Geetha's Kitchen

Sweet Potato Soup is a hearty, comforting and nutritious soup aromatic with herbs, spices, and soffrito.The aromatic vegetable mixture known as soffrito is a melange of coarsely chopped onion, celery and carrots enrich the soup with flavor and color.  Baked, roasted, boiled - sweet potatoes/yams are good and good for you whichever way they are prepared. Here is a wonderful way to eat them in a soup. Leftover plain roasted/baked sweet potatoes can also be used to make this soup - if using leftovers, stir in after the dal is cooked. Mung dal adds body and protein to the soup and cooks quickly too. Blanch the tomatoes by immersing them in boiling water for a couple of minutes, cool, peel and strain out the seeds for a luxurious touch. The red pepper, sambar powder and lemon/lime juice perfectly balance the sweetness of the yams. 6 - 8 Servings Ingredients: 1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1/4 tsp Red Pepper flakes 1 Onion 2 ribs Celery 1 medium Carrot 1 cup Split, s...

I call these dainty cookies Snow Balls because they look exactly like little balls of snow. Not too sweet, they are still rich and delicious treats for special occasions or just any time really. Snow Ball cookies are wonderful little treasures quickly and easily made. The last couple of times I made them after the guests had already arrived - in fact I had the guests roll them into balls. The cookies baked while we had our dinner and were offered as part of the the dessert menu with steamy cups of Masala Chai . Snow Ball cookies can be made with your favorite nuts; almonds, pecans, hazelnuts, or peanuts. Use vanilla essence with pecans, hazelnuts, and peanuts. I have used butter; but one could use a good quality margarine to make this a vegan treat. Ingredients: 1 cup Almonds 2 to 4 Tbsp Sugar 1/2 tsp Almond extract 3 or 4 pods Cardamom 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter (1 stick) 1/2 tsp Sea Salt 1 cup Whole Wheat flour 1/2 cup Powdered Sugar (for coating) Method: Preheat the oven to 300 ...

Another yummy potato dish from Paji's mom - very simple but very delicious! It is perfect with any type of rasam or Sambar . 4 Servings Ingredients: 2 large Potatoes (baking types, like Russet) 1 Tbsp Oil/Ghee 1 tsp whole Cumin Seeds 1/4 tsp Turmeric 1/2 tsp Sea Salt Freshly ground Black Pepper Method: Scrub and wash the potatoes well; cut them in thick wedges. Heat the oil/ghee in a kadai (Indian Wok); add cumin seeds and stir until slightly browned and fragrant. Stir in the black pepper and stir well. Add potatoes, turmeric and salt and mix well. Cover and cook until potatoes are tender and slightly browned. Cook uncovered for a few minutes until potatoes are fully cooked and nicely browned. Serve hot. You might also like Quick Caramelized Brussels Sprouts, Indian Style Cauliflower Puree (Gobhi Bharta) Cauliflower Yogurt Rice (Grain-Free "Yogurt Rice") Kadai Tofu (Stir-fried Tofu With Onions and Bell Peppers)

Here is a tangy chutney to spice up a simple meal! You can make it mild or as hot as you like by adjusting the number of the dry red chilies. It is a classic thogayal (thick chutney) that usually accompanies mild curries or dals like Molakootal , Molagushyam , or Simple Dal . Sauteed sorrel or gongura leaves may be used instead of the tamarind. Other tasty additions are fresh garlic cloves or sauteed onions. Puli Thogayal is wonderful mixed with hot steamed rice, with roti or toast, in sandwiches, etc. Puli means tamarind or sour and the 'l' is pronounced as in 'pole' and not as in 'peel'. Ingredients: 1 tsp oil 2 Tbsp Chana Dal 2 Tbsp Urad Dal 1 Tbsp Whole Coriander Seeds (Dhania) 1/4 tsp Whole Fenugreek Seeds (Methi) 1 pinch Asafetida 2 or more Dry Red Chilies, to taste 1" ball Dry Tamarind Pulp 1/2 cup Fresh Coconut, grated or chopped 1/2 tsp Sea Salt or to taste Method: Heat the oil in a small pan and add the dals, seeds, and...

Roasted Pepper Boats & Vegetable Roll-ups are a delicious and healthy appetizer/snack; they could also make a nice side dish or a light lunch. They are very easy to make especially if you have a pesto or chili-tomato sauce on hand. They can be prepared a day or two ahead of time but allow them to warm up to room temperature on the day of serving. Some people recommend salting the eggplant to draw out bitterness; I don't find it necessary. If you wish though - just lightly sprinkle a little salt over the slices and put aside for about half an hour, rinse and blot dry with paper towels before proceeding with the recipe. The veggies may also be grilled or browned on a griddle. For a vegan option, fill the veggies with a soft spreadable vegan cheese or Greek style thick "yogurt". Serves 4 - 6 Allow 2 pieces of each type of vegetable per person. Ingredients: 2 Red or Orange Bell Pepper 1 Japanese/Chinese Eggplant 1 or 2 Zucchini 1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Oliv...