Want to enjoy a soulful bowl of Gazpacho at home? Take a cue from celebrity chef Gautam Mehrishi, corporate executive chef, Club Mahindra and make this Fermented Roots and Bengal Gram Gazpacho at home in some easy steps.

Ingredients

·       700 gms baby carrots, grated

·       250 gms celery, chopped

·       400 gms golden beet, raw and grated

·       100 gms sprig of basil

·       200 gms roasted chana (Sattu -Bengal Gram)

·       Pink Salt

·       100 gms Fermented Plums

·       75 ml raw honey

·       100 gms yellow cherry tomatoes, chopped

·       60ml white wine vinegar

·       50 ml extra virgin olive oil

·       Garnish

·       50 gms Blanched Cherry Tomato

·       20 ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Method

• Place the grated vegetables into a bowl along with the herbs, salt, raw honey,and fermented plums.

• Transfer the mixture into a deep dish and push down to compress the vegetables. Leave to ferment in the fridge for at least two days, until the vegetables develop a slight acidity.

• Once the fermentation process has finished, remove the vegetables from the fridge and puree in a blender. Add the cherry tomatoes and blend until a smooth mix.

• Pass through a fine sieve and season to taste with a little vinegar, extra virgin olive oil and salt.

• Place the celery in a saucepan and cook for 10 minutes with the lid on, remove from the heat and add a little extra virgin olive oil, salt and allow to cool.

• When cool, blend the celeriac with water and sattu powder to obtain a smooth texture. Optional to smoke it with charcoal, rosemary and olive oil.

• To serve, pour the soup into a bowl or deep plate, sprinkle with blanched tomatoes and extra virgin olive oil.