Today I have for you what I like to call one of my ‘no-recipe recipes’. These are a class of recipes that I often come up with at the spur of the moment - they have no reason, no inspiration. Just a bunch of ingredients thrown together in the hopes of creating something edible. While a few of such of my creations have turned out perfect to go into the trash, many of them have become a family favourite over the years and continue to make their appearances on my dinner table. Most of them are throw-it-all-into-one-pot-and-hope-for-the-best kinda meals, while others are quick assembly ones. But they each have one thing in common: a few starving mouths waiting to be fed.

I remember this one time when I tried cooking spaghetti with some leftover meatball curry, spaghetti bolognese a la Indian, which did not work out much to our liking. Nethier is combining paneer with green curry paste in hopes of creating a Thai-Indo fusion fried rice such a great idea. But I digress, a ravenous tummy = brains cells on holiday! But sometimes, the lack of time, energy and a frighteningly increasing hunger can create the most delicious meal.

Take today for example - I woke up with a strong will to bake. And bake I did! A bunch of sorry looking carrots found its way into my baking pan and turned into the most deliciously moist treat, a perfect pairing for my evening cup of coffee (but that’s a recipe for another day!). Then I slowly crossed off things on my to-do list one after the other. I was on a roll and nothing was going to stop me. Except, of course, my screaming stomach who knows nothing about keeping its cool when hungry. A quick glance at the clock confirmed that I was past my regular lunch time, and I had to act fast! So I did what I could - picked a bunched of that, chopped a few of those, boiled a pot of this, and stir-fried them all together. And might I add, as hideously simple as it sounds - it was a great meal. Or maybe that’s just my tummy talking! 

GARLIC TOFU NOODLES
Prep time: 10 min | Cooking time: 20 min | Serves: 4

Ingredients:

3 cups boiled egg noodles
1 large onion, finely sliced
1 cup diced extra-firm tofu
1 cup finely shredded cabbage
2 tbsp finely chopped garlic
1 tbsp Sambal Olek
2 tbsp light soya sauce
2 tbsp light cooking oil
salt, to taste

Directions:

Heat oil in a deep non-stick wok and saute onions and garlic, till lightly browned and fragrant. Add in tofu and fry for a few minutes till crisp around the edges. By this time, the onions and garlic should be caramalized and very fragrant.

Add in the shredded cabbage and Sambal Olek, and stir-fry for a few minutes to combine well. Stir in noodles, sprinkle soya sauce, and stir fry to coat noodles well with the sauce and veggies. Season with salt and serve warm.

I have a morning ritual of sorts that I like to follow, which include setting out a fresh pot of coffee to brew, catching up with my emails, and enjoying breakfast while reading through my favourite blogs. This little routine of mine almost always never changes. Except when something (delightfully!) unexpected happens. Like on Monday morning, for instance.

As I sipped on my last few drops of coffee, I received an email that instantly caught my eye. The subject simply said: The Mom Show, and its contents blew me away. I was asked if I would be available to do a cooking segment on Indian food for one of their upcoming episodes. They wanted me to show a few simple, kid-friendly recipes and discuss the best ways to introduce young kids to Indian food. Sweet! The catch? It would have to be taped the very next day in the afternoon. What could I say? Me, on TV, on The Mom Show, talking about Indian food? You bet I was available! Once things started to take shape (picking out the menu was a breeze!), and the timing and all other necessities confirmed, I set out to take care of another important task - my wardrobe! What followed, was a really looooong day of running from store to store looking for the perfect outfit, which might I had, didn’t quite exist as i had hoped! But whatever, I had a look at the clips after the shoot and think I looked pretty cute yapping away on the best ways to introduce kids to Indian food.

The taping took merely half an hour, but I was at the studio close to over three hours - prepping the food, and watching the taping of other segments being filmed. Needless to say, it was another long day but one I will never forget! By the time I got home, I was exhausted and the strain of the many hours spent shopping, prepping and finally shooting, made me crave for some homemade comfort food. And Dal-Chawal (lentils and rice) was what it just had to be for me! Trust me when I say this - no matter how tired you may be, the mere 10 minutes you’ll spend in prepping for this meal is truly worth it all the way. But why wait for the dreaded day when you feel that even lifting a finger could drive you to your grave? It tastes just as good when you’re your normal happy, active self. I can truly promise you that!

