Silky Chicken Meatball Rice Noodle Soup

Silky Chicken Meatball Rice Noodle Soup 

This is my comfort food. The truth is while India is definitely the land of spices in a small part of the beautiful city of the erstwhile Calcutta there resides the beautiful people who had immigrated from our neighboring country famous for its noodles and Kung Pao Chicken and made Calcutta their home  some centuries ago .

The truth is while the popularity of Chinese cuisine has spread far and wide , that what is served as Chinese food can sometimes be outrageous. To be fair having spent an entire Childhood visiting these tiny Chinese eateries which held on to their tradition with a firm hand I had the good luck and opportunity to get a glimpse of Chinese cuisine one which is extremely healthy, one which emphasizes on flavours infused by the fresh ingredients used and one which is soul warming and extremely hearty . Sadly with most of our Chinese population leaving Calcutta and these tiny joints shutting their shutters forever I can slowly see my favourite cuisine disappearing from Calcutta.

Even today there are a few eateries in Central Calcutta's old Chinese settlement which serves amazing traditional Chinese food. Here we must remember that having settled in Calcutta some dishes might have been adapted from the traditional ones served in China yet these eateries serve their own traditional dishes creating a tradition of their own.

One of Chin Wah's delightful offering is the meatball soup, tender, juicy succulent its a treat indeed and the flavour of garlic and ginger with a few greens (mustard green, pak choy etc) makes it one of my favourite soups ever.

Sitting in Mumbai I decided I wold make as much use of the internet as possible and create silky soft chicken meatballs. A bit of reading later I found this amazing site called, neckredrecipes.

I adapted their recipe for Chicken meat balls and made a divine lunch of Chicken meatballs and rice noodle soup

Here is the recipe which serves 2

300gm chicken breast
2 tsp ginger garlic paste
7 to 8 baby carrots (In case you don't find baby carrots use 1 large carrot and julienne it)
1 mediium sized pak choy
half a stalk of spinach
1 spring onion
Salt as per taste
100gm to 150gm of rice noodle
150m of ice cold water
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp rice flour or cornflour

Chop the chicken in small pieces and blend it in a mixer grinder of food processor and then add 2 tbsp water, salt and 1 tsp ginger garlic paste and blend well to form a smooth paste. Now mix it well with the cornflour or rice flour and let it chill for 2 hours in the refrigerator.

After 2 hours make little balls (13 balls) from the meat paste and then bring a big pan of water to a boil and then add salt and simmer the water and add the meatballs and wait till they float and cover and simmer for 2 minutes and immediately transfer them to a bowl filled with the ice cold water. Soak the rice noodles as per instructions on the packet.

Now in the same pan in which the chicken balls were boiled add the remaining ginger garlic paste , carrots, the root of the spring onion sliced into 4 parts  and root of the pak choy which you must slice thinly and simmer for 7 minutes to 10 minutes and then add the noodles and the spinach and pak choy leaves and boil for 1 minute and add the chicken balls and boil for 50 more seconds and have a hearty meal.

Poached chicken breast salad

Poached chicken breast salad 

Most people who love chicken love a tender moist juicy chicken breast but most of us have gone through that time when we have cooked breasts and the end result was dry and stringy chicken breast.

I have personally misunderstood chicken breasts and when it turned out dry and stringy had made it worse by cooking for some extra time. Then at a point when I was frustrated and considered myself a failure with chicken breasts I decided to read up a bit and the information stunned me.  I was completely wrong. Truth is chicken breasts are delicate and they need the minimum of time to give you juicy succulent results.

Even after reading about it I did not get immediate success because the time given in most recipes was too much time for the chicken breasts I was cooking leaving them a bit stringy. Finally after a few attempts I understood what can always result in that juicy tender result and haven't looked back since then.

