Mushroom Soup

This soup is full of flavour and surpringly simple. Perfect for a cold rainy day, it can be prepared in less than 20 minutes.

Usually as per the traditional method a roux is made (flour, butter and milk mixture) and added to the soup. I prefer to make it in 1 pot and skip the flour. I add in the milk alongwith the mushrooms and cook it together and puree it. As it is thick enough, I avoid adding the flour.

Ingredients:

Fresh Button Mushrooms – 250 gms

Onion – 1 big

Chillie flakes – 1/2 tsp

Pepper powder – 1/2 tsp

Butter – 1 1/2 tsp

Garlic – 4 – 5 cloves

Bay leaf – 1

Milk – 1/2 cup

Parsley sprig or Rosemary sprig – 1

Vegetable stock or water – 1 1/2 cups

Fresh cream (optional) – 1/4 cup

Preparation:

Chop onions finely and wash and slice the mushrooms. Set them aside in a bowl separately. Chop the garlic and parsley or rosemary and keep them aside in separate bowls.

Heat oil in a pan. When it becomes hot, add the bay leaf, garlic and chopped onions. Stir them over medium heat until it turns slightly golden. Now, add the chopped mushrooms and saute. Add the red chillie flakes and pepper powder and saute for about 5 minutes. At this point, I usually remove some of the mushroom from the pan to add it into the soup later and also for garnish. Next, add in the milk, and the water and cook the mushrooms in it until it is fragrant.

Remove from fire and when it is cooled, transfer it to a blender and puree it in small batches until it is thick and smooth

If adding cream, return pot to flame and lower the flame. Slowly, add the cream and stir . Add half of the chopped parsley into the soup. Season it with salt.

Garnish with other half of the parsley and serve.

Pumpkin Soup

A silky pumpkin soup full of flavour and a perfect healthy food packed with Vitamin A and anti-oxidants, for the entire family.

Ingredients:

Yellow Pumpkin/Butternut Squash diced into cubes – 1 1/2 cups

Butter – 1/2 tbsp

Onion – 1 medium chopped

Carrot – 1/2 chopped

Water – 2 cups

Ground jeera/cumin – 1/2 tsp

Ginger powder – 1/4 tsp

Garlic chopped – 6 cloves

Pepper powder – 1/4 tsp

Red chillie flakes – 1/2 tsp

Vegetable or Chicken Stock cube – 1

Bay leaf – 1

Cream – 1/4 cup

Salt to taste

Lime juice – 1/2 – 3/4 tsp

Preparation:

Heat a pan. Add butter and melt it. When it starts to melt, add the bay leaf followed by chopped onions and garlic. Saute well. When the onions caramelise and turn slightly brown in colour, add the chopped carrots and diced pumpkins and saute for 3 – 4 minutes. When it starts to soften, add the cumin powder, pepper powder, red chillie flakes, ginger powder, salt and saute again for a good 2 – 3 minutes.

Add 2 cups of water and vegetable or chicken stock cube . When it starts to boil, lower the heat and simmer it for 10 minutes until the veggies are cooked.

Turn off the heat and take the pan off the stove. Using a hand blender, puree it or blend it to a fine paste in a mixie. Add the soup back over medium heat and stir the cream in to your desired consistency. Do not add the cream when the soup is very hot as it may curdle.

Add lime juice and serve hot. Garnish it with nuts and parsley.