Cold Cucumber Soup

Spicy cucumber soup...

Ingredients (serves 4)

2 cucumbers peeled & chopped

1/2 inch piece ginger chopped

1-2 green chilies chopped

3 cups buttermilk

1/2 tsp white pepper powder

Salt to taste

2 tsp lemon juice

6-8 mint leaves

Few mint leaves to garnish

Method

Take chopped cucumber in a blender. Add ginger, green chilli, salt, white pepper powder and mint leaves and blend till smooth. Add buttermilk, lemon juice and blend again. Transfer into a serving bowl and chill. Garnish with mint leaves and serve.

Tips

Buttermilk should be lump free. If you do not have buttermilk, you can mix equal quantities of curd and water and whisk till smooth.

You can use Black pepper powder if you are out of white pepper powder.

Gazpacho Soup

Gazpacho is a tomato-based, raw vegetable soup & is widely consumed in the Spanish cuisine. It is mostly consumed during the summer months, due to its refreshing qualities and cold serving temperature. You can say it’s a salad in a blender :)

Ingredients (serves 4)
For Soup
3 cups ripe tomatoes chopped
1 cup peeled chopped cucumber
1 cup red capsicum finely chopped
1/2 cup red onion chopped
1/2 cup celery stick
4 cloves fresh garlic (optional)
1 tbsp Tabasco sauce OR 1/2 small hot green chilli
salt according to taste
1/4 cup cold water or more for desired consistency
1 tsp vinegar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tsp sugar

For Garnish
1/2 cup finely diced ripe tomatoes
1/4 cup finely diced chopped green pepper
1/3 cup celery stick finely diced along with leaves
1/2 cup cucumber chopped finely
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
pinch of salt

Method
For soup
Place all ingredients in the blender and pulse to the desired consistency.
Some people like their gazpacho smooth and creamy. Some people prefer a rustic consistency.

How to Proceed
Toss all ingredients of garnish in a bowl.
Add half of this mixture into the blended mixture and place soup in the fridge until completely chilled.
Allow at least a few hours for the flavours to fully infuse.
Pour in bowls or glasses. Garnish with remaining mixture and serve.

Tips
I made this soup without garlic & my family loved it, will be making it more often :)
Original recipe had grated avocado in garnish but I was out of it.
You can serve it with grilled French bread.
You can even leave this soup overnight as it gets better with age like a fine Spanish wine.

Lemongrass & Coriander Soup

A very light & healthy soup :)

Ingredients (serves 4)

Left over sticks of coriander

½ cup lemongrass

5 cups water

Few baby spinach leaves

1 tbsp fresh mint leaves (torn)

¼ cup fresh coriander (chopped)

1 cup finely cut vegetables (steamed)

Salt & pepper to taste

Method

Boil together coriander sticks and lemon grass. Strain and discard the sticks & lemon grass. Keeps the liquid aside.

Add all other ingredients and give a boil to soup.

Serve hot.

Tips

Remember to cover the pan when boiling coriander sticks & lemongrass, to keep the flavor inside.

Minestrone Soup

It is a thick soup of Italian origin made with vegetables, often with the addition of pasta or rice. There is no set recipe for minestrone, since it is usually made out of whatever vegetables are in season.

Ingredients (serves 4)

5 tomatoes

1 small beetroot

1/2 cup bottle gourd

1 small carrot

1 small stick celery OR Few basil leaves

½ tsp oregano

¼ tsp chili flakes

4 cups water/stock

Salt to taste

For garnish

4 tbsp stir fried vegetables (finely chopped)

2 tbsp boiled pasta (small)

Chopped coriander & grated cheese

Method

Pressure cook all vegetables with very little water and cool them.

Strain, add seasonings and stock.

Boil the soup.

Add stir fried vegetables.

Serve hot garnished with coriander & cheese.

Tips:

You can avoid celery if you don’t have, or use basil leaves instead.

Minestrone soup is little on the thinner side.

You can use any pasta in this.

I used stir fried green & yellow capsicum, beetroot, cabbage, carrot.

All stir fried vegetables should be finely chopped.

You can avoid cheese in the end.

Tomato Beetroot Soup

I experimented with vegetables & got this.... It Looks lovely and tastes yum !!

Ingredients (serves 4)

6 tomatoes chopped

1 beetroot chopped

1 cup chopped bottle gourd

1 cup chopped carrot

1 stick celery chopped

½ tsp jeera (cumin) powder

4 cups water/stock

Salt & pepper to taste

Chopped coriander for garnish

Method

Pressure cook all vegetables with very little water and cool them.

Strain, add seasonings and stock.

Boil the soup.

Serve hot garnished with coriander.

Tips:

You can avoid celery if you don’t have, or use basil leaves instead.

Bell Pepper Soup

No fuss soup :)

Ingredients (serves 2)

1 onion chopped

2 tomatoes chopped

1 red capsicum chopped

1 yellow capsicum chopped

Salt & Pepper to taste

1 tsp olive oil (or any other oil of your choice)

1 tbsp coriander chopped

2 cups water

Method:

Saute chopped onions in olive oil.

Add chopped tomatoes & bell peppers.

Cover & cook for few mins, till all the vegetables are soft.

Cool, blend & strain.

Add water, salt & pepper and boil for few mins.

Serve hot, garnished with coriander.

Tips:

Use Veg stock in place of water & make it yummier.

You can add sauted vegetables to this to make it healthier.

Basic Veg Stock

This stock really smells yummy !!

Ingredients (serves 4)

Left over sticks of spinach & coriander

1 celery stick

little ginger

2 cloves

1 bay leaf

4 black peppercorn

5 cups of water

Method:

Wash everything. Pressure cook. Cool and strain. Makes 4 cups.

Note:
Add stir fried vegetables to this & make yummy Veg Clear Soup.
Try using stock as soon as possible.
Don’t store the stock for more then 2 day.

Mulligatawny Soup

Protein soup for everyone :)

Ingredients (serves 4)
1 cup Toover (Arher) dal Or Pink Masoor dal
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 large tomato chopped
1 medium carrot chopped
1 tbsp coconut milk powder OR 1/2 cup coconut milk
2 tbsp cooked rice
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt & pepper to taste
Pinch of Garam masala powder

For Garnish- Stir fry 1 tbsp each of finely chopped carrot n French beans
1 tsp chopped coriander

Method:
Pressure cook dal along with turmeric powder, salt, tomato & carrot.
Cool, Blend and pass through a sieve.
Mix in coconut milk, if using powder then first add it to little water and mix in the dal.
Check the consistency of the soup and mix little water if needed. Remember this is not a thick soup.
Add cooked rice, vegetables, pepper powder & give a boil to the soup.
Add lemon juice & coriander in the end. Serve Hot.

Tips: If you want it little more spicy, add sambher masala while boiling.