Easy Gazpacho

Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned.

I haven't been to the gym in a week. I've fallen way behind schedule on my weight-loss goals. I've consumed unpardonable amounts of butter and sugar in the form of cakes, cupcakes, pretzels and sweetbreads. I've remorselessly sunk my teeth into juicy hot dogs and burgers. And cheesy pasta. And worked my way through bags of chips. Drunk galleons of wine. And beer. And coke. Not to mention, coffee. With milk AND sugar.

I'd been inordinately proud of the progress I'd made in the last month. Sure, eight pounds in a month doesn't sound like much, but for a person who has only put on weight in the last twenty five years of her life, it is nothing short of ecstatic to know that her body can move in the other direction as well. Plus, whatever little success I'd had was made even  sweeter by the fact that , this time, I'd actually accomplished it on my own terms, without following some crazy diet, depriving myself of the food I love or working out till I my lungs imploded on themselves everyday.

It is all a rosy picture while it lasts. But like I've realized the hard way, one tip in the wrong direction, and it all comes down like a stack of dominoes. And before you know it, you haven't worked out in a week, have fed your body with all kinds of junk and are four pounds behind in your weight-loss goals. Fifteen pounds in two months seemed like an easy target a fortnight back. Not so much anymore.

BUT. No time to mop around. Need to make a quick comeback. I have another two weeks to go for my two-month deadline and seven whole pounds to lose. Off to the gym RIGHT NOW.

And oh... a giant bowl of gazpacho for dinner.

Easy Gazpacho

This is possibly the easiest soup recipe ever. No boiling, cooking down or blending. Chop a few veggies fine and drown them in some spiced up tomato juice. And it's the best option when the weather is playing the kind of tricks it's playing nowadays - going from 50 degrees to 82 degrees farentheit in half a day's time. Nothing like cold soup on a hot day!

This one is adapted from Ina Garten's recipe, but tailored down to suit a weight watcher's needs. Meaning, easy substitutes for expensive ingredients and one-tenth of the amount of oil that she uses!

1 seedless cucumber
1 red bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
1 red onion
3 cloves of garlic
3 cups of tomato juice
1/4 cup lemon juice
Juice of one half lime
A sprig of coriander
Salt and crushed black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil

1. Chop all the vegetables into chunks and pulse them a couple of times in the food processor along with the fresh coriander and garlic until they are all chopped fine. (You could do this with a knife as well but it takes forever. On the other hand, if you like a more hearty texture, you can go ahead n just chop all the veggies like you would do for a salsa)

2. Mix the tomato juice, lemon and lime juice salt and pepper and add it to the vegetable mixture. Drizzle olive oil on top. Garnish with slices of avocado or bread croutons.

The longer it sits, the better it tastes. So if you are making it in advance, make sure to add the croutons just before serving so that it doesn't get soggy.

What to do on a rainy day

I woke up to steel grey skies yesterday.

I don't mind the rain- not when there is thunder and lightning and raging winds and rain pouring down in sheets. Its great to sit in the warmth of your home, sip a hot chai and watch the storm play its course out of the window. What i can't stand, however, is gloomy, overcast skies (like yesterday)and  the constant drip-drip of a half-hearted drizzle that never seems to stop. Wake up to such depressing weather, and you can be sure that your whole day will turn out in the same manner.

In such cases, there are only two things that can manage to bring a smile to my face.

One - A stiff shot of hot brandy

Or- the smell of hot peppery Rasam boiling away on the stove.

I decided to have both! :)

Okay, for all my non-Indian readers out there, Rasam is a classic from the South Indian kitchen. It's hot, spicy and tangy -a single gulp of it is enough to warm you from within. It's thin and runny as soup. Have it with rice, have it as soup, take a swig of it by itself, its great however you have it. It is one of those traditional dishes that follow a different recipe in each household, and every mom/grandmom would claim that theirs is the best. And there a million different versions out there too- dal rasam, tamarind rasam, lemon rasam, tomato rasam, pepper rasam... This recipe is from my dad-a combination of  all the different types- and of course, the best of it all! :D

What's different about this Rasam?

1.There is no coriander powder used- instead, we make up for it with fresh coriander which imparts a beautifully verdant flavour to the finished product

2. No tamarind- the tang comes from the lemon and tomatoes alone

3. The heat in this dish comes from green chillies, chilli powder and black pepper, each adding a different note, this making the flavour more complex

Rasam

1/4 cup cooked and mashed toor dal (available in all indian stores)

One full bunch of fresh cilantro/coriander (Should amount to 3/4 cup if chopped - we aren't using any coriander powder, so don't skimp on it!)

2 medium sized plum tomatoes, quartered

3 green chillies

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/2 tsp chilli powder

1/4 tsp turmeric

1/4 tsp asafoestida powder

Juice of one full lemon (this may vary according to how tangy you like it- taste and add accordingly)

Salt to taste

1 tsp of browm sugar/ powdered jaggery

1 and a 1/2 tsp ghee (its clarified butter- available in Indian stores)

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp cumin

2 dried red chillies

Few sprigs of curry leaves

1. Cook and mash the toor dal. Slit green chillies. Quarter the tomatoes.

2. Throw the mashed dal, green chillies, tomatoes and the full bunch of coriander into a pot with 2 cups of water and bring it to a boil. Reduce to simmer, add chilli powder, turmeric and crushed black pepper and allow it to simmer until the tomatoes are cooked.

3. Add salt and take the rasam off the flame. Add the lemon juice. The tomatoes add to the tangy flavour as well- so, make sure to taste before you pour all the lemon juice into the rasam.

4. Just before serving, heat the ghee in a small pan and  add the mustard seeds and dried chillies. Once the mustard seeds start to splutter add the cumin and then the asafoetida. Add the curry leaves to it  and pour the entire mixture into the rasam. Serve hot!

NOTE:A full bunch of wilted coriander floating around a bowl of clear soup doesn't make for a very appetizing appearance. So, I usually tie the bundle of coriander (rather like a bouquet garni) before I cook it in the rasam and fish it out before transferring the contents into the serving bowl. Garnish the dish with a teaspoon of fresh coriander.

Post script: A couple of shots of brandy later, i got a little adventurous - Tried mixing the brandy with some of the hot rasam. Wish I hadn't. All i can say is - do NOT try this at home! :P