CHANA DAL MASALA (SPICED SPLIT PEA LENTILS)
Prep time: 10 min | Cooking time: 20 min | Serves: 4
Special Cooking Equipment: Pressure Cooker

Ingredients:

1 cup split pea lentils
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 medium-sized tomato, finely chopped
1-2 green chillies, finely chopped
1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
1/2 tsp red chili powder
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
2 tbsp light cooking oil
fresh coriander leaves, chopped for garnish
water, as needed
salt, to taste

Directions:

Heat oil in a pressure cooker and saute cumin seeds, fennel seeds, green chillies, and onions till lightly browned and fragrant. Add in spices and ginger-garlic paste, and fry for a few seconds.

Add in the chopped tomatoes and salt, and cook for a few minutes to combine well. Add lentils, and enough water to cover them. Pressure cook for 15-20 minutes till lentils are soft and done. Stir in more water if you want a much thinner consistency, and let it come to a boil.

Garnish with fresh coriander leaves, and serve warm with a big bowl of rice.

You know how sometimes, no matter what you do, you get the feeling as if your life is running on repeat mode? Day in and day out, things seem to take on a ridiculously standard routine - you read similar topics in the paper every morning, you watch reruns of the same TV show each day, you drive to same store to shop for the same produce each time, and the worst of all, you eat the same thing for your meals every other day! For the past couple of days, this has been exactly the feeling I find myself going through. No matter how hard I tried, it seemed like my meals were boringly repetitive. The inspiration had disappeared to a remote corner of my creative mind somewhere, and all attempts to revive it had been failing tremendously. That is until Hubby Dear (the sweet caring soul that he is!) decided to whisk me away on a foodie adventure.

We drove down a short distance to the nearby town of Hamilton to visit one of its indoor farmer markets. The ride there was surely scenic, but what took my breath away was the array of fresh, vibrant vegetables! Being the ardent carnivore that I usually am, it was almost surreal to feel my excitement at the sight of rich green broccoli. And I don’t even eat broccoli, no matter how delicious it may look! I was smitten, to say the very least, and within a couple of minutes found myself buzzing around from vendor to vendor picking up a colourful assortment of plump, juicy, fresh produce. Eggplants of different colours, tomatoes of various shapes and sizes, robust bunches of radiant greens, bread, fruits and spices - you name it and I bought it. Bagfuls of it. But the highlight of my shopping would have to be the huge bunch of baby Bok Choy that I picked up for a ridiculously nominal price of a couple of cents. Yes, cents!

Once the veggies were washed, prepped and duly packed in the fridge, I couldn’t wait to plan my week’s menu. Inspiration came flooding back and my mind whizzed with fantastic new recipes waiting to be created and played with. Although I mentally created new flavour combos for all the veggies I had in store, I knew exactly how I wanted to savour the Bok Choy. I went with my classic favourite - simple, quick and satisfying. But I had to pair it up with something that could lift its humble spirit to new heights, and this is what I came up with.

TAMARIND FISH
Prep time: 10 min | Cooking time: 20 min | Serves: 2

Ingredients:

2 large fillets of any white, flaky fish (I used Tilapia), cut into 1-inch cubes
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 medium tomato, finely chopped
1 medium green pepper, thinly sliced
1 tsp crushed garlic
1 tsp tamarind concetrate
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
salt, to taste
2 tbsp light cooking oil

Directions:

Saute mustard seeds and sliced onions in hot oil till soft and lightly browned.

Add in turmeric, chilli powder, salt, chopped tomatoes, garlic and tamarind, and cook until tomatoes pulp and spices have blended in well.

Stir in fish and green peppers, and stir fry on meduim heat till fish is cooked through, making sure not to break fish too much.

Serve warm.

Talk about being fashionably late, that too, to your very own event! Would it make it easier for you all to forgive me if I said I was busy celebrating my B’day (which just happened to be yesterday, yet the celebrations began 2 weeks in advance thanks to the ever wonderful Hubby Dear!)? I know, excuses, excuses! But still, I’m here now - with a killer recipe in tow!

