Lemon Coriander Soup

I am sure you all must have tasted this delicious soup in some Indo-Chinese restaurants. It is a very simple soup to make it will get ready in about 20 minutes. Add some quinoa/barley into the soup it will become a one pot meal. I tasted this for the first time when our friends Venu and Usha took us to a restaurant near their house. So, without further adieu, i give you the recipe for this light yet satisfying soup.

Perp time: 15 Minutes

Cook time: upto 20 minutes

Serving: upto 3

Ingredients:

1. Lemon Juice - 1/4 cup
2. Coriander - a handful, not too much though.
3. Green chili - 2 to 3 (more if you like it  very hot)
4. Vinegar - upto 3 tsp
5. Garlic - 4 pods grated/minced or upto 3 tsp paste
6. Water - upto 6 cups
7. Tofu - 1 cup diced (optional)
8. Mushroom - 1/2 cup finely chopped
9. Spring onions - 1 bunch, finely chopped
10. quinoa/barley - 1/4 cup (optional) [if you choose to use barley, soak it for 4 hours prior to use]
11. Corn Starch - 2 tsp (use only if not using quinoa or barley)
12. Salt - to taste
13. Oil - 2 tsp

Method:

• Heat oil in a pot which can hold all the ingredients.
• Saute garlic and spring onions for a minute.
• Add Mushroom and saute for a minute.
• Add water and 2 tsp vinegar and add quinoa or barley if you are using them and let it boil. 
• In the mean while, take the coriander, green chili, 1 tsp vinegar and two pinches of salt and make a paste of it.
• Add tofu and the paste to the soup and stir to mix well.
• Now add the paste, salt and boil for 5 minutes.
• If you are not using quinoa or barley, mix the corn starch in cold water and mix it in the soup while adding water in the beginning. 
• Add half of the lemon juice, stir and give it a taste, if it is not sour enough, add more till you get your desired taste. Add salt mix and enjoy this soup hot.

Tip:

If you do not eat green chili, you can eliminate it and use pepper powder instead. just add some cracked pepper in to the soup after it cooks and stir well.

Spinach Zucchini & Lemon Soup

Yes, an amazingly tasty and hearty soup for winter. Very easy to make and will certainly make you taste buds tango to the creamy tangy taste. Low fat and low calorie make it  good for health and can be a good starter as well. 

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

1. Zucchini - 1 medium, roughly chopped

2. Spinach - 1 whole big bunch, about 4 cups loosely packed.

3. Potato - 1 to 2 medium, chopped

4. Oil - 2 tbsp

5. Garlic - 4 pods, slightly smashed.

6. Oregano - 2 tsp dry or finely chopped fresh

7. Salt - to taste

8. Ground pepper - to taste

9 Jalapeno - 1 seeded and roughly chopped

10. Cilantro/ Green coriander - a handful

11. Olive oil - 1 tbsp [optional]

12. Onion - 1 medium roughly chopped

13. Celery - 2 stalks roughly chopped

Method:

1. Heat oil in a big pot. Add onions, dry oregano and a little salt, let it get transparent. 

2. Add potatoes and garlic and saute till potatoes sweat a little.

3. Add celery, jalapeno and let them sweat a little.

4. Add zucchini and saute till it sweats.

5. Add cilantro and spinach and close the lid till it all wilts and reduces in bulk.

6.  Add salt and pepper and enough water to almost cover all the contents and boil for 10 more minutes till potatoes are really well done.

7. Let it cool slightly and blend all the contents smooth. If you think it is too thick you can add a little more water.

8. Transfer blended soup to the pot, add fresh oregano now if you do not use dry. boil for 5 minutes. Squeeze 1 lemon's juice in to it and add olive oil and stir in the contents. Soup is ready to serve.

Serving Suggestion:

1. You can squeeze lemon  and add olive oil to individual serving bowls as per the individual's taste as well. 

2. Top it with a few croutons to make the soup more likable.

Tips:

Chop potatoes into thin slices to reduce cook time. Thinner cooks faster.

Easy tomato Soup

This soup cooks quick and tastes yumm! Good as a starter and any one will love it's taste.

