A hot bowl of soup in the monsoon is the perfect way to warm you up on a rainy day and make you feel good about life. A perfect starter, a nutritious mid-week snack and a light dinner option, a bowl of soup can be enjoyed at any time of the day to satiate your craving and keep you full. Soups are also a storehouse of nutrients, considering the many healthy ingredients we can add to them, from fresh vegetables and proteins, to healthy carbs. Fitness enthusiasts with hectic schedules can definitely trust this one-pot meal to lose weight in a healthy way. Monsoons bring a host of infections and soups are a great antidote for times when you are sick. Here are a few that you can try making in your kitchen.
ROASTED TOMATO AND BASIL SOUP
INGREDIENTS
12 tomatoes cut in half
2 onions sliced
6tbsp olive oil
4 sprigs of thyme
6 garlic cloves
1l vegetable stock or chicken stock
1tsp red chilli powder
1 small bunch of basil leaves cut into shreds
1 cup heavy cream, or according to taste
Salt and pepper to taste.
METHOD
There are two methods. One is roasting in the oven. The other one is straight sauteing in the pot.
Add 2tbsp olive oil to the roasting pan. Add the sliced onions, garlic, tomatoes and thyme sprigs. Add the rest of the oil and coat the vegetables well and scatter it in the tray. Bake for 30 minutes at 200°C.
Transfer the roasted tomatoes to a large pot. Remove the sprigs of thyme. Add chilli powder, salt and pepper to taste. Add basil. Add all the stock. Simmer for 20 minutes.
Blend the stock with a stick blender till nice and smooth.
Add cream and stir well. Let it simmer on low for about 5 minutes.
Serve hot with croutons or garlic bread.
BROCCOLI ALMOND SOUP
INGREDIENTS (To serve 4)
2tbsp olive oil
1 onion roughly chopped
6 garlic cloves
2 stalks celery roughly chopped
18-20 almonds roughly chopped
1l hot water
Salt to taste
250g broccoli
Stock as required
Black pepper to taste
METHOD
Heat oil in a deep pan. Add onions, garlic and celery. Stir and cook over high flame for 2 minutes.
Add hot water along with salt and almonds. Stir well. Bring water to a boil.
Now add broccoli and cover and cook over high flame till broccoli becomes tender and soft. Then switch off flame.
Now strain the mixture using a sieve to separate the broccoli-almond mix from the stock. Reserve the stock.
Let the mixture cool down. Then in a mixie blender jar blend it with the stock till smooth.
Strain the puree into a deep pan and switch on flame to a high, stir well to check the consistency of the soup as per your preference.
Now bring the soup to a simmer. Check for seasoning.
Serve hot with your choice of bread etc.
You can sprinkle some shredded almonds for decoration if you wish.
CREAM OF MUSHROOM SOUP
INGREDIENTS
700g button mushrooms
1 large potato sliced thinly
1 leek sliced thinly
1 onion sliced
6 garlic cloves
6 sprigs of thyme
1l stock
80g butter
Small bunch of parsley
2tbsp olive oil
1 cup cream or according to taste. You can add more
METHOD
In a large pot, add butter and melt over medium heat. Then add onion and leek first. Let it sweat for 2 minutes. Then add potato, thyme and garlic. Add the stock and bring to a gentle simmer.
Slice the mushrooms and saute in a frying pan with the olive oil. Cook for 3 minutes stirring and tossing.
Add the mushrooms to the pot. Season with salt and pepper. Remove the thyme sprigs.
Blend the soup with a blender stick till smooth.
Add cream and simmer on low flame for 10 minutes.
When serving, garnish with parsley. You can add croutons just before serving. You can have with garlic bread topped with grated cheese and baked.
TIBETAN VEGETABLE THUKPA SOUP
INGREDIENTS (To serve 4)
For Thukpa paste
1½ inch ginger chopped fine
1½ large onion chopped
6 fresh red chillies chopped
Salt to taste
2 medium tomatoes chopped
2tsp sesame oil
2tbsp coriander stems
For noodles
1 packet noodles
1l water
1tsp oil
Salt to taste
For chilli oil
⅓ cup oil
4 cloves garlic chopped fine
2tsp toasted sesame seeds
2tbsp chilli flakes
1½tsp light soya sauce
For the Thukpa
2tsp oil
Prepared paste
10-12 mushrooms sliced
2 medium carrots jullienned
4-5 cups vegetable stock
8-10 French beans cut diagonally
¼ cup spring onions chopped
½tsp vinegar
2tsp sesame oil
METHOD
For Thukpa paste
In a bowl, add ginger, onion, tomatoes, coriander stems, red chillies, salt and sesame oil.