I first spotted this book at the airport en route to Delhi many moons ago. The title caught my eye and I made a mental note to pick it up on my way back. Pick it up I did, but somehow never got around to reading it. That is of course until I announced it as the month’s pick for the Cook’s Book Club event. Although I thought it was well written, I was sorry to note that I didn’t quite enjoy it much. The story line started out with a bang, but kind of got a bit predictable for me. Nonetheless, I fell absolutely in love with the colourful characters! Set in an American Indian household, the book touches upon the troubled relationships within a family. And in the midst of it all, there is of course, food. After devastating events take place in her life, Devi, the story’s main character, goes into a trance and begins cooking. She cooks when she’s angry, she cooks when she’s sad, and she cooks when she’s happy. In short, her cooking was her way of communicating how she felt.

While I wouldn’t say I’m as dramatic as Devi when it comes to expressing my feelings, I can’t deny the fact that my cooking has many a time reflected my moods. Like the time I baked four large pizzas because I was feeling artistic and wanted to create a masterpiece, literally! Or when I bake a lusciously rich chocolate cake to give myself a pat on the back. Or even the time when I cooked an extravagant 5-course meal to thank Hubby Dear for a wonderful Valentine gift.

When I look back, I always seem to remember food as something that brought our family together. Whenever we were happy or had any big news to share, food would most definitely become the center of our attention. I remember most of our birthday celebrations not by the gifts we received, but by the feast my Mom made for us. Trips home from college during the summer were often preceded by many telephone calls of planning out the menu for the day I arrived. Most of our weekends were spent entertaining friends and family. I fondly remember my Mom working her way through a lavish meal irrespective of how many guests we were expecting. She would always say that it’s better to have food left over than let your guests leave feeling unfull. It should be noted that unless you eat till you almost drop, my Mom thinks you haven’t yet had enough. And so, it is from her that I have inherited this need to cook for my loved ones, and feed them till I know they can’t be fed anymore.

Take for instance this lovely dish of eggplant. I remembered eating something like it a few years ago at a friend’s home. A bunch of us were getting together for a game night and she made an elaborate meal to kick off the evening. Then, a couple of days ago, we invited a few close friends over for an evening of cards. As I was halfway into the book and still immersed in Devi’s character, I wanted to make a meal reminiscent of game night. That’s how this recipe came into being.
 

BAINGAN PATIALA (STIR-FRIED EGGPLANT WITH SPICES)
Prep time: 10 min | Cooking time: 20 min | Serves: 4

Ingredients:

8-10 small round eggplants, quartered
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
2-3 green chillies, finely chopped
1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp nigella seeds
1/4 tsp dried mango powder (amchoor)
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
salt, to taste
2 tbsp light cooking oil

Directions:

Fry eggplant pieces in a large non-stick wok till lightly browned. Set aside.

In the same wok, saute onions with nigella and cumin seeds till soft and fragrant. Add in spices, green chillies and ginger-garlic paste and fry for a few minutes.

Stir in tomatoes and cook on meduim heat till the mixture is almost dry and starts to give out oil from the sides. Mix in fried eggplants, season with salt, and let cook a few minutes till eggplants are done through.

Serve warm with rice or rotis.

A couple of weeks ago, I received a stack of Rachael Ray’s cookbooks for review, including, 365: No Repeats, Express Lane Meals and Just in Time. As someone who devours a cookbook akin to the latest bestselling bedtime read, I was ecstatic. But on the other hand, as someone who can’t resist the urge to flip the channel whenever RR has one of her umpteen show on, I was a bit skeptical. You see, like many out there, I too find her a bit too jumpy to be had with my morning cuppa - which is why I try and tune in to her during lunch time.

One thing I have to hand out to her however - she’s one helluva creative cook! And I mean that in the most nicest way I can. A quick glance through her list of recipes can’t help but pique your interest and tempt you to flip over to the particular page. If you thought she could only get creative with naming her dishes, wait till you actually read through the recipe itself! How many times have you found yourself cooking your tried-and-tested favourites week after week - not because you enjoy them that much, but because you’re stumped for ideas! I know I’m guilty of doing so. If anything, these books have taught me to throw caution to the wind and get even more creative with my cooking. Her recipes encourage you to think outside the box and opt for unconventional ideas. While she does pair many classic flavour combinations together, her way planning a meal around these flavours is what most appeals to me. It’s fun, fast, and makes for a great evening cooking! 

Rachael Ray certainly knows her way around the kitchen. If you’ve ever watched an episode of her 30-minute meals cooking show, you’d notice how Rachael always put a stress on having a well stocked fridge, freezer and pantry. That, equipped with simple fast cooking tricks enables her to create a whole meal in a matter of minutes. The same goes for the recipes in her books as well. Many of her recipes combine stove-top cooking with a final few minutes of finishing in the oven to get that baked goodness. She uses ready-made stocks and sauces as a starter and flavours them as she goes along, cutting down on cooking time and adding a personal touch as well.

