The summer can be chilly in the San Francisco Bay Area. I aways turn to a soup for the evening supper. The easier soup to make is a creamy vegetable soup without using any cream. My favorite is a mixture of carrots, sweet potato and butternut squash. All three vegetables are available in their free form year-round in Northern California.
One of the main ingredients in this dish is the nutrient-dense spinach. Spinach is rich in vitamin K, vitamin A, iron and antioxidants which support heart health, strengthen bones, aid digestion and promote eye health. Another ingredient used
in this dish is rice, which provides quick-releasing energy along with iron, zinc and magnesium which support the immune system and muscular health.
On Diwali holidays, as opposed to sharing traditional gift items, people in India visit relatives and friends to exchange and share food. Popular food to share during Diwali in Indian households are sweets. I have fond memories of my mother making many different sweets, days before Diwali, and she would hide them to save for the holidays. She also made savory items. My favorite were “dhoklas.”
The word dal (also spelled daal or dahl) comes from the Sanskrit phrase “to split” and refers to a soup-like preparation of split peas, beans or lentils, which are staples in Indian cuisine.
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