Transfer to a grinder jar and make a smooth paste. Keep aside.
For boiling noodles
In a pot add water. When it starts boiling add noodles and boil for 6-7 minutes on high flame. Transfer to a tray and add oil and mix well.
For chilli oil
In a pan, add oil, garlic, sesame seeds and chilli flakes and cook for 1 minute. Add soya sauce. Mix well. And keep aside.
For the Thukpa
In a pan, heat oil. Add the prepared Thupka paste and cook for a few minutes until it thickens slightly.
Add mushrooms, cabbage, carrots and saute for a few minutes until half-cooked.
Add vegetable or chicken stock and simmer for a while. Add French beans, spring onions and vinegar and let it boil for 5 minutes.
Add sesame oil. Transfer to a bowl. Put some boiled noodles. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and prepared chilli oil.
NOTE: In case you want to prepare with chicken, then cut boneless chicken into flat thin slices. Add when sauteing the Thukpa paste.
SPINACH POTATO SOUP
INGREDIENTS (To serve 4)
1 big bunch of spinach, washed and chopped fine.
½ cup cream
½ cup leeks chopped fine
1 onion sliced fine
2 potatoes diced
1 cup milk
2tbsp butter
Salt to taste
1 sprig thyme
1tsp garlic crushed
½tsp black pepper
A pinch of nutmeg
Vegetable stock if needed
METHOD
In a pot, heat butter. When it melts add onions, leeks, thyme and garlic. Sauté till onion is translucent.
Add potatoes, salt and spinach. Add milk. Let it cook till potatoes are tender and soft.
Now blend everything in a mixie jar till smooth.
Now add cream and a pinch of nutmeg.
Serve hot with garlic bread, croutons, crusty bread, etc.
MINESTRONESOUP
INGREDIENTS
1 large onion
4 large cloves of garlic crushed
1 leek chopped finely
2 medium carrots chopped small
2 zucchini chopped small
2 celery stalks chopped fine
1 cup frozen peas
½ cup cabbage julienned
4tbsp chopped parsley
1 bunch fresh basil, chopped
1 cup red kidney beans cooked
400g tomatoes grated
1 cup cut macaroni shells
6 sprigs thyme (which you remove in the end), or 1tsp dried thyme
1 bay leaf
2tbsp tomato paste or puree
Parmesan cheese to grate on top of the soup
2l vegetable stock
6tbsp olive oil
METHOD
In a large pot, heat oil on medium flame and add onions, thyme and garlic. Sweat it out. Then add leek, celery and carrot. Mix well and cook till tender but not soft.
Now add cabbage and zucchini. Lower the heat.
Now add stock, tomatoes, peas, tomato paste, basil and bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer gently for 15 minutes.
Add beans and pasta. Cook for 10 minutes till pasta is al dente. Check for seasoning.
Add some chopped parsley leaves.
Serve with grated Parmesan cheese directly into individual soup bowls.
(NOTE: Minestrone is quite a flexible soup. You can use any type of pasta and vegetables like green beans, chard, spinach, etc. You can even put a teaspoon of pesto in the centre before serving for an extra kick of basil hit)
Serve with bread, preferably toasted and laced with extra virgin oil.
Please do not overcook the vegetables or pasta. They should be slightly al dente for that extra texture.
(NOTE: If using fresh thyme sprigs, always remove after cooking. In case you do not get fresh thyme then dried can be used, not more than 1tsp, which will be equal to 6 sprigs of thyme.)
Durri Bhalla is a cookery expert and author of Indian Bohra Cuisine and Inner Truth To Good Health And Weight Loss. You can find her @durribhallakitchen on Instagram, @Durribhallakitchen on Facebook and Durri Bhalla on YouTube
