SWEET CORN & VEGETABLE SOUP

SWEET CORN &  VEGETABLE SOUP

In our house, winter time is soup time! Primarily because of the weather we prefer to have soups with dinner. Elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes for different types of soup such as Lemon & Coriander Soup, Green Peas & Mint Soup, and Spinach Soup.

Today's recipe is for a soup made with sweet corn and vegetables like carrots, cauliflower and French beans. I would urge you to try this out for yourself. I am sure you will love it especially when it is piping hot while it is cold and windy outside.

It has been adapted from Sweet Corn & Vegetable Soup by Tarlaji Dalal and is part of her collection of Chinese Soups.

As you will see from the ingredients listed below, while most of the sweet corn is used in boiled form, some amount has to be lightly crushed after it has been boiled. This soup is served with chillies in vinegar which can be made quite easily.

Ingredients: 

• Sweet Corn Kernels,  boiled, 1 and 1/4 cups 
• Sweet Corn Kernels,  boiled and crushed, 1/4 cup 
• Carrots, 1/3 cup
• Cauliflower,  1/3 cup
• French Beans, 1/3 cup 
• Cornflour, 4 tbsp
• Butter, 1 tbsp
• Ginger, finely chopped, 1 tsp 
• Garlic, finely chopped, 1 and 1/2 tsp 
• Salt, to taste
• Pepper, to taste
• Chillies in Vinegar  - for serving with the soup

Method:

Wash the carrots, cauliflower and French Beans, finely chop them and boil them together in a pan in adequate water. Keep aside.

Pressure cook the sweet corn cobs in adequate water for 2 whistles and once they are cool enough to handle, remove the sweet corn kernels to get 1 and 1/2 cups. Out of this, lightly crush 1/4 cup of boiled sweet corn kernels and keep aside.

Heat the butter in a deep non-stick pan, and when the butter melts add the finely chopped ginger and garlic. Saute on medium flame for a few seconds or till it gives off a good aroma. 

To this add the boiled sweet corn kernels as well as the boiled and crushed sweet corn kernels and the finely chopped and boiled vegetables 

Mix well and cook on medium flame for 1 minute stirring continuously

Next add 4 cups of water , the prepared cornflour-water mixture, salt, and pepper and mix well

Cook on medium flame for 4-5 minutes stirring from time to time so that the cornflour does not get burnt at the bottom of the pan 

Serve hot immediately along with the chillies in vinegar

SWEET CORN & CAPSICUM SOUP

SWEET CORN & CAPSICUM SOUP

As is often said, "Winter time is soup time." We make soups from time to time as they are tasty and
healthy too. Elsewhere in this blog you will find recipes for a variety of soups such as Beetroot Soup, Green Peas & Mint Soup, and Tomato & Carrot Soup.

This is a filling Mexican soup adapted from Sweet Corn & Capsicum Soup by one of my favourite cookery experts, Tarlaji Dalal. This soup was unique for me because of the smoky flavour of the roasted capsicum which was a delight, in combination with the innate sweetness of the corn.

If you wish to make it more spicy remember to add chilli sauce or tabasco sauce. We loved this soup and would recommend it to you.

Ingredients:

• Sweet Corn Kernels, boiled, 1 and 1/2 cups
• Capsicum, medium-sized, 1
• Oil, for brushing
• Milk, 1/2 cup
• Butter/ Oil, 1 tbsp
• Onions, finely chopped, 1/4 cup
• Cornflour, 1 tsp dissolved in 1/4 cup water *
• Salt, to taste
• Freshly ground Pepper Powder, to taste

Method:

Using a brush apply a little oil on the capsicum, then pierce it with a skewer or fork and lightly roast  the capsicum over a flame by turning it till the skin blackens evenly.

Place the roasted capsicum in a bowl of water and after it cools remove the skin by rubbing the capsicum with your fingers

Also remove the stem and seeds. Chop the capsicum finely and keep aside

In a mixer, grind together the sweet corn kernels, milk and 3/4 cup of water to a smooth paste. Keep aside

Heat the butter/oil in a kadhai, add the finely chopped onions and saute on medium flame for 1-2 minutes

Add the roasted and chopped capsicum, mix well and saute on medium flame for a couple of minutes

To this add the ground corn mixture, mix well and cook on medium flame for 1-2 minutes stirring from time to time

Add 1/2 cup of water and the prepared cornflour-water, mix well and cook on medium flame till the soup thickens stirring continuously as otherwise the soup may get burnt at the bottom

Add salt, mix well and cook on medium flame for 1-2 minutes stirring continuously

Lastly, add the freshly ground pepper powder, sauces as per taste, mix well and serve hot.

*Tip: Do not dissolve the cornflour in hot water as it will then form lumps
* Once you add the cornflour slurry, it is essential that you stir continuously

TOMATO & PANEER SOUP

TOMATO & PANEER SOUP

As we head into the winter, I make soups more often as they are healthy and nutritious. Elsewhere in this blog you will find recipes for Red Pumpkin Soup, Spinach Soup, and Carrot Soup.

