Creamy radish, leek and potato soup

Ingredients
Radish, a bunch, sliced thin
Leek - 2 stalks, chopped
Potato - 1 large, diced
Herbs - I used some fresh thyme
Chilli powder- I used a large spoon of chipotle powder
Salt, to taste
Lemon - juice of one lemon, or per taste
Olive oil - 1 tbsp.

Method
Saute the veggies together with the herbs and salt in a shallow pan. Cook them with a closed lid.
Puree the veggies once they get cold.
Add enough water to bring a soupy consistency and bring this mixture to a boil.
Before serving, add the lemon juice, lots and serve hot.

Cauliflower & Peas Soup

A quick soup for a winter-y evening

Serves 4; all measurements to be taken per taste, if not mentioned
Ingredients
Cauliflower - cut into florets, along with some leaves and white portion of the stalk
Peas - 1 C
Leek - 1 stalk, optional
Harissa powder
Thick yogurt - as much as you want the soup's consistency should be
Herbs - I used sage
Chilli powder - I used chipotle chilli powder
Olive oil - 1 Tbsp
Garlic cloves - minced, as many as you think you need

Method
In a pan, roast the cauliflower and peas together along with garlic, herbs and chilli powder till the veggies are cooked. If using leek, add it towards the end to preserve the flavor.
After the cooked veggies cool, puree them. (I've noticed that a hand blender is the best for soup purees)
Some of this puree can be saved as base for the next day in the fridge.
In the same pan, add the yogurt and puree, whisk them well and heat till it boils. Adjust the herbs and salt as required. Serve hot, with garlic bread

Quick & Easy Allam Pachadi

I love allam pachadi - ginger chutney/pickle, and stock up on what Mom makes.
But when in a hurry and when the stocks run low, one has to pick up a new recipe. Here is something that worked for me.

Ingredients:
For the Chutney
Set 1:
Ginger root - 2 inch piece, peeled and diced
Onion - 1, medium sized, chopped
Garlic cloves - 5-6, medium sized ones, chopped

Set 2:
Chana Dal - 1 Tbsp
Urad Dal - 1 Tbsp
Roasted Bengalgram Dal - 1 Tbsp
Green chilli - 4-5, or per taste
Red chilli - 5-6, or per taste

Cooking oil - 3 Tbsp, divided into two parts

For the tempering:
Cooking oil - 1 Tbsp
Curry leaves - a few
Mustard seeds - 1 Tsp
Asafoetida or Hing - a pinch; optional

Instructions
Split the oil into two and roast ingredients in each set together on a medium flame for up to 5 min. You can choose to do them one after the other to reuse the same pan. The onion should be translucent to indicate that Set 1 is roasted enough. The green and red chillis should be roasted and emit aroma to indicate Set 2 is roasted enough. 

Once the ingredients cool, grind them together in a mixer.

Heat the oil for tempering and add the ingredients for tempering. Once the mustard seeds splutter, remove the pan from the flame and add the asafoetida, if using.

Serve with idlis, dosa or pesarattu.

This will stay good for a couple of days if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.