Going through the three books, I couldn’t get myself to find many distinctions between them. Which is why I’ve opted to review them as a batch instead. My honest assumption would be: if you’ve read one, you’ve read them all, and unless you’re a die-hard fan of Rachael, and want to own everything with her name on it, you might just be happy with owning only one.

Once in a while I like to take a vacation. Correction. I need a vacation, but my busy schedule seldom make taking a long one possible. This is why I take my “zoom out times”. These are a few hours I take in any particular day - when I feel I most deserve it, where I leave everything behind and make believe I am on an adventure. I wear my favourite pair of comfortable pants, put on my comfy walking shoes, and, armed with a camera and other bare necessities, I set out on an exploration–anything to spice up my routine lifestyle.

The streets by my home are lined with vintage stores filled with pretty little things. There’s a café by the corner of the street, which serves the best chocolate filled éclair I’ve ever set my hands on. As I walk down that road, filled with the hustle and bustle of people walking their dogs and moms dragging their kids away from the ice-cream shoppe, it gives me a sense of vacationing. You know the feeling you get when you experience a place for the first time? It’s funny how enriching it can be just to take in all the sights and sounds and see things in a new perspective. It helps me forget deadlines and to-do lists. It opens up my mind to new avenues of thinking, some of which I never even knew were hidden somewhere in my head.

I walk the extra mile to a nearby lake. I turn towards my favourite bench overlooking the horizon and enjoy my éclair. My camera captures things that I have seen along the way and want to keep with me. These are also things that turn into inspiration for me for the rest of the week. Some are so good that they even last a month. But what is most exhilarating is the feeling of being free. It gives me a chance to see things around me in a new light. So the next time you need a breather, take a walk in your neighbourhood. All you need to get away is a smile on your face and an open mind.

When it comes to our everyday meals, I like to follow this very same principle as well. Often, simple weekday dinners may seem repetitive, so much so that you tend to shun it for a while. So I like to try my hand at something new and out of the ordinary atleast a few times each month. This week I felt the need for something creative and full of spunk. With the rainy Spring showers spreading its gloom, it was only just that I whipped us a meal that would not only drive the blues away, but would also give our lazy, tired selves a boost. This subtly spiced version of Kadhi did just that. It was quick and simple enough to prepare, and clubbed with a spicy side dish of eggplants made for a wonderful rainy day dinner.

RAJASTHANI KADHI (SPICED YOGURT CURRY)
Prep time: 10 min | Cooking time: 20 min | Serves: 2

Ingredients:

1/4 cup gram flour
1 cup plain yogurt
1 small onion, finely sliced
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp coriander seeds
1/4 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
salt, to taste
1/4 tsp dried fenugreek leaves
1 tbsp light cooking oil

Directions:

Mix gram flour and yogurt with half a cup of water, and beat until there are no lumps.

Heat oil in a heavy bottomed deep pan, and saute cumin, coriander and fennel seeds. Once they start to sizzle, add in onions and fry till lightly browned. Add turmeric and chilli powder and fry for a few seconds.

Add in flour-yogurt mixture, salt, dried fenugreek and another half cup of water, stirring to mix it all well. Cover, and let it come to a thorough boil over very low heatfor a few minutes till the raw taste of gram flour disappears. Stir occasionally to avoid burning, and add more water if it gets too thick.

Serve warm with rice or rotis.

It suddenly occurred to me when I turned to my planner this morning, that it’s been almost two months since we got back from our vacation to India. Over the past few weeks, I have been juggling around entertaining friends, meeting deadlines, sampling new products (lots and lots of delicious reviews coming up soon!), and not to mention creating recipes to try out on our newly acquired charcoal grill! As I sit back now, a steaming cup of hot cacao in hand, it suddenly dawned on me that I had quite an eventful and experimental vacation with relation to food. And why not, I would have had it no other way.

For a food enthusiast, the cuisine of a country is as much to look forward to on a vacation as the most popular tourist attraction. So much so, that on many a short trip, I have been known to cross out a few stops on my sightseeing itinerary only to accommodate a much important trip to the local farmer’s market.

