New Year’s Resolution

A very happy and delicious new year to everyone. I am back after a long gap. Reason was personal. My husband had a quadruple bypass surgery and so naturally I was busy. But let’s start the New Year with some resolutions. No, no I am not suggesting any of those common ones, e.g. losing weight, managing time, be independent financially etc. This resolution is for me. I will write my blog once a week.

So let’s start with the first recipe of the year. Many of you must have attended lot of parties in the holiday season and must now be thinking of all those extra pounds you have gained. I know many of you will decide not to eat any more sweets and will stick to that decision for a week or so. Then we fall back on our habits. I mean come on who can resist the chocolates and cheesecakes and mouse, not to mention truffles.

But I will give you a quick and easy tip to shed all those tires around your midriff.
Drink a glass of buttermilk before lunch. Fill quarter of a regular glass with buttermilk. Add water, salt and a pinch of black pepper. Stir. If you have, add a pinch of dried mint too. Have this drink half an hour before lunch. You will feel full and will eat less. Plus the buttermilk will detox your body and help in your digestion.

Secondly make it a habit of drinking a cup of green tea. It stimulated your metabolic rate and so you burn more calories. Ladies, it is also good for your skin. In fact save some and after you have had your tea, put it on your face with cotton and leave nit for ten minutes.Wash. Do it thrice a week and see your skin glow.

And now today’s dish. A simple lentil soup from south of India called Rasam. It is light and the sourness helps in washing away the toxins.

Ingredients:
50 Gms Arhar/ Toor dal
½ to 1 Tsp Tsp tamarind paste
½ Tsp turmeric
1 liters water
Salt to taste

For tempering:
1 Tsp mustard seeds
12 curry leaves
½ Tsp oil

Wash dal thoroughly under running water. Put dal, water and turmeric in the pressure cooker or in a sauce pan on medium heat. Boil till dal is absolutely mushy. If it is too thick add some more water to make it thin. Add tamarind paste. Add salt and adjust if needed.

For tempering, heat oil in a sauce pan. Add mustard seeds. When they start puttering add curry leaves. If you want it spicy you can add one whole red chili to the tempering. Serve hot with crackers. It is ideal for the winter nights.

Enough of healthy tips for today. Tuck in and enjoy.

Bon Appétit