Here are a few important points to be remembered when dealing with chicken breasts :-

1. Chicken breasts are very delicate and they need very little time for cooking
2. Resting the breasts is as important as cooking it right. Truth is it is full of fibre and when you are cooking it the fibres stand out which when rested clubs together to give you tender results. 
3. Lastly if you keep the two points mentioned above in your mind you shall soon discover how easy it is to know the amount of time required.  
4. You may poach, saute , bake, grill or coat the breasts with flour and saute it.
5. No matter how you are cooking the chicken the pan you use must be as small as possible to just about fit the chicken. (This tip was given by a lovely lady who is a great cook indeed, Claudia Barbara Tanna who runs My Continental Kitchen which gives you a chance to interact with other passionate cooks who love European, American and World Cuisine )  

Here is a salad which is tasty and healthy 

Serves 1 

Half of a chicken breast weighing about 120gm to 150gm
Half of a red bell pepper
Half of a yellow pepper
1 cup torn iceberg lettuce

1 tsp olive oil
1 large clove of garlic
1 tsp finely chopped fresh parsley
1 finely chopped  ripe red chili
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt as per taste

Lightly smash the garlic , peel it and then take a small pan and place the chicken, fill it with enough water to just about immerse it and add salt, crushed pepper and the smashed garlic and put over medium to low heat and simmer covered for 3 minutes to 5 minutes. Timing is very very important. Take it out  and place it in a small bowl and cover it and let it rest for 5 minutes. You can also let it rest by wrapping it in foil or a kitchen towel.

Here I must admit that at times I let it rest in the same pan in which it is cooked and it usually still leaves the chicken moist and tender but for that you have to make sure that the pan can be covered well and has no gaps and in these cases I have cooked the chicken for exactly 2 minutes to 3 minutes and then let it rest  for about 7 minutes to 9 minutes after turning off the stove because here the trapped steam cooks it from inside out but doesn't over cook it.

In the meantime shred the lettuce and chop the bell peppers. Take out the garlic used for poaching and mine it.

Now slice the chicken. Heat the olive oil and add the garlic and chicken breasts along with salt and the chili and saute for 50 seconds and mix with the greens and your salad is ready after you drizzle it with the extra virgin olive oil and add the finely chopped parsley.

Have a healthy meal

Pan Seared Tilapia

Pan Seared Tilapia

I love light lunches which are colourful but in a natural way. Well it means no artificial colours are used because nature herself provides us with a riot of colours. What more I like Fresh ingredients. 

So while I love Bhetki, a river fish found in Bengal when in Mumbai I would rather use the fresh Tilapia. Well so this is a light yet filling lunch. I believe the terms light and filling are both subjective so if this seems less filling for you do add some boiled potatoes with it. 

Serves 1

200gm Tilapia (1 whole fish)
2 asparagus
2 medium sized tomatoes
1 onion
1 tsp Olive oil
1/4th tsp cayenne pepper
Salt as per taste
1/2 tsp fresh thyme
Splash of white wine vinegar

Ask your fisherman to make fillets of the 200gm fish but make sure you carry back the head and bone for a nice stock for later use. Now marinate the fillets with salt, cayenne pepper and thyme for 30 minutes. In the meantime chop the asparagus and halve the onion and tomatoes.

Heat the oil and coat your non stick pan and add the fish and cook on medium heat for a  minutes and turn over and add the vegetables and cover and lower heat. Your fish will be done in another 30 seconds to 50 seconds. Take them out and add salt to the vegetables with the vinegar and toss about and serve.

Its that simple

Upma (Savoury semolian pudding)

Upma (Savoury semolian pudding) 

I got introduced to this dish from the Southern states of India only after I was in college. Honestly while growing up, my idea of cooking semolina aka sooji was to make halwa a sweet dish - ghee laden halwa which is extremely good for your soul but not so much for the body and then once I grew up I came across magazines recommending upma a savoury semolina dish for a healthy breakfast or rather a healthy meal.

