Soups can either be kind or kindling, and this one is of the latter style! Pepped up with oregano and chilli flakes, this spicy soup features an iron-rich combination of rajma and Mexican salsa. Blanched and finely chopped tomatoes make the soup super tangy, and also impart a lasting good mouth-feel. The Spicy Salsa Bean Soup is indeed a fitting prelude to a heavy meal.

Bell peppers, when brushed with oil and roasted with the peel on, imbibe an amazing aroma and flavour, which add value to any dish that it is used in! Here, we have employed the magic of roasted bell pepper to add josh to a lovely, cheesy Panini. Panini is a type of Italian grilled sandwich made with breads other than sliced bread, like baguette, ciabatta or michetta. While these are the ideal choices of bread, you can use hot dog rolls if you cannot buy any of these. In this recipe, the bread transforms into an exotic snack that is loaded with a tongue-tickling stuffing of roasted bell peppers, garlic and herbs. The generous use of cheese and butter adds to the richness of the Roasted Bell Pepper and Feta Cheese Panini, making it a treat that makes you feel very good. You can also try other Panini recipes like Cream Cheese Veg Panini and Eggplant and Mozzarella Panini .

Baked Eggplants Topped with Curds is a simple recipe with common ingredients, but works as a great appetizer! The brinjals are baked twice – first salted, and again with a coating of olive oil, ginger, garlic and other tongue-tickling ingredients. The interesting thing is that after all this baking, the brinjals still retain their juiciness, which gives the dish a wonderful mouth-feel. Topped with a dollop of curd, and garnished with tomatoes and coriander, the baked eggplants taste really awesome. Remember to place butter paper on the baking tray to prevent the brinjals from sticking to the tray. Enjoy other exotic brinjal dishes like Brinjal and Bok Choy in Blackbean Sauce and Stuffed Bulgur and Brinjal Bake .

roasted makhana recipe | roasted lotus seeds | phool makhana snack | roasted fox nut | roasted makhana is a crunchy Indian snack to be enjoyed at snack time. Learn how to make phool makhana snack. To make roasted makhana, heat the oil in broad nonstick pan and add the lotus seeds, salt and pepper powder, mix well and cook on medium flame for 5 minutes, while stirring continuously. Transfer to a plate and let it cool completely. Serve immediately or store in an air tight container. Roasted lotus seeds are crunchy, puffy and tasty, in a unique sort of way. This recipe shows you how to make plain xxxxroasted makhana with salt and pepper powder. You can perk it up with your choice of seasonings – herby, spicy, sweet, garlicky or just plain buttery! Try the Masala Makhana. A bowlful of roasted makhana, flavoured as you like it, will faithfully keep you company when you watch a movie or chat with friends. A cup of roasted fox nut lends 3.8 g of protein – a nutrient most needed to nourish our body cells. It is also a good source of potassium, calcium and phosphorus along with folate. Olive oil has been used to make roasted lotus seeds, which is considered a healthier choice amongst the fast as it is high in MUFA (mono unsaturated fatty acids). These fats are considered healthy as they help inflammation in the body and in turn reduce the onset of chronic diseases. However, do consider the calories it lends too because of the quantity of oil used! We would suggest ½ serving of this phool makhana snack. Diabetics and heart patients too can also include this snack in the said quantum. Alternatively, they can reduce the oil to 1 tbsp and roast on a slow to medium flame. These roasted makhana are also a good finger food for kids parties like birthday parties and play dates. Tips for roasted makhana. 1. Use a broad or deep non-stick pan, so each lotus seed roasts well. 2. Remember to stir continuously for uniform roasting and to get the perfect crunchiness. 3. Cool completely before serving or storing to enjoy its perfect crunshiness again. Enjoy roasted makhana recipe | roasted lotus seeds | phool makhana snack | roasted fox nut | with images and recipe below.

Shallots have a crisp and juicy texture, and a special flavour that is both spicy and mildly-sweet. Together with olive oil, vinegar and mustard paste, it makes a tongue-tickling dressing that transforms even a simple salad into a connoisseur’s delight. The Shallot White Wine Vinegar Dressing is quite easy to make, and you can quickly whip up a small batch of it and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for two days.

A smart mix of cauliflower and spinach, boosted by a range of flavour-givers like tahini paste, lemon and garlic, the Cauliflower and Spinach Dip delivers a revitalizing rush of flavour to any snack that it is served with. It tastes especially great with potato wafers or strips of veggies like carrot and cucumber. Just make sure you serve this dip immediately after preparation as it might get watery after a while. Do try other dips like Olive Cream Cheese Dip or Radish, Cucumber and Curd Dip .

Soba noodles is a kind of Japanese noodles made from buckwheat flour, like spaghetti. We have used this delightful ingredient along with yummy sprouts and crunchy veggies to make a super tasty salad. The Soba Noodles Salad is kind of saucy, with a base of coconut milk. Strong shades of garlic, ginger and bird’s eye chilli strengthen the Oriental feel of this salad, while a touch of lemon helps to enhance all the other flavours. You are sure to enjoy the crunch of veggies and the splendid flavours of this salad, which can be served hot or cold. You can also try other noodle preparations like Soba Noodles or Hakka Mushrooms with Rice Noodles .

Burrata is a special type of cheese made with mozzarella and cream. This unusual Italian cheese has a soft texture and fresh flavour, which combines beautifully with breads as well as veggies. In this innovative starter, tomato slices are layered with burrata cheese and flavoured elegantly with herbs and sea salt. The Layered Burrata Cheese and Tomatoes is a wonderful recipe to serve as a starter at parties. Make sure you choose firm red tomatoes, so that the slices retain their shape. Also, serve immediately after preparation or it will release water. Try other recipe using Burrata cheese like Burrata Cheese and Cherry Tomato Crostini or Burrata Cheese and Garlic Crostini .

