Tag Archives: quick soup

Lemon Coriander Soup

By Posted in Soups, What's cooking Tagged , , , , , 14 Comments

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Some soups are delightfully simple and flavoursome. Lemon coriander is one such. It is made with ingredients which are usually available at all times at home. It makes a wonderful start to a meal by teasing your taste buds but at the same time not killing your appetite.

Serves 3

Recipe adapted from here

WHAT WE NEED

Oil                                        1 tbsp

Ginger                                1″

Garlic cloves                     2-3

Spring onion white        2 tbsp

Onion, small                    1

Carrot, small                    1

Cabbage                            5-6 tbsp

Gram flour                       1 tbsp

Vegetable stock              3 cups

Coriander leaves            2 tbsp

Lemon juice                     2 tbsp

Salt & Pepper

 

WHAT TO DO

  • Heat oil. Finely chop the ginger, garlic, spring onion and onion and add to the oil
  • Once the onion is translucent, finely chop and add carrot and cabbage
  • Add gram flour and mix well
  • Add the vegetable stock and bring to a boil
  • Add salt and pepper and simmer for 3-4 minutes
  • Turn off the heat and strain the vegetables
  • Put the soup back on the heat
  • Add lemon juice and coriander leaves and bring to a boil
  • Turn off the heat and garnish with coriander leaves
  • Enjoy!

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This is my post for the September Mega Marathon under the theme – Soups.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 68

Oats Soup

By Posted in Soups, What's cooking Tagged , , , , , 13 Comments

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There are days when you run around with a million things to do with no time for a coffee or a meal and then there are days when things miraculously work out and you finish hours worth of work in minutes and actually have time to sit back and relax. When you chance upon such a day, I suggest you make this ridiculously easy oats soup and put up your feet with a book or watch the birds go by.

This is, again, like some of the other soups in this series, adding a pinch of this and a dash of that and transforming a simple daily affair to food for the soul. To be honest, I am not a fan of oatmeal and eat oats only when I bake something with it. But this soup is definitely becoming a staple at my home. Do try especially if you like the flavour of garlic –

Serves 2 (or just a greedy me)

Recipe adapted from here

WHAT WE NEED

Olive oil                         2 tsp

Garlic cloves                2-3

Ginger                            1″

Onion, small                1

Carrot, small                1

Quick cooking oats     1/3 cup

Water                              1 cup

Milk                                 1 cup

Salt & Pepper

Coriander leaves          for garnish

 

WHAT TO DO

  • Heat the oil. Chop the ginger and garlic finely and add to the oil
  • Once the garlic starts browning, finely chop and add the onions
  • After the onions turn translucent, add finely chopped carrot
  • Stir for 1-2 minutes on simmer and add oats
  • Fry for 2-3 minutes and then add water
  • Cover and cook for a minute
  • The oats should be cooked. If needed add 1/4 cup water
  • Add milk, salt and pepper and mix well
  • Turn off the heat after 1 minute
  • Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot
  • If it is kept for longer time, the soup tends to thicken. Add water or milk to dilute it to soup consistency
  • Enjoy!

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This post is for the September Mega Marathon under the theme – Soups.

 

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 68


Pudina Shorba

By Posted in What's cooking Tagged , , , , , 16 Comments

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Mint or Pudina is a flavour I like to add to whatever dishes I can. Mint, be it fresh or dried, has a strong flavour and makes its presence felt beautifully even when added in small quantities. My go-to recipes for a fresh bunch of mint leaves is either mint rice or raita. So an almost desperate need was felt to expand my repertoire of mint recipes and what better than to include a soup. I always assumed that a mint soup should be a cold one but this pudina shorba is a warm soup and delightful one at that. It takes off from where the raita ends and with some additional ingredients and flavours makes it a real treat to enjoy. So here goes –

Serves 3

Recipe adapted from here.

WHAT WE NEED

Curds                          1 1/2 cups

Gram flour                1 tbsp

Mint leaves               small bunch

Green chillies           2

Black peppercorns   8

Cumin seeds              1 tsp

Ginger                           1″

Fresh cream               1/3 cup

Salt

 

WHAT TO DO

  • Mix the curds and gram flour. Add a cup of water and whisk well so that no lumps are formed
  • Wash and chop the mint leaves, green chillies and ginger
  • Powder the peppercorns. Roast the cumin seeds
  • Blend the mint leaves, chillies, ginger and cumin seeds to a coarse mixture
  • Heat the curd mixture and once it is warm add the mint mixture, salt and crushed peppercorns
  • Add 1/2 cup of water and bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes
  • Take it off the heat and add the fresh cream
  • Serve hot
  • Enjoy!

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This is my post for the September Mega Marathon under the theme – Soups.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 68

Cucumber Soup

By Posted in Soups, What's cooking Tagged , , , , , 16 Comments

Does it ever happen to you that you want something out of context, something no one else would want in a particular situation? The exception is wanting to watch TV or play the day before exams. That everyone wants. But suddenly, I was hit with this craving for cold soup at this time of the year in Bangalore. The climate here is beautiful now with lovely breeze and a pleasant chill. You know, the kind when it is chilly but you don’t need a sweater? That amazing kind. It is also completely possible that I am exaggerating this because I have just returned after staying on the sun or Malaysia, as it is popularly known.