Turns out, it is actually low in calories and high on nutrition

So here is one of the easiest recipes ever and youjust take less than 15 minutes to prepare it

Serves 1

1 medium sized onion
1/2 tsp finely chopped ginger
1 green chilies finely chopped
1 large tomato
Half a cup of chopped vegetables (carrots, beans , small cauliflower)
A little less than half a cup of semolina

For tempering :-

1/4th tsp black mustard seeds
A few curry leaves
Salt as per taste
Lemon juice as per taste (I needed 2 tsp)
1 tsp oil (I use olive oil but for a traditional recipe try some sesame oil or coconut oil)


Heat the oil and lower flame and add the ginger and saute it and then add mustard seeds , curry leaves , chopped green chilies and onions and cover and cook for 1 minute. Keep checking to make sure it does not burn and then add the tomatoes and beans and saute and cook covered with 1/4th cup water till the water evaporates and then add the semolina and stir well and finally add 1 cup of water and bring to a boil and add salt and keep stirring on medium flame till it becomes a dry dish. Add lemon juice and enjoy a healthy meal. 

Tips

1. Covering and frying makes sure you fry the onions yet need the minimum of oil 
2. You must always add salt before you add the water to the semolina because it cooks fast and if you add it later it won't mix evenly in the dish. 
3. Cubing the vegetables as small leads to quick cooking. 

Roasted garlic dressing

Roasted garlic dressing 

Don't you just love it when you accidentally discover a recipe which you immediately love and what more its a bonus when you tweak it to make it absolutely healthy. 

I am tired of vinaigrette. I mean I like a healthy low calorie dressing for my salads and the usual common easy option are different  vinaigrette and so I was browsing through Martha Stewart's website when I suddenly came across this Roasted Garlic dressing. Ah for a garlic lover such as myself I knew it was the right recipe but the original recipe had sour cream among other ingredients and so I tweaked it and had a fabulous salad . You can use this as a great dip as well.

Serves 1 to 2

200gm curd which you have to drain by hanging
1 head of garlic
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt as per taste

For the salad :-

1 wedge of iceberg lettuce

Start by first hanging the curd to drain it of all the water. Preheat the oven to 200C and then take a foil and place your garlic head and lop off a bit from the bottom and pour the olive oil wrap the foil and roast for 40 minutes to 50 minutes. Once done let it cool down and squeeze out the creamy roasted garlic and smash it with a fork and then add the hung curd and whisk well and add salt.

Pour it over the ledge of iceberg lettuce for a delightful creamy garlicky meal

Balsamic Honey Paprika Bell Pepper Salad

Balsamic Honey Paprika Bell Pepper Salad 

For me a salad's success largely depends on the dressing. I don't mean that I would want my salad to be drenched in the dressing but a good dressing can definitely make a boring salad extremely delicious. 

I believe it is only balance alone which keeps everything in its place. Just like you vcan't simply keep on indulging in unhealthy fattening food you can't go on eating low calorie salads without a break. A break I did take last Saturday with an indulgent meal which included a cheese tart and brioche au chocolat so it was time for a nice healthy low calorie salad again . With a tangy sweet and sour dressing this salad is a keeper for me. The dressing is a classic one with a tiny twist

Serves 1

2 small tomatoes
Half a red bell pepper
Half an yellow bell pepper
1 tbsp dried cranberries
2 dried prunes

For the dressing

1 tsp honey
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp paprika
Salt as per taste
1/2 tsp finely chopped mint leaves

Chop your salad to make long stripes and chill it for 1 hour. Just before serving whisk together the ingredients mentioned in the dressing to create an emulsion and pour over your salad and enjoy this tangy sweet delight.

