Given the current situation, it would be unfair to say that our stress levels are balanced. Stress can easily affect our diet and lead to health issues as well. Detoxification is a great way to keep oneself healthy and balanced. Detox diets not only help balance stress levels but also in cleansing your gut and boosting your digestive system. With summer at its peak and the ongoing pandemic, it becomes even more important for us to lead a good and fit life. Detox is like cleansing the body from the consumption of daily junk or unhealthy food that can cause certain issues at some point of time. It’s better to get a hold of them by doing detox every now and then
Chef Suvir Saran gives us an insight about why detox meals are important for us, as he states, “This pandemic makes it even more important for us to have those meals and moments when we give our bodies, minds and souls a detox and a cleanse. We eat foods that are less than wholesome, which make our gut lose out on pre and probiotics that keep our digestive system healthy and functional. As a result, we create gastro-intestinal madness in our bodies that leads to all kinds of issues. It is good to give the digestive tract a break by feeding it foods that aid in digestion rather than fight against the gut.”
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Detox Meal Recipes That We Should Try Every Now And Then
1. Mango Pulissery with Steamed Rice
(Recipe by Nishesh Seth, Executive Chef at Crowne Plaza, Gurugram)
Mango Pulissery
Ingredients:
70gm Totapuri mango
13 gm dry coconut
15 gm onion
05 gm garlic
05 gm ginger
02 gm curry leaves
80 gm lemon
02 gm mustard seeds
01 gm turmeric
Salt to taste
02 gm cloves
02 gm nutmeg
05 gm coriander leaves
50 gm basmati rice
10 gm coconut oil
20 ml yogurt
05 gm chilli powder
10 gm green chilli
Method:
1. In a grinder, add coconut, cumin seeds, pepper powder and grind well to a fine paste.
2.Remove the skin of mangoes and add salt, sugar, green chili paste, curry leaves, red chili powder, turmeric powder and enough water. Cover with a lid and cook in low to medium flame. Cook till the water has reduced considerably in volume and the mangoes are cooked well.
3. Add the coconut paste and coconut milk and mix well. Cook in low heat. Now add yoghurt and mix well. Add salt as per your taste.
4. In a pan, add coconut oil and when it becomes hot, add mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, curry leaves and dry red chili. The stove must be in low flame to avoid the mustard seeds and other things from getting burnt.
5. Pour this over the already prepared mango pulissery and mix well and it is ready to serve. Enjoy with rice.
2. Detox Lentil Soup
(Recipe by Chef Tanvi Goswami, Executive Chef, SAGA, Gurugram)
Lentil Soup
Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 piece onion
3-piece carrot
3-piece celery stalks
5 garlic cloves
1/2 tbsp fresh ginger (chopped)
1/2 tbsp turmeric
1/2 tsp thyme (or rosemary)
6 cups water
1 cup brown lentils
2 tbsp salt
Black pepper to taste
1 cup coriander
1 tbsp lemon juice
Method:
1. In a large pot, heat the olive oil, add in onion, carrots and celery and stir until softened.
2. Add in garlic, ginger, turmeric and thyme and stir until fragrant.
3. Immediately pour in water, lentils and salt. Bring it to a boil then lower the heat to a simmer.
4. Cover and cook the soup until lentils are tender, about 30 minutes. 5. Once the lentils are tender, adjust the seasoning and add in cilantro and lemon juice. Serve warm.
3. Birbal Kee Khichdi
(Recipe by Chef Suvir Saran)
Birbal Kee Khichdi
Ingredients for the topping:
1.4 to 1.9 ml refined vegetable oil
2 large red onions
1/2 cup fresh coriander leaves
4-inch piece fresh ginger root
4 hot green chilies
2 tbsp lime juice
1/2 tsp garam masala
Ingredients for the khichdi:
1 cup split and hulled mung dal
2 tbsp ghee or clarified butter
10 green cardamon pods
8 whole cloves
3 bay leaves
2-inch cinnamon stick
1 tsp panch phoran
3/4 tsp turmeric
1/8 tsp asafetida (heeng)
1 cup basmati rice
1/2 medium cauliflower
1 large potato
4 medium carrots
285 gm bag frozen peas
Ingredients for the first tempering:
2 tbsp /30 g ghee or clarified butter
1/2 tbsp panch phoran
2 large red onions
1-1/2 tbsp sea salt
2 tbsp ground coriander
2 large tomatoes
1/8 tbsp cayenne pepper
Second tempering oil:
2 tbsp /30 g ghee or clarified butter
1/2 tbsp cumin seeds
1/4 tbsp cayenne pepper
1 pinch asafetida.
Method:-
1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions and fry until crisp and brown. In a small bowl stir the coriander, ginger, jalapeno, and lime juice together and set aside.
2. Place the mung dal in a large skillet over medium heat and toast it until it is fragrant and lightly golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the dal to a large plate and set aside.
3. Place the ghee, cardamom, coves, bay leaves, cinnamon, panch phoran, turmeric, and hing into the pan and roast it over medium heat until the spices are fragrant, about 2 minutes.
4. Add the rice, toasted dal, the cauliflower, potatoes, and carrots and cook until the rice becomes translucent and the cauliflower sweats, 3 to 5 minutes, stirring often. Pour in 7 cups of water, increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Add the peas, bring back to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.
5. While the rice and dal mixture cooks, make the first tempering oil. Heat the ghee and panch phoran in a large skillet. Stir in the onions and the salt and cook until the onions are browned. Stir in the coriander and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes, and then stir in the tomatoes and the cayenne, cooking until the tomatoes are jammy. Turn off the heat and set aside.
6. Once the rice and dal are cooked, remove the lid and use a potato masher to smash the mixture until only a few carrots and peas remain whole (remove the whole or large spices while mashing if you like). Stir in the first tempering along with the remaining 3 cups of water. Boil for two minutes and turn off the heat.
7. Make the second tempering oil. Wipe out the pan from the first tempering oil and heat the ghee for the second tempering oil over medium heat along with the cumin, cayenne, and hing and cook, stirring often, until the cumin begins to brown, about 2 minutes. Immediately stir it into the rice and dal mixture.
4. Ginger Lime Marinated Artichoke and Beetroot Combo
(Recipe by Executive Sous Chef Ramit Kohli, Taj City Centre Gurugram)
Ginger Lime Marinated Artichoke and Beetroot Combo
Ingredients:
1 medium beetroot
1 tbsp grated ginger
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tbsp honey
1/2 tbsp lemon rind
1 artichoke heart
3 pcs raisins
2 tbsp olive oil
Sea salt- to taste
1/2 tbsp black crush pepper
Method:
1. Peel and cut thin slices of beetroot using mandolin cutter
2. Take artichoke hearts and add sea salt, grated ginger, lemon rind, lemon juice, honey, olive oil, chopped raisins and crushed pepper and keep it marinated for 10 minutes.
3. Now add beetroot slices in the above marination.
4. Now grill the artichoke on a seasoned grill and cool immediately.
5. Now lightly grill beetroot slices as well, cool and set aside.
6. Arrange beetroot slices on a plate and add diced artichoke heart into the centre of the plate and serve immediately.
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