Picture this, it’s a cold winter evening and you are all cuddled up in the blanket that you refuse to let go of since childhood. It is a little early for dinner and too late for tea but your body is craving something that warms up your belly. What you need here is a big ole’ bowl of hot soup!
Do you remember that soup your mom used to make, the one that used to feel like a warm hug? Well, we can’t promise your mom’s level of cooking but what we can promise is a bowl of really good vegetable soup that only not nourishes you but also keeps you warm.
Chef Kunal Kapoor in collaboration with Saffola Gold curated a recipe for a healthy soup perfect for winter. Packed with the goodness of vegetables, this soup is rich in fibre and low in fat but doesn't skimp on taste. Here’s how you can make it.
Ingredients
For soup
1 ½ tablespoon oil
2 teaspoons garlic chopped
2 teaspoons ginger chopped
1 teaspoon green chilli chopped
3 teaspoons spring onion chopped
1 tablespoons flour (all-purpose)
½ cup cabbage chopped
¼ cup carrots chopped
½ cup corn kernels (boiled)
¼ cup capsicum chopped
¼ cup beans chopped
½ cup green peas
½ cup potato diced (raw)
A sprig of basil leaves
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon chilli flakes
1 teaspoon thyme
Salt to taste
1 litre veg stock/water
Pepper powder
For Vegetable stock (Makes 1lt approx.)
1 onion (small)
Few gingers sliced
5-6 garlic cloves
7-8 peppercorns
1 bay leaf
A sprig of basil
A sprig of rosemary
A sprig of thyme
1 cup beans with trimmings
½ cup carrot dice & trimming
½ cup broccoli & trimmings
1 small piece of a broccoli stem
½ cup cauliflower & trimmings
1 small piece of a cauliflower stem
2 celery sticks
A handful of tomato trimmings
3 litres water
Method
Heat the oil in a pan with the chopped garlic and ginger. Add green chilies and spring onions to this and continue to stir for a minute.
Sprinkle some flour and continue cooking till a light sand-like colour appears. Add cabbage, carrots, corn kernels, capsicum, beans, peas and potatoes and cook for 5–7 minutes on high heat.
Drop in the basil sprig, oregano, chilli flakes, thyme, salt and vegetable stock. Cook till the veggies, especially the potatoes, are tender. Remove from heat and strain. Let the veggies cool, then grind them into a puree with the liquid.
Pour the creamy soup into a pan. Add water or stock to correct the consistency. If required, season with salt, pepper, and basil leaves. Bring it to a boil and serve hot.
Make the vegetable stock at home by combining all the ingredients in a pan and bring to a boil. Cook for an hour on low heat. Strain the liquid and allow it to cool completely.