Poached Chicken Okra salad

Poached Chicken Okra salad

I love okra. Now usually we have them in a curry or fried and then there is this one Bengali dish where the okra is simply boiled with garlic and eaten . And then I wanted a fiery poached chicken with  a filling salad and wanted to use okra so this is what happened next

Serves 1 :-

1.5 cups torn iceberg lettuce
7 to 8 okras as fresh as possible
1 breast of chicken weighing 110 to 120 gm
2 cloves of garlic
A small piece of ginger
Green chilies as per taste - I used 3 of them because I knew I could handle the heat you can even use half a green chili
Salt as per taste
Pepper as per taste
1 tsp vinegar

For the vinaigrette dressing

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp finely chopped chives


Start with the okra. Bring a bowl of water to boil and add a bit of salt and the 1 tsp vinegar. Now lop off the heads and immerse the okra and boil for 3 minutes to 4 minutes. Take them out with a slotted spoon and plunge them in a bowl of ice cold water. This process prevents the okra from becoming slimy.

After 15 minutes tear the lettuce and drain the okra and chill them.

Now if you want a cold salad you might want to poach your chicken and chill it as well else you can add it at the last moment. Smash the ginger garlic and chilies and place them in a bowl, place the chicken breast , fill with enough water to just cover the chicken , add salt and bring to a boil and immediately lower heat cover and simmer for just about 2 minutes to 3 minutes and turn off the heat and let it be for another 2 minutes. Now take out the chicken and leave it to rest for 5 minutes and then slice em up.

To arrange the salad make a bed of the torn lettuce and arrange the okra and add salt and pepper then place the chicken breast on top and make your dressing by adding all the ingredients in a small bowl and whisking them till they emulsify and add it and enjoy a healthy meal. If you can take the heat you might want to add the chilies used for poaching with the salad

No Oil East Meets West Chicken Stew

No Oil East Meets West Chicken Stew 

This is my no oil week well to be more precise its a no fry no saute  week so when I wanted to have this chicken stew I remembered a chicken stew my father had made a few weeks ago which was scrumptious and which used no garlic ginger or any spice whatsoever and no oil as well but that turmeric chicken oil and I am guessing tomatoes, he did not give me the recipe :) Well when you decide to follow a healthy diet , know this that you have to be very smart. So you hear everyone around you saying , 'Rice is evil it fattens you up' well that bit is not true. Like any other food if taken in large quantities it is but a single serving of cooked rice which equals to 1 cup contains about 242 calories and lets say you have a big bowl of soup and you cut down your rice intake to 1/2  a cup of cooked rice then you only have 121 calories.

While preparing the stew I realized this has a very nice East meets West connection. So there is turmeric, chopped chilies , ginger , raw papaya from the East and then there is Chives, White wine vinegar from the West and then there are some ingredients which are global be it the chicken itself, cabbage , garlic . This can be enjoyed with both rice and bread or even chapatis

This is kind of perfect for the Indian summers when the heat becomes unbearable. Its light and easy on the stomach yet very nutritious

So anyway this stew is hearty and delicious and is extremely healthy

What you need for 4 servings :-

300gm skinless chicken with bone
3 to 4 small onions
2 cups of diced papaya (You can replace it with carrots and beans or a combination of papaya , carrots , beans and other vegetables)
2 cups of shredded cabbage
6 cups of water
Salt as per taste
1 tsp chives
1.5 tsp White wine vinegar
2 tsp finely chopped green chilies (you can increase of decrease the amount of green chilies as per your taste buds)
Paste made from 3 large cloves of garlic and 1 inch ginger
Pinch of turmeric

The recipe is the simplest one ever. Just boil everything together and then simmer for 20 minutes or so and its ready.

P.S. You can always make the stew more wholesome by adding wholewheat noodles or rice noodles

If you want it to be extra hot you can always make a paste of the garlic ginger and chilies together.

You can always add 1 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil when serving because Extra Virgin Olive Oil is healthy and it adds a wonderful flavour

Low Calorie Red Kidney Bean dip

Low Calorie Red Kidney Bean dip 

There are times when you thank the Creator for giving you so many culinary options. You want to not fry have low calorie healthy food well its all out there all you need to do is try a little bit.

