Grab a bowl of soup

CREAM OF TOMATO SOUP

Ingredients: Ten farm fresh tomatoes chopped; two onions chopped; two grated carrots; two grated red radishes; four cups of water; 1 tsp of sugar; 2 tbsps of fresh cream; a handful of chopped parsley or fresh coriander chopped; a cup of croutons; white or black pepper powder; salt to taste; 2 tbsps of butter; 2 tbsps of maida and 1½ cups of milk.

Method: Place chopped tomatoes, onions, carrots and red radishes along with four cups of water in a small pressure cooker and cook them till the cooker emits three whistles. Cool and strain the vegetables. Don’t discard the water used to cook the vegetables. Blend the cooked vegetables in a blender with a cup of the stock. To make the thickening paste, take a pan and melt the butter. Add maida, keep on stirring the mixture and add milk. To this, add the puréed vegetables. Mix well and strain the soup again. Place the strained liquid on the heat again and add a seasoning of salt, pepper and chopped coriander. Serve with croutons and a dollop of fresh cream.

CLEAR SOUP

Ingredients: Four cups of water; 2 soup cubes, 1 or 2 tbsps of red chilli sauce, a tsp of maida, a tbsp of butter, 1½ cups of mixed vegetables (cabbage, spinach, onion, carrot and tomato); spring onions greens, parsley or fresh coriander for garnishing; salt and pepper to taste.

Method: Pour four cups of water in a pan and add the soup cubes, vegetables, red chilli sauce, salt and pepper. Boil the soup mixture for 10 minutes. In another pan, melt butter and add maida. Sauté these, and gradually add a cup of water. Add this paste to the boiling soup and cook for a minute. Garnish with spring onion greens and coriander.

FRENCH ONION SOUP

Ingredients: Four chopped onions; 5 cups of water; 2 soup cubes; 2 bay leaves; a few fresh sprigs of basil or coriander; 50 gm of grated cheese; a cup of croutons; 1½ tbsps of butter; 1½ tbsps of maida; salt, pepper and red chilli flakes for seasoning.

Method: Heat butter in a pan and add chopped onions to it. Fry till the onions turn golden in colour. Add maida and sauté lightly. To this, add 5 cups of water, soup cubes, bay leaves, salt, pepper and chilli flakes. Boil for 10 minutes. Take an oven-safe dish and arrange the croutons in it. Spread the soup on the croutons, and sprinkle grated cheese on top. Bake the soup in the oven for 5 minutes. Garnish with basil or coriander.

BONDA SOUP

Ingredients (for the bonda): A cup of soaked urad dal; 2 tbsps of soaked rice; an inch of chopped ginger; a pinch of cooking soda and salt to taste. Other ingredients: Half a cup of pressure cooked moong dal; 2 tbsps of oil; 1 tsp of cumin seeds; a sprig of curry leaves; 4 green chillies; an inch of ginger; 2 chopped onions; 2 chopped tomatoes; 2 tbsps of grated coconut; fresh coriander; salt to taste.

Method: Drain the water from the soaked urad dal and grind into a thick paste without adding water. Add salt, cumin seeds, ginger, cooking soda to the bonda batter and mix well. Make lemon-sized balls and deep fry them. For the soup, heat oil in a pan, and add cumin seeds, curry leaves, green chillies and onion. Sauté them and add tomatoes. Once the tomatoes are tender, add cooked moong dal. Garnish the soup with grated coconut and coriander. Serve the soup with the bondas.