CREAM OF BROCCOLI AND BURNT GARLIC SOUP

Ingredients

Broccoli, cut into florets 1 medium Garlic, halved horizontally 10-12 cloves Olive oil 2 teaspoons Onion , chopped 1 medium Bay leaf 1 Potato, peeled and chopped finely 1 medium Vegetable stock 3 cups Salt to taste Black pepper powder to taste Milk 1 cup Red capsicum, chopped 1 small

Method

Heat one teaspoon olive oil in a pan, add garlic and sauté till the garlic is burnt. Add onion and bay leaf and continue to sauté for a minute.Add potato, vegetable stock, salt and pepper powder. When the mixture comes to a boil, cover and cook till the potatoes are done. Remove the bay leaf and add broccoli florets. Stir and bring it to a boil again. Simmer for two minutes. Using a hand blender, blend the mixture to a smooth puree. Alternatively you can take it off the heat and blend in a blender till smooth. Add milk and bring it to a boil. Heat remaining olive oil in another pan, add red capsicum and sauté for a minute. Serve the soup piping hot in individual soup bowls, garnished with the red capsicum.

Soup

Carrot Soup

Ingredient

3 Cups Carrots (peeled and sliced)

5 tbsp Milk

2 Tomatoes

2 tsp Butter

½ tsp Garam Masala

2 tsp Garlic (peeled)

A pinch Black Pepper Powder

Salt to taste

Method

	Keep the carrots for cooking until their raw smell goes.
	Boil tomatoes in the water to remove the skin. Remove the seeds also.
	Blend together the tomatoes, carrots and garlic.
	Melt the butter in a heavy based vessel and add the above mixture.
	Allow it to cook for few minutes.
	Now add milk and again cook the mixture for sometime.
	Remove from the flame. Add a pinch of pepper powder, salt and garam masala to the soup.
	Carrot soup is ready to savor. Serve hot.

SOUR VEGETABLE SOUP

Preparation Time : 5 minutes Cooking Time : 15 minutes

Ingredients

Carrot, chopped 1/2 medium Cabbage, chopped 1/4 small French beans, chopped 4-6 Green capsicum, chopped 1/2 medium Bamboo shoots, sliced 1 medium Cornflour/ corn starch 2 tablespoons Oil 2 tablespoons Garlic, chopped 2-3 cloves Onion , chopped 1 medium Ginger, chopped 1 inch piece Mushrooms, chopped 2 Celery, chopped 2 inch stalks Soy sauce 2 tablespoons Sugar 1/2 teaspoon MSG 1/2 teaspoon Vegetable stock 4-5 cups Green chilli sauce 2 tablespoons Salt to taste Vinegar 2 tablespoons White pepper powder 1/2 teaspoon Spring onion greens, chopped 1 stalk

Method

Boil bamboo shoot slice in one cup of water for two to three minutes. Drain and chop finely. Dissolve cornflour in quarter cup of water and set aside.Heat oil in wok on high heat. Add garlic, onion and ginger and stir-fry briefly. Add chopped French beans, carrot, mushrooms, bamboo shoot, celery and stir fry. Add soy sauce, sugar, MSG and mix. Add vegetable stock and mix. Add green chilli sauce, cabbage and green capsicum and continue to cook. Add the cornflour mix and let the soup thicken. Add salt to taste, vinegar and white pepper powder. Sprinkle finely chopped spring onion greens and take off the heat. Serve hot.

Vegetable soup

Carrot and bottle gourd soup thickened with potatoes. Preparation Time : 1 minutes Cooking Time : 20 minutes

Ingredients

Carrots, diced 2 medium Potato, diced 1 medium Bottle gourd (lauki/doodhi), diced 100 grams Tomatoes, quartered 4 medium Oil 1 tablespoon Cumin seeds 1/2 teaspoon Black peppercorns 7-8 Onion , sliced 1 medium Salt to taste Sugar 1/2 teaspoon

Method

Heat one tablespoon oil in a pan.Add cumin seeds and black peppercorns. When the cumin seeds begin to change colour add onion and sauté for two minutes. Add carrots, potato, bottle gourd and stir. Add salt and mix. Add two cups of water, cover and cook till nearly done. Add tomatoes and continue to cook, covered, till all the vegetables are completely cooked. Strain and reserve the liquid. Cool the vegetables and then puree in a blender. Transfer into a deep pan, add the reserved liquid and adjust consistency. It should be quite thick. Bring the soup to a boil. Adjust salt, add sugar and stir. Serve hot.

CELESTIAL VEGETABLE SOUP

A colorful vegetable soup preparation Preparation Time : 5 minutes Cooking Time : 10 minutes

Ingredients

Carrot, cubed 1 medium Green peas, shelled 1/2 cup Vegetable stock 3 cups Cornflour/ corn starch 2 tablespoons Oil 1 tablespoon Green capsicum, cubed 1 medium Mushrooms, quartered 8-10 Corn niblets 2 tablespoons Salt to taste Sugar a pinch Whole dry red chillies, crushed 1/2 teaspoon

Method

Boil carrot and green peas in vegetable stock for two to three minutes. Set aside. Dissolve cornflour in half a cup of water. Heat oil, add capsicum and mushrooms and cook for two to three minutes on high heat. Add warm vegetable stock along with carrot, green peas and sweet corn niblets. Bring to a boil. Add salt to taste, sugar and crushed red chillies. Add blended cornflour, stirring continuously. Cook on high heat for one minute. Serve piping hot.

