Masala Potato Mash

About the recipe:
My take on a south Indian potato poriyal, I like to mash it now and then as it incorporates the masala evenly. Hope you give it a try!


Ingredients:

• Potatoes (any kind really, I used red potatoes)- 3
• Onion- 1
• Green Chilli (Serrano peppers in the US)- 1 large
• Tomatoes diced - 2
• Garlic/Garlic paste -1 tsp
• Oil - enough to saute onions

Seasoning:

• Split urad dal (for crunch)
• Black Mustard seeds
• Red chilli powder  - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder -1 tsp
• Cumin powder - 1 tsp
• Curry leaves -  about 10
• Tomato ketchup -1 tsp 
• Salt to taste

How to:

• Boil potatoes 
• Mash boiled potatoes, keep aside
• Heat oil in a pan, add urad dal, mustard, green chillis and ginger garlic paste
• Stir for a few secs till raw garlic smell is gone
• Add onions and wilt them, you can add a bit of sugar to speed up the caramelization
• Spices in, stir.
• Tomatoes in, integrate with masala and stew till a paste is formed
• Add curry leaves
• Add a dash of tomato ketchup, stir
• Add potatoes and vigorously mix the masala with the potato
• Cook for 2 min and remove.
• Serve hot with rice and sambar.

Healthy Cabbage Soup

About the recipe:
Here's a simple,healthy and low-maintenance soup that wont make you wash a bunch of vessels or smoke up your kitchen.Great if you're trying to lose weight/watch your cholesterol. Note: This is a very mild soup,if you want something spicy this is not for you!


Ingredients:
You can use whatever veggies you have, so its a great leftover-utilization dish. And please don't use the frozen stuff as there is very little seasoning all the taste comes from the veggies, so the higher quality veggies you use, the better results you will get. Here's what I used:
(All cut bite sized )

• Carrots - 3
• Cabbage - Half a head
• Green Peppers(Capsicum) - 1 large
• Spring onions(scallions) - 6
• Tomatoes - 3 medium
• Celery - 3 stalks
• Baby Bok Choy - 1lb or how much ever you have (optional)
• Mushrooms-0.5 lbs or how much ever you have (optional, I used a combination of Shiitake and Baby Bella)
• Garlic - 3 cloves
• Oil - 1 tsp or less 
• Vegetable stock - as per your level of "soupiness"! Usually at least 500ml. (Water would also work)

Seasoning:

• Bay leaves -2
• Thyme - Fresh is best,dried also works, season to your choice.
• Fresh ground pepper (normal pepper also works fine)
• Salt

How to:

• Heat oil in stock pot or large pot
• Add garlic and bay leaf, saute for a min.
• Add spring onion,saute for a min.
• Dump all other ingredients and add good amount of stock.
• Bring to a boil, then simmer on low for 2 hours or so with stirring maybe once in the middle.
• Go watch TV.
• Serve hot.