Hearty & Filling Vegetable soup

Soups are love! They are comforting and they love you right back! Of the many varieties this particular vegetable soup is one of our all time favorites. It's easy to concoct and is full of antioxidants. It's great for detox and for the calorie conscious! Personally I've lost up to 4 kgs in a month simply by replacing my lunch with this marvellous soup.

It can be made in bulk and stores well in refrigerator for up to a week.

INGREDIENTS 

3 spring onions with bulbs chopped 

1 can of mushrooms sliced

6 medium carrots sliced into circles 

1 large capsicum chopped into bite sized pieces

1/2 head if cabbage sliced 

5 sachets/cups of Instant Yakhni (chicken broth)

1 tbs white vinegar

2 tbs soya sauce

2 tsp freshly crushed black pepper

1/2 tsp red chili powder

2 tbs olive or coconut oil

DIRECTIONS 

1. Saute onions in the oil.

2. Add mushrooms and cook till soft.

3. Add carrots, cabbage and capsicum. Saute.

4. Add 5 cups of chicken broth.

5. Add 3 ltrs water.

6. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to lowest. Cover and simmer for 2 hours. 

Hearty Lauki (Bottle Gourd) Bhurta

Ingredients:

1 KG Lauki (Bottle Gourd) Sliced
5-6 Garlic Cloves
2 tsp roasted cumin powder
1/2 tsp red chili powder
2-3 green chilies chopped
1/4 bunch fresh green coriander
1 small onion chopped
1 tsp whole cumin seeds
5-6 whole red peppers
1/3 cup oil
Salt to taste

Directions:
1. Place sliced lauki in a sauce pan and pour enough water to cover the vegetable and an inch above it. Add peeled garlic cloves
2. Boil for half an hour, then reduce heat, cover and let it cook for a couple of hours till water is almost dry and lauki is soft and tender.
3. Mash lauki with the spoon, add cumin powder, red chili powder, green chilies, coriander and salt. Cook a bit further till spices are a bit cooked.
4. In a frying pan heat 1/3 cup oil. Add zeera and red whole peppers till they start spluttering.
5. Add chopped onion and fry till it is soft and transparent.
6. Add baghaar/tarrka to the bhurta and serve with chapati.