My Weekend Kitchen

Ciorba de loboda | Romanian purple spinach soup

April 21, 2018 Leave a Comment

ciorba de loboda si stevie, vegetarian Romanian recipes

I love spring! The local vegetable market is full of fresh mountain vegetables. The one leaf that has my attention since long is loboda – a bright purple colored leaf called purple spinach in English.

As soon as I brought it home, I asked my friend’s mom for their recipe and thus came Ciorba de loboda si stevie! A delicious Romanian sour soup made with loboda (purple spinach), stevie leaves, rice, and lots of vegetables. Stevie is another Romanian leafy veg of the season and adds a wonderful sour taste to the soup.

But while it may sound all exotic with these Romanian vegetables, the same recipe can be made with regular spinach as well. With rice and all the veggies, it is a healthy, hearty meal.

radish arugula and fennel salad with lemon dressing

Radish and Fennel Salad with lemon dressing

I have to admit, I am a fennel newbie. And I fell in love at first bite 🙂

Have you ever wondered what does fennel look like? To me, the fennel bulb looks like a hand with some dill-like leaves coming out of the fingers! As if someone had put some celery fingers on top of an onion palm. What do you think?

Yesterday, I bought my first raw fennel bulb and was totally taken by surprise at how delicious it tastes! In India, we eat fennel seeds all the time as a mouth freshener but raw fennel is not common. It has all changed for me now, with this delicious radish and fennel salad.

Refreshingly crisp, this radish and fennel salad recipe takes less than 10 ingredients and 15 min to prepare. Just slice, toss and drizzle with the lemon dressing. Vibrant, colorful and super healthy, this fennel salad is the perfect spring celebration.

You have to try this one and also share with me all your fennel eating tips :-).

paneer malai kofta curry recipe, paneer recipe

Paneer Malai Kofta Curry | Paneer Recipe

These are super yum paneer malai koftas in a sweet and spicy masala curry. The vegetarian kofta is deliciously soft from inside and crispy on the outside, made with paneer (Indian cottage cheese), potatoes, and a mix of spices. The onion-tomato masala curry is both sweet and spicy. There is the sweetness of onions and the tanginess of tomatoes.

This paneer malai kofta curry is my star recipe when I am out to impress. The recipe doesn’t take a lot of effort and it looks and tastes classy. I recently made a big batch for a gathering of 10 and it got all scooped up. I was sure I will have leftovers for lunch next day but even the last of the gravy was cleaned out from the pot :-). I love it when that happens. That’s like the best compliment a recipe can get! What do you say?

gajar ka halwa recipe without khoya, Indian carrot pudding

Gajar ka Halwa | Indian Carrot Pudding

Gajar ka halwa is one of the most popular Indian desserts. In English, gajar ka halwa is closest to carrot pudding made with grated carrots, cooked in milk with sugar, and cardamom, and sprinkled with dry fruits.

This is the traditional recipe for gajar ka halwa without using khoya, condensed milk or other shortcuts. It does take about an hour and a little bit more, but most cooking is passive. This recipe has been passed on for many generations and when I want the authentic taste of home, gajar ka halwa is what I crave!

It is enjoyed both as a hot and a cold dessert. In our house itself, we have different preferences. I enjoy the halwa cold while Sikander loves it hot. And to top it up, he would serve the hot carrot halwa with a scoop of cold vanilla ice-cream!
What is your favorite way of eating carrot pudding?

Aam Panna | Raw Mango Summer Drink

aam panna, raw green mango summer drink,

One of my favourite childhood summer memory is coming back from school and gulping down a glass of chilled aam panna. It is like the traditional booster for battling sunstrokes and the intense heat of Rajasthan.

Aam panna is a refreshing summer drink made with raw green mangoes. Raw green mangoes are boiled, peeled, puréed and then flavoured with sugar, salt, cumin, mint and chilli. The best part is you can store the concentrate for months and make a glass of chilled aam panna whenever you feel like it!

Amritsari Chole Masala

Authentic Amritsari chole masala recipe straight from its source.

In our home this chole masala is a weekend treat! I usually make a big batch that would last at least 3 meals. We eat them with Indian breads like kulchas, bhature, and poori, with rice, and sometimes just standalone. Basically they are delicious in every way 🙂

The two things that distinguish Amritsari chole from regular chickpea curry – tea bags & pomegranate seeds. Find out in this easy-to-follow recipe.

5-ingredients Cauliflower Bread recipe

Super easy cauliflower bread recipe with just 5 ingredients!

If you are looking for a low carb gluten-free bread, you have to try this cauliflower bread. It is such an easy recipe. Just grind together cauliflower, mozzarella, eggs, salt and pepper; spread in small portions on a baking tray and bake.

What I love is that with this basic recipe, I can so many things like cauliflower burger buns, pizza base, and cheesy breadsticks…

Chocolate Oatmeal Banana Smoothie

chocolate oatmeal and banana smoothie, fruit smoothie

Tasty, quick and healthy, the chocolate oatmeal banana smoothie is a great breakfast smoothie that will keep you energised for long. Just blend together oats, bananas, and seeds and top with nuts and fresh berries.

Well, chocolate is my weakness and I will take any reason to add it to my meal 🙂 but a pinch of cinnamon would also go great with this banana smoothie recipe…