Of the many things that were on my must-eat list during my trip, the few that undoubtedly sought my utmost attention were those that can be found at almost every nook and corner of the busiest streets throughout the country. Ask any one who has ever walked the streets of any major Indian city, be it Delhi, Mumbai or Bangalore, and they will attest to the fact that no evening stroll is complete without making a stop at one of the many hawker stalls in these cities. Street after street, stall after stall, you’re greeted by smiling faces and tempting plates that urge you to come and give it a try.

Smothered with spicy and tangy chutneys, yogurt and tons of other fixings, each plate creates a whole new experience in your mouth. Chaats are one of those purely addictive foods that I simply refuse to live without! Living outside the comfort of your home country teaches you to adapt in ways you wouldn’t have imagined. And I am no different. Although I do miss the flavours of my favourite eats, I have come to learn of ways to replicate them without having to buy a plane ticket. Here is my quick version of a delicious treat that will simply have you begging for more. It’s fast, simple enough to make, and if you’re pressed for time like me - almost all the ingredients can be easily found and bought at your nearest Indian grocery store. But be warned, it’s a mouthful this one!

ALU DAHI PURI CHAAT
Prep time: 10 min | Cooking time: 0 min | Serves: 1

Ingredients:

6 puri shells (also known as golgappas or pani puri)
1 small potato, boiled and mashed
1/2 cup plain yogurt, beaten with 1-2 tbsp of water till smooth 
5-6 tbsp sweet tamarind chutney (available readymade)
1/4 tsp red chilli powder
1/4 tsp cumin powder
1/4 tsp chaat masala
salt, to taste
handful of chopped fresh coriander leaves, for garnish
handful of sev, for garnish

Directions:

Mix mashed potato well with salt and spices.

Place puris on a plate, making a small opening on the top of each puri big enough to add potato filling. Be careful to not break/crush puris as they can be fairly delicate to handle.

Fill each puri with a little bit of potato mixture, about 1-2 tsp of yogurt, and a touch of tamarind chutney. Drizzle leftover yogurt and chutney over  filled puris, and garnish with coriander leaves and sev.

Serve immediately.

I love getting emails from readers asking for menu ideas when hosting an Indian-themed party. Here’s one I received from Jen a couple of days ago:

Dear Meena,

I’m hosting our monthly book club and my selection is Interpreter of Maladies - a series of short stories that I absolutely love.  We try to coordinate our meeting’s food with our book’s subject - usually just appetizers & dessert, but occasionally a full meal.

I’d love to make some great Indian dishes for our group to sample - and to have as much as possible prepared in advance so I don’t miss out on the fun.  Even some spiced nuts or snacks would be great. Any ideas?

Many, many thanks,

Jen

I love putting casual buffet menus together where guests can just sit and chat while nibbling on some delicious food. For a book club meet, it’s always best to serve food that can be easily picked up with one hand and eaten while you use the other hand to navigate through your favourite passages and pages in the book. Here is what I think would go well at this particular meeting. Most of the items can be prepared up to a few days in advanced, stored in the freezer or fridge till D-day, and kept warm in the oven till it’s ready to serve. I hope you and your friends will enjoy this menu as much as the the party Jen! Happy hosting!

• Potato Parcels - prepare the parcels in advance and freeze them without frying. When ready to serve, either fry them up or simply bake in a 375 degree oven for 20-25 minutes till golden. For a slightly simpler, less effortless version, use large puff pastry sheets. They puff up like tiny pillows when done and look and taste marvellous!
• Tandoori Chicken Pops - Let the chicken marinate in the fridge overnight, and when ready to serve, simply grill in an oven instead of frying.
• Corn Chaat (recipe included) - Quick and simple to prepare, and delicious to the very last morsel! For an added flair, serve in mini tortilla cups.
• Shakkarpare - A perfect sweet treat that can be made many days in advance and stores well in an air-tight jar.
• Masala Chai - The perfect ending to a fun evening.

CORN CHAAT / SALSA
Prep time: 10 min | Cooking time: none | Serves: 4-6 as an appetizer

Ingredients:

2 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 jalapeno, finely chopped
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh coriander leaves
1/4 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp chaat masala powder
2-3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
salt, to taste

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl and serve with a side of tortilla chips.

