Hara Bhara Soup( Spinach/Palak Soup)

Creamy Hara Bhara soup

Soups are healthy and nutritious easily digestible food, provide they are made from fresh ingredients. Packet soup mostly contain corn flour which add pure calorie without much nutrition value and the preservatives, flavoring agents are also not too good for health specially when the soup is meant for pregnant ladies or Anemic patient. This  Hara Bhara soup is especially very good for those who have low hemoglobin. My daughter in – law who's hemoglobin post surgery went as low as 8, Hara Bhara Soup( Spinach/Palak Soup) gave such a boost that with in 15 days of taking this soup, without any supplement of iron her hemoglobin went to 12.2. So I strongly recommend this soup for one and all, especially when it is so tasty also.

Nutritional Value of Hara-Bhara Soup (Spinach Soup) / 250gm. spinach
Cal 50
Potassium1400mg.
Sugar 0%
Sodium 200mg.
Cholesterol 0 mg.
All Fats 0 mg.
Protein 7.5gm.
Carb 10gm.
Dietary fibers 5gm.

Vitamin A 469%, 

Vitamin B6 0%, 

Vitamin B120%, 

Vitamin C116%, 

Vitamin D0%,

Calcium 25%, Iron 41%

Magnesium 0%

Apart from this carrot adds to Vitamin C, Calcium, Vitamin A and Micro nutrients and Moong dal add Proten and other micro nutrients.

If cream is added then fat will be incorporated in the above said values.

Ginger, clove, cinnamon and other spices add not only the flavor but aslo help in aleviating cold, cough, sore throat.

Preparation Time: 5 min.

Cooking Time: 15 min.

Servings: 4 large servings (400- 500 ml.)

Ingredients Required for Making Hara Bhara Soup

• 250 gm Spinach leafs (1 Small bunch Palak)

• 20-30 gm. Carrot (1 Small)

• 5 Tea spoon Moong dal(30 – 40 gm.)

• 2 Tea spoon Cream (Optional)

• 1 Lemon

• Salt to taste

• 1 Inch piece of cinnamon

• 2-3 Cloves

• 1 Inch piece Ginger

• Water

Direction for Preparing Hara Bhara Soup:

• Remove the stalk from leaves of spinach (Palak).

• Discard the stalks and wash the leaves nicely with lots of water.

• Cut the spinach leaves and keep aside.

Cut Spinach Leaves

• Cut ginger to small pieces.

Ginger Pieces

• Cut carrot to small pieces.

Carrot pieces

• Wash Moong dal nicely.

Moong dal

• Take a pressure cooker and put

• Washed and cut leaves of spinach

• Pieces of carrot

• Moong dal

• Cinnamon stick

• Cloves

• Ginger

• Salt

• 250 ml. water

• Close the lid and keep the cooker on high flame till pressure builds in the cooker.

• Lower the flame and cook for 2-3 min.

• Remove the cooker from heat and let it cool.

Boiled Mixture

• Remove cinnamon stick.

• Put the cooled boiled ingredients in the blender and blend to a paste.

Paste of boiled mixture

• Add water to make it of the consistency (thickness) you prefer and give it a nice boil.

• Take it out in a glass or bowl and add dash of pepper powder and few drops of lemon juice

• Mix thoroughly.

Hara Bhara soup with out cream

• Add some cream and drink it piping hot 

Hara Bhara soup with cream

 Happy healthy diet.:)

Tips:

• The color of palak/spinach varies from dark green to light green so do not worry about the color of your Hara Bhara soup it will be any shade of green but taste always will be good.

• Cinnamon, cloves should be avoided by pregnant ladies.

• Red carrots add more taste to the soup.

• Don't over cook the soup mixture before or after grinding to paste, it will destroy the taste and color and of course over cooking always destroys nutrients.

• Do not blend boiled mixture when it is hot else it will spill from the blender due to steam formed.

Suggested Variations:

• Moong dal can be replaced by Masoor dal

• A 50:50 mixture of moong and masoor dal can also be taken.

• Moong dal without green covering (Dhuli moong dal) can be taken.

• Few sprigs of Coriander leaves can also be added as they increase the iron content, make the soup greener and certainly add flavor to the soup.

• One medium size onion can be added to the mixture of ingredients

• One medium size tomato can be added to the mixture of ingredients.

• 2-3 cloves of garlic can be added to change the flavor.