I often read articles on healthy dip. You see I love snacking especially when reading a book or watching a movie and these two hobbies take up all my free time so when I went on a low calorie healthy diet it was difficult to snack. There is always that apple you can munch on or the almonds but I am sure many of you would relate to that want to dip something in a delicious dip for complete satisfaction.

I remembered having seen Red Kidney Bean dip as a healthy dip. I checked again and that is where it posed a problem. I live in Calcutta in India and Avocado is not one of the local fruits you get here and my principle is to go as local as possible - saves money and its readily available. So I created a very basic recipe and well I would say I am all happy because I did not really create a scientific machine. I just used the usual basic ingredients but in a very healthy way.

Before I give the recipe I have to say that 1 serving of kidney beans equals to half a cup of cooked beans and that has 86 calories even when cooked with salt. I added tomatoes and onions and so that makes it a low calorie dip.

So here you go with the recipe :-

1 small cup (which holds 200ml liquid) of dry red kidney beans soaked overnight
3 cups of water
Salt as per taste
2 to 3 medium sized tomatoes
3 medium sized onions
4 cloves of garlic (the big cloves ) else use  use 6 to 7 cloves
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper or as hot as you want it to be
1 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp Olive oil
1/2 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

Simply soak the kidney beans overnight. Now cook them in a pressure cooker to save fuel  and quickening the process . Put the pressure cooker on low heat and let the whistle build up very slowly. This makes sure you cook it well without wasting fuel . Now peel chop drizzle olive oil and bake the tomatoes, onion and garlic at 220 C preheated oven for 60 minutes.

Once the bans are well cooked spread them out to cool them and then once you have baked the vegetables simply cool everything add them to the blender with the kidney beans, oregano, salt , cayenne pepper and blend away . Add 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil and the squeeze of lemon juice and enjoy 1/2 cup of this deliciousness without feeling guilty. 1/2 cup = 1 serving = approximately 116 calorie. Serve it with baked tortillas or baked papads (dried lentil discs) or if you have stale chapati dry roast it till its crisp and it makes for a healthy snack.

P.S. I have to mention a very special lady who runs this beautiful blog which gives you plenty of ideas on healthy food. Do check her blog Simply Vegetarian

Chickpea Red Cabbage Salad

So eating healthy is a topic which is a dominant one in most people's minds. You can be eating it, recommending it, denouncing it but most adults are usually thinking about it at least once every 3 days. With the holidays and festivals it becomes mighty difficult to hold on to your healthy eating habit and everything goes into disarray and a little help is always very very helpful.

I have been on and off the eating healthy food from December, first there were the holidays and then the visit to my Mamma-in-law and then back to some healthy eating and then again there were a few celebrations with the other half and so it has been one see-saw ride and I am finally back home with a hopefully calm head and ready for some mild healthy diet. Now I personally do not like the word diet since it automatically conjures images of underfed stick-thin  sick people but the phrase 'following a healthy diet plan' is a huge hit with me because I am not above desires and so while I love my fresh salads and fruits and soups I might just reach out for that slice of pie once in a week but here is the problem. I speak from my personal experience and well what usually happens is once you go off track it becomes mighty difficult to come back to your senses. So the piece of pie leads to a piece of sachertorte and that leads to something else and then there is the period of panic when one realizes one has piled on a few kilos here and there and so when Claudia from My Continental Kitchen began an event of low calorie food I was relieved , you see  when there is a support group or reminder to eat healthy you are naturally  but conscious and for me once I start with a bit of participation it automatically becomes a habit and so I am grateful that the lovely lady has created the virtual event where everyone is welcome to share their ow calorie dishes (soups, salads and other low calorie dishes) and so come Monday and I was fully recovered from the welcome back to Calcutta Biriyani, Chocolate lava cake , pasta and decided on some filling yet healthy Chickpea salad.

