Ginger-Lemon Cooler, Red Bell Pepper Soup and Egg Club Sandwich! A total meal!

2 years!

I am writing a fresh post after 2 years.

I started off with this blog in July 2011. I wrote here primarily when I cooked and photographed something. If you have noticed, I never adhered to a particular cuisine here. More than a cuisine oriented space, this was where I poured out my thoughts. My happiness. My anxiety. My sadness.

I made a lot of friends along the way. Many who shared my passion for food and cooking. Many who looked at my food photographs and sent me lovely feedback. Many who were around the social media silently, and spoke encouraging words when they met me. Today, I think of all of them in gratitude. 

Although I left writing in this space, for not any particular reason, but because 'busy'ness of life happened, I never stopped updating my Facebook or Instagram page with my food. But now, I feel I need to give this blog a facelift. 

I want to blog again. I want to write again. I want to share my food again.

Today, is a medley of recipes that is already on my Facebook and Instagram. Not much of recipes, just how I rustle up some quick things in today's fast paced life.

Ginger - Lemon Cooler

Singapore is always hot except for occasional rains that fail to cool anything down. The heat and humidity has made me give up drinking 'room temperature' water anymore and I find myself often heading towards the refrigerator for a cool down. This lemonade is a keeper for me and this is just an ordinary lemonade. As I am a ginger fan, I have added grated ginger into this which muddles up brilliantly well with the lemon juice in the refrigerator till you decide to add water/soda to it.

It has sugar of course. You can use honey instead. It has salt too. So the balance of both is according to your taste. Let it muddle in a syrupy form in the refrigerator till you strain it and add water or soda.

Singapore also has rainy evenings and soup is a staple in my house. I make a couple of them but the latest in my repertoire is Red Bell Pepper Soup. The bell peppers are not roasted here, because most of the time I start soup-making very late and there is no time for oven business. Here is how I make them.

Red Bell Pepper Soup

Serves 2 who are not too hungry only for soup and are ready to have main course too!

Ingredients:

Onions - 1 medium, roughly chopped

Red Bell Peppers - 2 big, roughly chopped

Tomato - 1 big, roughly chopped

Water - 1 cup (more according to your soup consistency levels)

Butter - 1 tablespoon

Salt and Pepper

Croutons (optional)

 I love to start with butter for a soup, if not for its taste, what is a soup all about? You can use any neutral oil or olive oil if you are too conscious,  but I say, use butter and go for a run to burn it away.

So heat butter on slow heat and before too long, add onions. As the onions turn translucent, add bell peppers and tomato. Add 1 cup of water. Cover and simmer till all vegetables are cooked through. Let this cool. Purèe this with a hand held blender. Adjust the consistency adding water if you prefer a thinner soup. Add salt and pepper to taste. Croutons if you desire. Have it with some bread on the side. 

And finally, a club sandwich. And since I love cooking meat-less meals these days, an egg club sandwich.

No recipe here. Make an omelette adding finely chopped onions and green chillies to well beaten eggs. Make the club sandwich with these omelette strips, white or brown breads that has been lightly toasted, sliced gouda or cheddar cheese, pickled jalapeños, bell peppers and washed and dried spinach leaves. Put everything together with a toothpick and eat straight away. 

Done! Done! Done!

Lots and lots of love and happiness.

Sangeeta.