Quick Comfort Food to Shrug off Winter Blues

It’s a winter day, the sun is setting steadily, smearing all its hues in the sky. You are admiring warm colors with an equally warm cup of coffee. And hey, it’s almost time for dinner! You deserve healthy food without getting all worked up. And who doesn’t like to curl up in a cozy bed to slurp delectable stew and watch a feel-good movie! Winters call for warm, well-cooked, and keep-the-cold-out food.

We have a super quick comfort recipe to make your evening a cozy-mosey one! Here is the nourishing formula you can keep handy for winters

Veggie-Lentil Stew

Root vegetables have been related to winters since time immemorial, and it is only best to consume seasonal produce. It keeps you healthy and puts winter discomfort at the bay.

Servings 2–3

Preparation Time 10–15 minutes

Cooking Time 25–30 minutes

Ingredients

Spices

• 2–3 tbsp mustard oil

• ½ tbsp whole cumin seeds

• ½ tbsp fenugreek seeds

• 1 tbsp coriander powder

• 1 tbsp Kashmiri Chilli Powder

• 1 tbsp Asafoetida

• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric or freshly grated turmeric

• 1/2 tbsp black pepper powder or freshly ground pepper

• 1 tsp garam masala

• 3/4 tsp salt

Vegetables

• 1–2 diced medium-sized onion

• 4 minced garlic cloves

• 1 tbsp grated ginger

• 2 tbsp tomato paste

• 2 cups medium-sized diced vegetables (carrots, potatoes, sweet potato, spinach, cauliflower)

Lentils and other ingredients

• 2 cup split green gram (moong dal) and tur dal (pigeon pea) — boiled together

• 1 tbsp lemon juice

• 3–4 cups of water

• ½ cup coriander or cilantro leaves for garnishing

Directions

1. Heat mustard oil (or any oil of your choice) over medium heat in a saucepan

2. Let the oil heat up properly, to lose its raw tang — keep a check so it doesn’t burn

3. Add whole cumin and mustard seeds until they pop and crackle

4. Add onion, garlic, and ginger and sauté well for 3–4 minutes

5. Add a pinch of salt to bring out a sweet hint of the onion

6. As the aroma kicks in, add tomato paste

7. Cook the ingredients for about five minutes

8. As the tomatoes get cooked well, add the salt and all spices in a bowl and mix with 3–4 tablespoons of water — it prevents the spices from getting burnt and releases flavor abundantly

9. Add them to the saucepan

10. Sauté them well, until the flavors are released.

11. Add medium diced carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes, taro, and cauliflower

12. Add some water and let the vegetables cook on medium heat for six to seven minutes

13. Add boiled lentils and spinach

14. Simmer it for 10 minutes

15. Season with salt

16. Cover the lid and simmer until well cooked

17. Remove from the heat

18. Serve hot in a bowl

19. Jazz up with a tablespoon of ghee/clarified butter, lemon juice, and coriander

This recipe is full of seasonal vegetables and tasteful lentils flavored by a good balance of spices. You can also experiment by adding vegetables and lentils of your choice. It can also be served with rice or eaten with Indian flatbread.