I liked the combination of tomato and paneer (cottage cheese) in this recipe adapted from MasterChef Sanjeev Kapoor's book, "Simply Indian".

To save time, I made this soup using water but you could make vegetable stock and use it instead. A nice feature of this soup is that you get to eat the paneer cubes as you enjoy the soup.

Ingredients:

• Tomatoes, medium-sized, 5
• Paneer (Cottage Cheese), 100 gms
• Onion, medium-sized, 1
• Ginger, 1 " piece
• Garlic, 4 cloves
• Green Chillies, 2
• Tomato Ketchup, 4 tbsp
• Water, 4 cups
• Salt, to taste
• Pepper, crushed, 1/4 tsp
• Rice Powder, 1/2 tbsp
• Fresh Coriander Leaves, a few sprigs
• Oil, 2 tsp

Method:

Cut the paneer into small cubes and keep aside
Wash and chop the tomatoes.
Chop the onion
Peel, wash and chop ginger and garlic.
Wash and chop the green chillies and fresh coriander leaves.
Add 1/2 cup of water to 1/2 tbsp of Rice Powder to make a smooth paste, without any lumps. Keep aside.

Heat oil in a thick-bottomed pan and when it gets hot add the chopped onion. Saute on high flame till it becomes translucent
Add the chopped ginger and garlic and saute for a couple of minutes.
Add the chopped tomatoes, green chillies and saute for a minute
Next add the tomato ketchup, and water and bring the mixture to a boil
Let the mixture cool, then mash and strain it through a strainer
Puree the vegetables that remain and add it to the soup
Heat the soup on medium flame and allow it to simmer
Add the salt and crushed pepper and mix well
To this add the paneer cubes and the rice powder paste to thicken the soup
Cook for a minute on medium flame
Serve hot garnished with chopped fresh coriander leaves

SWEET CORN & SPRING ONION SOUP

SWEET CORN & SPRING ONION SOUP

With the weather being somewhat inclement in Bengaluru, many have taken to bed with bouts of cough, cold, fever and the like. We too had our share of cough and cold. During this time I made several soups to supplement our diet as they are both filling and healthy.

There are different types of soup. Some are rich and thick while others are light and clear. Elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes for Spinach Soup, Beetroot Soup, Mushroom Soup, and Lemon & Coriander Soup. 

A few days ago I tried out another soup, adapted from Sweet Corn & Spring Onion Soup by MasterChef Tarlaji Dalal. It turned out to be excellent and we enjoyed this thick and rich soup. The spring onions proved to be the perfect foil for the sweet corn.

I hope you will enjoy this soup as much as we did.

Ingredients:

• Sweet Corn Kernels, 1 cup
• Spring Onion Whites, chopped, 1 cup
• Spring Onion Greens, chopped, 1/2 cup
• Garlic, finely chopped, 1 tsp
• Salt, to taste
• Black Pepper, freshly ground, to taste
• Oil, 1 tsp

Method:

In a mixer, blend together the sweet corn kernels with a cup of water to get a coarse mixture. Keep aside

Heat oil in a non-stick kadhai and when it gets hot add the chopped spring onion whites and chopped garlic

Saute on medium flame for 2-3 minutes

To this, add the ground mixture of corn and water, salt, and 2 cups of water

Mix well and cook on medium flame for 6-7 minutes, stirring from time to time

Next add the spring onion greens and the freshly ground black pepper

Mix well and cook on medium flame for 2 minutes again stirring from time to time

Serve hot

BEETROOT SOUP

BEETROOT SOUP

I try to make soups from time to time as they are both nutritious and healthy. Elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes for Mushroom Soup, Spinach Soup, and Lemon & Coriander Soup.

The recipe I share today is for Beetroot Soup which I particularly like as beetroots have many health benefits. The use of other vegetables in this soup makes it that much more nutritious too.

If you wish you can enhance the taste of the soup by adding fresh cream.

Ingredients:

• Beetroot, large-sized, 1
• Onion, 1,  
• Garlic Cloves, grated, 2
• Oil, 2 tsp
• Carrot, 1  
• Potato, medium-sized, 1 
• Tomato, medium-sized, 1 
• Salt, to taste
• Pepper Powder, 1/4 tsp or to taste
• Juice of 1/2 a Lemon 
• Mint leaves, for garnish

Method:

Wash, peel and cut the beetroot, onion, carrot, potato, and tomato into small pieces

Heat oil in a cooker, add the chopped onion and grated garlic and saute on medium flame for a couple of minutes 

Next add the chopped beetroot, carrot, and potato and saute on medium flame for 2-3 minutes

Then add the chopped tomato and saute for another couple of minutes till they become soft

Pressure cook these vegetables by adding 2 and 1/2 cups of water for 3-4 whistles

Allow the cooker to cool completely
Transfer the contents to a mixer and blend till smooth
Pour the soup into a pan
Adjust the consistency of the soup by adding water, if required
Add salt, pepper powder, and lemon juice
Mix well and cook on medium flame for 2-3 minutes 

Garnish with mint leaves

Serve hot