep in the oil. Add the onion and the garlic, until translucent and cooked. Add the roasted red peppers, the cooked chickpeas and the broth. Bring this to a boil.

Puree this mixture in batches. Return to the pan and let it come to a simmer.

Serve hot with a dollop of yogurt and a sprig of cilantro.

Verdict: This is an extremely easy soup to make if you pre-cook the chickpeas and pre-roast the peppers. Even if you dont prep these before hand, it is still a quick meal to put together. The soup is spicy – thanks to the red pepper flakes and has a vibrant bright red color. It is thickened beautifully by the chickpeas and is a hearty and filling soup. There is a mild smoky – almost tandoori flavor to this soup, which I absolutely loved. Perfect for SBD Phase 1.

Homemade Strawberry Jam(no pectin)

 Breakfast/Brunch, Condiments, Jams/Pickles, Strawberry
May 062012
 

Jam….the word reminds me of days as a kid, where the only jam we had in India was ‘Kissan Mixed Fruit Jam’. Having it for breakfast with Amul butter was one of the childhood food memories I cherish. It was the ‘meal’ I made for my little brother when my parents where out and I was very proud of it. Fast forward several years, and I make Jam sandwiches for my little one, whose favorite fruit is strawberry. He would eat strawberries like it were a meal, devouring pounds at a time. Due to this love for strawberries, we always have a stock at hand, and sometimes even an over abundance.

With summer here, the stores are overflowing with really good fresh strawberries, and for a very good price. I picked up a few boxes for my son, and also with the hope of making Strawberry Jam. This is a 100% natural, no preservatives, no pectin, no artificial colors or flavors – Jam. And, it is so easy to make it. I was skeptical about trying out something like Jam first, but looking at the different options, I am converted. Jam making is by far the easiest and fun things you can do.

I have listed out the steps, such that even if you are a Jam novice like me, you will find it easy. Hope it helps..

Ingredients:
1 lb fresh strawberries, washed
1 lemon
2 cups sugar
a clean, sterilized bottle to store the jam

Method:
Place a small plate in the freezer.

Take a big pot(3-4 quart) for making the jam. Although the quantity of the jam/strawberries is less, there is some foaming/boiling involved – so safe to use a big pot – preferably NOT non-stick.

Place 1 1/2 cups of sugar, the zest of the lemon and the juice of the entire lemon(ensure you don’t get the seeds) in the pot. Set this over low heat and let cook until the sugar dissolves and the mixture comes to a boil. (This took about 6-8 minutes for me.)

Place a wooden spoon in the pan to help stir and also prevent spill overs.

While the sugar mixture boils, chop the strawberries and place them in a bowl. I divided the strawberries into three batches – each batch was cut to different sizes. I chopped one batch very small pieces(the size of corn/peas), one batch was coarsely chopped, and the last were just quartered. This is because I wanted some texture to the jam. If you want your jam to be smooth, chop all of them in the same size, use a hand blender/food processor to crush them. I would suggest not using a blender, coss you will end with just strawberry juice.

Sprinkle the 1/2 cup of sugar over the strawberries and gently mash with a fork. The mixture is still chunky – but mashed and juicy.

Add the strawberries to the sugar mixture. Turn the heat up to medium high. Wait for the mixture to come to a rolling boil. It will bubble and foam up. At this point, set your timer to 10 minutes. Keep stirring, until the foam/bubble dies down and the mixture thickens a bit. At the end of 10 minutes, the mixture is still runny, but it is time for the test. Take the plate out of the freezer and pour about a tsp of the mixture onto the cold plate. Run your finger through the middle of the puddle of jam, drawing a straight line. If the line you drew, stays clear, it means the jam has gelled. If it doesn’t and the liquid comes together to close on the line, then it means you have to let the jam cook a bit longer. Repeat the same test, to confirm. It took exactly 10 minutes for me.

Switch off the stove. Let the jam cool completely and bottle in a sterilized jar.
Traditionally, the sterilization process is followed for the bottle and the lid, but I was planning to keep it in the refrigerator, and it would last there for at least 2 months.

Verdict: The taste of home made fresh jam is incomparable to the store bought varieties. It was sweet, tart, tangy ands full of strawberry goodness. I am so glad I tried it out, a slice of bread smeared with warm jam – was just heavenly! If you’re planning to have guests over for brunch/breakfast, make some homemade jam, it will blow them out of this world!

Sending this to our very own – ‘Serve it – Preserved’ event by me and Krithi.
Also to:
Kids Delight – Fruits
Lets cook – Fruits
Pickles and Preserves Fest

Collard Greens Poriyal

 Channa(chickpeas), Diabetes Friendly, Phase 1, South Beach Diet
May 032012
 

Collard  greens…sound foreign? Sure is. Or was, to me, when I first came her to the US. I slowly ventured to trying to new types of greens native to the American region and immediately loved Collard. It tastes very similarr and doesn’t have any bitter taste. It is packed with nutrition which is an added benefit. I made a poriyal or stir fry with it as with SBD stir fries and Greek yogurt are a staple for me. This stir fry is made more nutritious with the addition of black chickpeas. It was a wonderful combo and we absolutely loved it. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:
1 bunch collard greens
1/2 cup brown garbanzo beans
1 yellow onion, chopped
4 red chillies, broken
2 tbsp coconut, grated(fresh or frozen)
2 tsp oil
1/2 tsp mustard
1 tsp urad dal
2 tsp channa dal

Method:
Soak the garbanzo beans for atleast 8 hours and pressure cook the beans, taking care not to make it mushy. Set aside.

Wash and dry the collard greens. Remove the tough rib in the center and chop the greens fine. I have also chopped the ribs fine and added it along with the greens. It is important to remove the ribs and chop them seperately to aid to fast cooking.

Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, let splutter. Add urad dal and channa dal, followed by the broken red chillies. Add the chopped onions and saute until soft and wilted. Add the chopped collard greens and salt to taste. Saute until the greens are cooked. Finally, add the cooked garbanzo beans and saute for a couple of minutes, letting the flavors meld. Switch off stove and sprinkle the coconut.

This makes a great side dish to rice with sambar, kara kuzhambu or can be eaten as is, with a side of yogurt.

Verdict: This was a very filling and nutrition packed dish that I had as part of my SBD Phase 1 meal plan. It takes just minutes to put together. If you don’t have collard greens, you can also try the same recipe with spinach or any other greens you have on hand.

 

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