So here I was, enjoying my warm soups snuggling with my daughter and then one fine day i.e. yesterday I wanted or rather craved cold soup. Just like that. Luckily I had a cucumber and an old bookmarked recipe for the cold soup in hand and off I went to the kitchen. Needless to say, the melange of flavours in this soup is so amazing. There is yogurt and garlic and whoever thought of adding lemon to cucumber is a genius! So here goes –

Serves 2 ( or as you can see by the size of that cup, just me)

Recipe adapted from here.

WHAT WE NEED

Cucumber, large                  1

Curd / yougurt                      3/4 cup

Spring onions                      2 tbsp

Garlic                                      2 cloves

Juice of 1 lemon

Salt & pepper

WHAT TO DO

  • Peel the cucumber and dice into small pieces
  • Set aside few pieces for garnish
  • Add the cucumber pieces, yougurt, lemon juice and garlic cloves to a blender and blend until smooth
  • Add the spring onion, salt and pepper and blend again
  • Add more lemon juice if you like
  • Chill until ready to serve
  • Serve with a sprig of mint and the diced cucumber pieces
  • Enjoy!

 

This is my post for the September Mega Marathon under the theme – Soups.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 68

Lentil Ginger Soup

By Posted in Soups, What's cooking Tagged , , , , , 19 Comments

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If I ever get into a situation where I can have only one flavour to cook with, I would take ginger. It’s simply my favourite ingredient and finds its way into almost all my dishes. 

Today’s soup is a delectable combination of lentils, ginger and vegetables. My guess is this recipe should work with most vegetables though I went for the classic onion, spring onion and carrot. Cabbage or cauliflower or broccoli should also provide interesting flavours. So here goes –

Serves 3

 Recipe adapted from here.

WHAT WE NEED

Onion, large             1

Spring onion           1 small bunch

Carrot, small           2-3

Garlic                         3 pods

Ginger                       1 tsp

Red lentils                120 gms

Olive oil                     2 tsp

Vegetable stock       3 cups

Salt & pepper

WHAT TO DO

  • Heat the oil and add ginger and garlic
  • Cut the onion, Spring onion and carrot and add to the oil
  • Save some Spring onion for garnish
  • Cook for 2-3 minutes
  • Add the lentils and cook for a minute or so
  • Add the stock and salt and cover to cook
  • Once it starts boiling, simmer for 10 minutes 
  • Turn off the heat once the lentils are completely cooked
  • Purée the mixture to a smooth soup
  • Season with pepper or other dried herbs
  • Garnish with Spring onion 
  • Enjoy!

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NOTES

  1. If you are not keen on making a smooth puréed soup, you can simply mash the lentils and have the soup. If you want to do that, ensure you cut the carrots and onions finely. Else, you can cut them into medium sized cubes.

This is my post for the September Cooking Carnival under the theme – Soups.

 

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 68

Quick Potato Soup

By Posted in Soups, What's cooking Tagged , , , 21 Comments

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I did think of having sub themes for this mega marathon. But I am not close to being as ready for it as I wanted to be. To add to it, my freight is delayed and hence I am separated from my blender which is pretty essential for soups. So my sub theme is basically ‘Soups that need no/minimal use of blender’ till I lay my hands on my dearest blender.

So, no surprise, that a potato soup is in order. This one, like all my favorite dishes, has minimal ingredients, a quick cook time and can be mashed easily. So here goes –

Serves 3

Recipe adapted from here

WHAT WE NEED

Potatoes, large                      3

Onion, large                           1

Water                                     1/2 cup

Milk                                       2 cups

Coriander leaves                 2-3 tbsp

Salt & Pepper

 

WHAT TO DO

  •  Peel and chop the potatoes into small pieces. Chop the onions finely
  • Add both to a saucepan and pour enough water so as to almost cover them
  • Cover and cook till the potatoes are completely cooked
  • Mash them with a potato masher but leave a few chunks
  • Add enough milk to get the soup to your desired consistency
  • Season with salt and pepper
  • Garnish with coriander leaves
  • Enjoy!

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This is my third post for the September Mega Marathon under the theme – Soups.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 68

Spring Onion Soup

By Posted in Soups, What's cooking Tagged , , , , 23 Comments

 

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I have one of my favorite soups for today. Ever since I came across this recipe, I have been making it multiple times and surprisingly the husband likes it too. The nice part of it is the minimal ingredients required for deliciousness, most of which are usually available in the pantry at all times. So it can be made in almost a jiffy much to everyone’s delight.

So here goes –

Serves 3

Recipe adapted from here

WHAT WE NEED

Spring onion                     1 large bunch

Potato, medium                1

Garlic                                    3-4 pods

Soy sauce                            4-5 drops

Vinegar                                1/2 tsp

Olive oil                               2 tbsp

Water                                    3 cups

Salt & Pepper

WHAT TO DO

  • Finely chop the spring onions and set aside a few for garnishing
  • Peel and chop the garlic and potato
  • Heat the olive oil and add the garlic
  • Once the garlic starts browning, add the onion and fry
  • After 2-3 minutes, add the potatoes and fry for a couple of minutes
  • Add the water, salt and pepper and cook covered till the potato is completely cooked
  • Add the vinegar and soy sauce and simmer for 2 minutes
  • Turn off the heat and let it cool for 10 minutes
  • Blend into a smooth soup
  • Garnish with spring onion and serve warm
  • Enjoy!

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Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 68