Prep time: 10 to 15 minutes

Cook time: 10 to 15 minutes

Servings: approx 6

 

Ingredients:

1. Tomatoes - 5 to 6 medium or 1 6oz can of tomato paste

2. Celery - 2 stalks

3. Garlic - 2 pods

4. Onion - 1 small or 1/2 medium

5. Basil Dry - 2 to 3 tsp. Use fresh if on hand, you will need a little more than 3 tsp.

6. Oil - 2 tsp

7. Water/Vegetable stalk - Please eye ball it on how thick or thin you like. to start with add less water/stalk.

8. Fat free milk - 1/4 cup

9. Sugar - 1 to 2 tsp

10. Salt - to taste

11. Ground Black pepper - to taste

Method:

1. heat oil in a pot on medium heat. 

2. Add dry basil and minced or grated garlic to it and saute for a few minutes. If using fresh basil you will want to add it after adding tomatoes.

3. Add chopped onions preferably red onions, some salt  and saute till it turns slightly golden brown.

4. Add celery and saute for two minutes.

5. Add tomatoes and let it sweat for a few minutes. If you use paste, add a little water and cook it for 2 minutes. 

6. add sufficient water and salt and cook till the mixture boils for two minutes.

7. Run the cooked soup through blender till smooth.

8. transfer it to the pot, add ground black pepper, sugar and milk and cook for two more minutes.

9. sprinkle a pinch of fresh or dry basil, soup is ready to eat.

Tips:

1. You can add sour cream/cream if you wish.

2. Croutons go exceptionally well with this soup. Just make sure you add less salt to the soup if adding croutons.
3. For a Smoother soup, you may filter it after blending it.
4. You may also add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of carrots. Just saute it after celery and continue with the steps.

Suggestions:

you may add red bell pepper to the above recipe. Just saute chopped red bell pepper after celery and continue the process. Roasted red bell pepper gives a deeper flavour. To roast a bell pepper, just do it on a stove top grill or hold it on the flames of the stove. After roasting it, put it in a closed container or wrap it in the foil till is is cool to touch. peel the skin off, chop and continue with the soup process. Roasted bell pepper is also available in markets.

Corn Jalapeno soup

This is a hot and sweet soup perfect for a rainy/cold day. It makes a good starter for a lunch/dinner menu.

Prep Time: 10-15 minutes

cook Time: 15 minutes

Servings: approx 6

Ingredients:

1. Frozen or fresh corn kernels - 2 cups

2. Jalapeno - 1 to 2 seeded.

3. Celery - 2 stalks

4. Potato - 1 medium or 2 small

5. Scallions/Spring onion - 1 bunch

6. Red Bell pepper - 1 medium

7. Salt - to taste

6. Ground black pepper - to taste

 7. water/vegetable stalk - approx 3 to 4 cups. Please eye ball it.

 8. Oil - 2 tsp

9. Oregano dry - 2tsp, use fresh if on hand.

10. Parsley - 2 tsp. Use fresh if on hand.

11. Garlic - 2 to 3 pods

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pot.

2. Add the dry herbs and garlic and saute for 15 seconds.

3. Add scallions/spring onions and saute till they sweat. If you do not have scallions on hand use 1 small or half a medium onion. save a little green parts of scallion/spring onions for garnish later.

4. Add the potato pieces and saute for a few minutes by adding a little salt. This helps bring out moisture from the potatoes.

5. Add celery and bell pepper and saute for 2 minutes.

6. Add corn 1 1/2 cups and saute for a few minutes, add water/stalk and cook it till potatoes become tender. this may take upto 10 to 15 minutes. Save 1/2 cup corn for later.

7.  After everything gets cooked, blend all  the soup in a blender.

8. Heat the soup again adding desired amount of salt and ground black pepper. add the saved corn and cook for upto 5 minutes. 

9. Add the saved scallions/spring onions and soup is ready to eat.

Tips:

1. You can add some sour cream to the soup if you wish. It gives more creamy texture.

2. You can retain a few seeds of jalapeno, please remember just a few seeds go a long way.

3. Filter the soup if you don't like the corn kernel skin.