6th Jan '08 written update

HOME-STYLE MIXED VEGETABLE SOUP

Ingredients

Carrots, diced 2 medium

Potato, diced 1 medium

Bottle gourd (doodhi/lauki), diced 100 grams

Tomatoes, quartered 4 medium

Oil 1 tablespoon

Cumin seeds teaspoon

Black peppercorns 7-8

Onion, thickly sliced 1 medium

Salt to taste

Sugar teaspoon

Method

1. Heat one tablespoon oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds and black peppercorns. When the cumin seeds begin to change colour add onion and saut for two minutes.

2. Add carrots, potato, bottle gourd and stir. Add salt and mix.

3. Add two cups of water, cover and cook till nearly done.

4. Add tomatoes and continue to cook, covered, till all the vegetables are completely cooked.

5. Strain and reserve the liquid. Cool the vegetables and then puree in a blender.

6. Transfer into a deep pan, add the reserved liquid and adjust consistency. It should be quite thick.

7. Bring the soup to a boil. Adjust salt, add sugar and stir.

8. Serve hot.

LEMON GRASS INFUSED CHICKEN AND CILANTRO SOUP

Ingredients

Lemon grass, sliced 2 inch stalk

Chicken, inch pieces 400 grams

Cilantro (fresh coriander leaves), roughly chopped 3 tablespoons

Chicken stock 4 cups

Button mushrooms, sliced 3

Ginger, sliced 2 inch piece

Onion, roughly chopped 1 medium

Kaffir lime leaves, bruised 2-3

Red capsicum, seeded and diced 1 medium

Salt to taste

Lemon juice 1 tablespoon

Fresh red chillies, diagonally sliced 2

Method

1. Pour chicken stock into a pan and heat. Add mushrooms, ginger, onion, bruised Kaffir lime leaves and red capsicum and bring to a boil. Add chicken and cook.

2. Add lemon grass, half the coriander leaves, salt, lemon juice and fresh red chillies. Cook till chicken is done.

3. Pour into a soup bowl. Garnish with the remaining coriander leaves and serve piping hot.

MINTED GREEN PEAS SOUP WITH CORN PEARLS

Ingredients

Fresh mint leaves 10-12

Green peas (shelled) 1 cup

Sweet corn niblets cup

Vegetable stock 3 cups

Butter 1 tablespoon

Garlic, finely chopped 2-3 cloves

Onion, finely chopped 1 small

Salt to taste

White pepper powder teaspoon

Milk 1 cup

Method

1. Put green peas in a mixer jar. Add fresh mint leaves and a little vegetable stock and blend till smooth.

2. Heat butter in a pan, add garlic and onion and saut for two minutes. Add the green pea puree, salt and white pepper powder and stir. Bring it to a boil.

3. Heat another pan, add sweet corn niblets, half a cup of water and salt and boil.

4. Cool the pea mixture a little and blend again. Transfer into a pan and add the remaining stock. Heat. Add milk and stir and bring to a boil.

5. Divide the boiled sweet corn into individual soup bowls and then pour over the pea soup.

6. Serve piping hot.