Red Kraut Salad and Clear Soup

Red Kraut colors every thing red the salad and the soup. On days I am at home just as I love to cook something elaborate I also like to make light meals. What you see in the plate is what I would like to make at least 4 days a week. I am not too much of a full meal type on weekdays given the time crunch I am always facing plus the mirror never lies. Yes but I do make poli-bhaaji as I cannot starve others for my sake. We eat rice only on the weekends. Friday night is almost always Varan bhat with paraphernalia. Rice just once a day never for both the meals. Inspite of this restrain I still see Bridget Jones grinning at me in the mirror for giving her company.

This salad and soup is very healthy but definitely not tasteless. I love to munch on the Britannia Cream Crackers instead of diner roll that normally most people prefer. Also we as a family love clear soups to thick soups as long as they taste hot, sweet and sour :).

Ingredients

For the Salad

1 bowl roughly chopped Red Kraut

1 bowl cucumber

1/4 sweet lime segments

1 handful pistachio nuts

1 teaspoon white vinegar

1 teaspoon olive oil

salt to taste

For the soup

2 cups Red Kraut stock

2 tablespoons Kokum sweetened juice

1/2 teaspoon butter

2 pods of garlic (optional)

1 green chili chopped

salt to taste

Boil 2 1/2 cups water in a large saucepan. Blanch the red kraut in it. Strain the red kraut and keep aside for the salad.

You will have about 2 cups of stock. Heat a saucepan and add butter. Once molten fry the garlic in it. Add the chillies and add the kokum juice to it. Boil on high for 5 mins with salt.

While the soup is boiling. Mix the red kraut, cucumber, sweet lime in a big bowl. Now prepare the dressing by whisking together the vinegar and olive oil with salt. Mix in with the veggies. Roughly chop up the pistachio nuts. Sprinkle them into the salad.

Serve the salad and soup with crackers of your choice. Enjoy a guilt free meal.