Let me tell you all a little story. Once upon a time, there was a pretty little girl who absolutely loved peas. She loved them so much that she would even unquestioningly eat steamed broccoli if it was served with a side of peas. Okay, that might be a bit of an exaggeration. Nothing, not even serving them with deliciously sweet peas would make her eat broccoli, least of all if it was steamed! She would simply devour all the luscious peas and probably slip the broccoli chunks under her seat when no one was watching. Yes, that’s undoubtedly what she would do. But nonetheless, let’s get back to the story shall we?

So yes, this girl loved her peas. She begged her Mom to add them into anything and everything they could possibly be added to. And if it weren’t for her two evil green pea loathing siblings, her Mom might have even given in to some of her hideously bizzare ideas. But then, like every fairy tale, good things started to happen to her. She grew up, moved out of home away from the evil siblings (okay, they’re not all that evil, but they do bug her some all of the time!), and began to cook for herself. Like the ugly frog who turned into a handsome prince on the very first kiss, her peas lusciously flavoured her food. They graced every dish they were added into and touched it with their sweetness.

On days like today, when the clouds darken the sky, and drops of rain fall helplessly on the ground, all she can think of cooking for dinner is a one pot comforting meal comprising of rice, mushrooms, and oh yes, most definitely, peas. The meal was a breeze to make, and the girl and her peas continue to live happily ever after, much to the chagrin of Hubby Dear. If only there was a law forbidding one to hate peas!

MUSHROOM & PEAS PULAO
Prep time: 10 min | Cooking time: 20 min | Serves: 4

Ingredients:

2 cups Basmati rice
2 cups sliced shitake mushrooms
1/2 cup frozen green peas
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp whole cumin seeds
1/4 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
5-6 whole cloves
1 tbsp light cooking oil
salt, to taste
fresh coriander leaves, for garnish

Directions:

Heat oil in a non-stick deep pan and saute cumin seeds, garlic and onions till tender and fragrant. Add mushrooms, and fry till brown all the moisture evaporates. Stir in salt and spices, and fry for a minute.

Add 3 3/4 cups of water, and once it comes to a boil, stir in rice and peas. Let simmer on a low heat till water evaporates and rice is cooked through. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve warm with a side of raita.

At any given time, my pantry shelves are decked with at least 5 different kinds of lentils, 3 different kinds of beans, 5 kinds of pasta, noodles and rice, and a basket full of spice mixes and sauces. Having such an elaborate pantry enables me to throw dinner on the table at the drop of hat when I’m in no position to shop for fresh supplies. I recently talked about my love for menu planning, and I honestly believe that having a well-stocked pantry (which, in this case, I refer to my kitchen cupboards, fridge and freezer) makes the task a whole lot simpler and hence, possible to follow through.

Many people I know start out with making extravagant menu plans for their weeknight dinners, only to find themselves unable to keep up with it after the second day. The trick is to plan your weeknight meals in such a way, that you remove the stress out of making the meal entirely. And if that means I’m serving soup made out of pre-prepared ingredients, then so be it!

Although I would love to cook my daily meals, from scratch from the freshest produce available, I would only be kidding myself if I believed it could ever be possible. After a long day of work, the last thing on my mind is the need to spend gruelling hours chopping, dicing, slicing, pureeing and mashing ingredients for my dinner. Instead, I try and make use of my pantry items to complete my meal. However, I always try and ensure that I have at least one fresh vegetable on the table, even if it is a mere salad. But some times, as we all know, life decides to take its toll and even a simple bowl of sliced cucumbers seem highly unlikely.

A few days ago, I found myself scurrying from my office (even if it just a mere 10 feet away from my kitchen!) all starved and ready to shove the first thing edible I could lay my hands on. I’d had a long day, and yet the work was far from done. I only had just enough time to fix something quick and shove it in me before I would have to get back to my laptop. This soup is what kept me sane and gave me the extra boost of energy I needed. It was simple, quick and delicious, served with crusty warm garlic bread. All thanks to a well stocked pantry!

MIXED BEAN SOUP
Prep time: 10 min | Cooking time: 20 min | Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1 large can mixed beans, drained and rinsed
3 cups chicken/vegetable stock
1 medium-sized onion, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 cup frozen corn
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1 tbsp light cooking oil
salt, to taste
fresh coriander leaves and lemon wedges, for garnish

Directions:

Heat oil in a large non-stick pot and saute chopped onions and garlic till tender.

Add in tomatoes, spices, and beans, and cook for few minutes to blend in spices. Stir in chicken stock and corn, and allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Season with salt, and garnish with fresh coriander leaves and lemon.