Tortellini is an amazing ring-shaped pasta that is sure to attract everyone with its interesting appearance. Since the shape is not very complex, it is also ideal to make at home. This is a typical, basic Tortellini recipe, where the pasta is boiled with a stuffing of cheese, herbs and seasonings. You can feel free to vary the filling – try your luck with other ingredients like spinach, cheese or corn. Once done, combine the pasta with any sauce of your choice to make a truly delicious treat! Have a go at other recipes like the Herb Tortellini with Garlic Butter or Tortellini with Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Sauce .

tomato pasta | creamy Indian style tomato pasta | veg pasta in cheesy tomato sauce | with 13 amazing images. tomato pasta is a creamy Indian style tomato pasta. Some like it creamy, some like it tangy, some like their pasta to feature the best of both worlds! The creamy Indian style tomato pasta is perfect for all – it has tomatoes in abundance including sun-dried, fresh cherry tomatoes, a good dose of cream, cheese and a dash of chilli flakes too. In a rush, but wish to eat something different? Well, try this delicious tomato pasta. A combination of varieties of tomatoes, cream, cheese and chilli flakes forms a nice luscious base for spaghetti. Chilli flakes add speckles of spice to this veg pasta in cheesy tomato sauce preparation while a generous garnish of cheese gives abundant joy to the diner! Savour every spoonful of this easy but delectable dish. Creamy tomato pasta is a one meal dish and is supremely tummy filling. I usually make this on Sunday's when wanting to make a change in the daily menu. As, it contains cheese, the universally loved ingredient, this tomato pasta is loved by all the age groups. I usually make this as a dinner meal along with garlic bread. Learn to make tomato pasta | creamy Indian style tomato pasta | veg pasta in cheesy tomato sauce | with detailed step by step recipe photos below.

Crostini is a popular starter of crisped bread served with exciting toppings. Here, we bring to you the ever-popular crostini, with a twist! The French bread is grilled with a touch of olive oil and served with a luscious cream cheese dip. What makes the Grilled Crostini with Cream Cheese Dip very exciting to the diner is the combination of ingredients in the dip – grated carrots, capsicum and garlic in a creamy base seasoned with spices. The carrot gives a nice hue to the dip while capsicum gives it an exciting crunch and garlic gives its characteristic pungency. Serve it immediately after preparation to enjoy the crispness of bread and the luscious mouth-feel of the dip. Try other crostini recipes like the Ricotta and Cherry Tomato Crostini or Roasted Bell Pepper Crostini .

It is quite common to find boiled corn featuring in several starters, salads and other recipes. However, in this unique starter, we have combined corn – roasted on the cob – with bell pepper, herbs and spices to make a yummy topping for tarts. The Roasted Corn and Bellpepper Tart is further enhanced by the addition of hot and sweet sauce, which gives a saucy mouth-feel and tongue-tickling taste. This starter is sure to give your party an upbeat mood! Try more starters like the Paneer Fritters or Malai Paneer Mixed Sesame Seed Balls .

cold cucumber soup | Indian style cucumber soup | healthy low calorie cold cucumber soup | with 9 amazing images. cold cucumber soup | Indian style cucumber soup | healthy low calorie cold cucumber soup is a quick soup with a chock full of nutrients. Learn how to make Indian style cucumber soup. To make cold cucumber soup, combine all the ingredients in a mixer and blend till smooth. Refrigerate for at least half an hour and serve chilled garnished with a few sprigs of parsley. Have you tried a chilled soup? Yes, you heard it right. Cold soups are also thinkable with an advantage of having no cooking techniques involved. So they are quick to make like Indian style cucumber soup. Water filled cucumber with protein rich curd and antioxidant rich parsley all combine together in healthy low calorie cold cucumber soup. These are key nutrients to add glow to your skin. Water helps hydrate the skin while protein helps in formation of new skin cells and maintenance as well. Antioxidants are substances which aid in getting rid of harmful free radicals which can otherwise lead to onset of early ageing. What’s more? This cold cucumber soup with 82 calories, 1.9 g of protein and 2.4 g of fibre is a perfect satiating snack in between meals. The abundance of vitamin C from cucumber and parsley further helps to nourish the skin cells. Olive oil adds in MUFA (monounsaturated fatty acids) which protects the heart. This soup can be enjoyed by diabetics, heart patients and weight watchers too! Tips for cold cucumber soup. 1. Parsley can be substituted with mint leaves as a variation. 2. Garlic can be avoided by Jains. 3. Avoid straining the soup as done in this recipe to retain most of the fibre, as it helps in maintaining digestive health. 4. You can make your choice between full fat curd and low fat curd. Enjoy cold cucumber soup | Indian style cucumber soup | healthy low calorie cold cucumber soup | with step by step photos.

The Arabs call alfalfa sprouts ‘the father of all foods’! Sprouts are fortified with good amounts of nutrients making it a super healthy food. This Alfalfa Sprouts Open Sandwich recipe is loaded with peppers, olives, tomato and cheese, all of which make it an extremely tasty meal as well. The best part is that being an open sandwich, we can cut down on a slice of bread too! You can also try other recipes using alfalfa sprouts like Mango and Burrata Cheese Crostini or Antioxidant, Protein Rich Healthy Lunch Salad. Enjoy how to make Alfalfa Sprouts Open Sandwich recipe with detailed step by step photos and video.