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CARROT-AND-ALMOND-SOUP

The colour of carrot and the richness of almonds make this soup extra special Preparation Time : 10 minutes Cooking Time : 10 minutes

Ingredients

Carrots, chopped 4 medium Almonds 12-15 Olive oil 2 teaspoons Leeks, chopped 1 medium Onion , chopped 1 medium Fresh bread crumbs 2 tablespoons Salt to taste Black pepper powder 1/4 teaspoon

Method

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add leek, onion, carrots and ten to twelve almonds. Cook for a minute. Add salt, pepper, fresh bread crumbs and mix. Add four cups of water and boil for ten minutes.Strain. Grind the vegetables in a mixer with chilled water (in case the vegetables are hot). Sliver the remaining almonds. Boil the strained liquor. Add the pureed vegetables and stir to mix well. Simmer for five minutes and serve piping hot garnished with almond slivers.

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Tip

* Refrigerate mushrooms and eggplant in paper rather than plastic bags to keep them from developing soft, slimy spots.

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CREAM OF ASPARAGUS AND ALMOND SOUP

A light green color creamy soup enriched with almonds. Preparation Time : 15 minutes Cooking Time : 15 minutes

Ingredients

Asparagus 300 grams Almonds 10-12 Salt to taste Butter 2 tablespoons Onion , chopped 1 medium Refined flour (maida) 2 tablespoons Vegetable stock 2 1/2 cups Black peppercorns, crushed 4-5 Milk 2 cups

Method

Trim the asparagus, discarding the woody part of the stem. Cut the remainder into short lengths, keeping a few tips for garnish. Blanch the tips in sufficient boiling salted water for one to two minutes. Drain and refresh. Blanch the remaining asparagus in sufficient boiling water for two to three minutes. Drain and refresh. Puree in a blender. Set aside. Broil or dry roast almonds on medium heat till almond skin changes colour slightly. Remove from heat, cool and slice into slivers. Set aside. Melt butter in a pan and add onion. Sauté over low heat until soft. Stir in the refined flour and cook for one minute, then gradually add the stock and whisk so that no lumps are formed. Bring the mixture to a boil. Simmer for two to three minutes or until thickened, then stir in asparagus puree, salt and crushed peppercorns. Add milk and simmer for two to three minutes, stirring continuously. Serve hot garnished with asparagus tips and almond slivers.

CORN SOUP

A very nutritious soup. Preparation Time : 2 minutes Cooking Time : 12 minutes

Ingredients

Corn kernels 1/2 cup Creamed sweet corn 1 /12 cups Butter 2 tablespoons Onion , chopped 1 small Garlic, chopped 2 cloves Milk 1 cup Salt to taste Black pepper powder 1 tablespoon

Method

Heat butter in a large saucepan and saute chopped onion and garlic on medium heat for three minutesAdd fresh corn and one cup of water and cook till corn is soft. Add creamed sweet corn and stir. Mix milk with and three cups of water and add to the corn mixture. Bring it to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for a while. Add pepper powder and salt to taste. Stir and serve piping hot.

ASPARAGUS SOUP

Asparagus adds a special touch to this whole and flavourful soup.

Preparation Time : 15 minutes

Cooking Time : 25 minutes

Ingredients

Asparagus 400 grams Olive oil 3 tablespoons Garlic 3 cloves Onion , roughly chopped 1 medium Potato, thinly sliced 1 medium Bay leaf 1 Salt to taste Fresh basil leaves 20 Vinegar 1 tablespoon Eggs 4 Milk 1 cup

Method

Trim the tips of the asparagus. Peel the bottom end of the stalks and chop them roughly. Heat one tablespoon oil in a deep pan, add garlic, onion and potato and saute. Add bay leaf and continue to saute for two minutes. Add salt and stir. Add asparagus and stir. Add one cup of water to the first pan and cook till asparagus becomes soft. Heat one tablespoon oil in another pan, add the asparagus tips and saute for two minutes. Drain and set aside for garnish. Heat the remaining oil in the pan. Roughly chop basil leaves and crush them in a mortar with a pestle. Add the hot oil and mix and set aside to cool. Remove the bay leaf from the asparagus mixture, transfer the asparagus and potatoes into a blender. Add a little cold water and blend into a puree. Let the cooking liquor remain in the pan. Strain the basil-oil mixture through a muslin cloth and squeeze to remove all the oil. Pour water into a pan and add a little vinegar and heat. Place the ring mold in the center. Break an egg in a bowl and gently slide it into the ring mold and poach. Gently scoop the white over the yolk and cook till set. Cook the remaining eggs similarly. Pour the puree into the cooking liquor remaining in the deep pan. Add milk and stir. Adjust salt and let the soup heat through. Transfer soup into individual soup bowls. Gently lift the poached eggs from the water and place one over the soup in each bowl. Garnish with asparagus tips. Drizzle the basil oil and serve piping hot.