Now before I go to the simple recipe here is a few tips from my experience which always helps me loose some kilos. Once you know you are on a healthy track you first need to stock up your pantry with. So fresh vegetables, fruits, legums , lean meat , fish but what one also must do is to think about the taste buds and so stock up on herbs, spices and any flavouring agent which helps a great deal. Imagine you have a few greens and carrots and lemon and you feel bored and are about to cook some deliciously unhealthy cheese toast but if you have a bit of parsley you can have an excellent salad in no time which reminds me that you need not give up on any ingredient when eating healthy. Controlling portions is the key factor for a successful healthy diet. So even if you do eat a single buttercookie and balance it with soups and salads for the main courses you are good to go but of course you must train yourself to stick to a single cookie or a tiny portion.

So coming back to my Chickpea red cabbage salad this one is easy and extremely healthy and delightfully delicious. I chose Chickpeas because a cup of boiled chickpea is nto only filling but has a mere 269 calories.

Serves 2

1/2 a cup of dried chickpea which should yield 2 cups of boiled chickpea
3 cups finely shredded red cabbage
1/4th cup finely chopped parsley
1 medium sized onion
20 almonds lightly toasted and halved but with the skin on since it contains some much needed nutrients
Salt and freshly ground pepper as per taste
2 heaped tsp feta

Dressing :
1 tbsp :2 tbsp -> lemon juice: extra virgin olive oil

Simply soak the chickpeas overnight and boil them in the morning. Let the chickpeas cool down and in the meantime shred the cabbage ,slice the onion and  chop the parsley and toast your almonds at preheated oven at 140 C for 5 minutes to 7 minutes of each side. Alternatively one might toast the almonds on a skillet on the gas-stove on medium flame but in that case one must keep a constant eye on them so that they do not burn one bit. Whisk the oil and lemon juice together to form a smooth silky emulsion. i use a fork which is good enough for the amount .

Mix everything together except the dressing  and add some crumbled feta on top. You have a delightfully healthy meal waiting for you.  Along side some grilled lean meat or fish this is perfectly healthy and wonderfully tasty.

Apple Carrot Salad

Apple Carrot Salad 

Salads are the most versatile of dishes. Ranging from warm to fresh, cooked to raw , creamy and cheesy to refreshingly lemony the options are endless. There are the ones for the summers the ones for winters.
I have tried to focus on a low calorie healthy one which is crunchy with the delicious sweetness of the ingredients used . It goes perfectly with a side of healthy poached or grilled fish or chicken. Refreshing and wonderful it is very easy to make as well.

You need

Serves 1

1 cup of julienne carrots the sweetest variety you find in the market
1 large apple
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper as per taste
2 tsp finely chopped parsley

Simply chop the apple and carrots julienne style. Mix the ingredients for the dressing and serve it.

You can always assemble your salad from before but you should use the dressing just before serving else the salad becomes watery and soggy. 

Simple lemony bell pepper salad

Refreshingly delicious this salad is not only for those who are on a diet but for anyone. It is healthy and delicious. The sweetness of the crispy fresh bell peppers interspersed with the lemony tangyness and sweetness of basil it  is an ideal summer time salad. Unfortunately in India we get the very best quality of bell peppers during the winters but going by our temperature and weather this can be taken at any time of the year. With a side of poached or grilled chicken it makes for a perfectly low calorie healthy meal. In case you are a green fellow you can use some sauteed mushrooms. The recipe is simple enough for anyone to try their hands on .

Serves 2

2 large bell peppers , I recommend using one red bell pepper and one yellow bell pepper for that lovely colourfulness which makes things cheerful

For the dressing
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp finely chopped basil
Salt and pepper as per taste
Pinch of chili flakes

Simply julienne the bell peppers. Make the dressing by first mixing everything together except the extra virgin olive oil and then slowly adding the oil little by little and whisking vigourously to create the emulsion for a delicious dressing.

It is very important  to use the dressing right before serving or still better serving the dressing in a separate bowl or jug. You see if you dress the salad ahead of your meal it makes the salads watery and soggy. You can always chop the bell peppers and keep it in the refrigerator and then prepare the dressing and serve it on the dinner table.