Easy and quick recipes for making vegetable & lentil soups at home

Team L&M

Soups are not bound by seasons, still winters is the best season to have these steaming cups of vegetable and lentil soups. These are a great way to stay hydrated and full. They give your immune system a boost. What’s more: Soups also help you stave off cold and flu, and are a great antidote for times when you are sick, too! Most soups are loaded with disease-fighting nutrients.  Here we bring you some special soup recipes by Chef Swapnadeep Mukherjee, Executive Chef, The Metropolitan Hotel & Spa, New Delhi.

CARROT AND GINGER SOUP

Ingredients        Quantity
Olive oil                   1 tbsp
Ginger                      1 tbsp
Celery                       1 tbsp
Diced carrots          100 gms
Vegetable stock      300 ml
Sugar                        2 tbsp
Salt & pepper  according to taste
Mint leaves, ginger sticks to garnish

Method
Heat 1tbsp of olive oil in a pan and sauté 1tbsp of ginger and 1tbsp of celery.
Add 100gms of diced carrots and sauté for 10 minutes.
Add 300ml vegetable stock and continue to cook till the carrot is cooked.
Remove from heat and blend. Strain through a strainer and add 2tbsp of sugar if required
Add salt & pepper to taste. And garnish with mint leaves and ginger sticks and serve hot

KALA CHANA AND SPROUTED MON DAL SHORBA

Ingredients                          Quantity
Black channa                             200 gm
Sprouted green moong           100 gm
Ginger                                         20 gm
Garlic                                           15 gm
Green coriander                        25 gm
Vegetable oil                              50 ml
Coriander seeds                        1 tsp
Cumin seeds                              1 tsp
Gram flour                                 1 tbsp
Imli                                              50 gm
Salt & pepper  according to taste

Method
Soak black channa overnight. Soak Imli in 200 ml of water. Strain and reserve the liquid
Change water, mix with 2/3 rd sprouted green moong, add salt and put to boil.
Add crushed ginger and coriander to the pot. Cook till soft
Add smashed garlic followed by cumin and coriander seeds.
When they start to crackle add gram flour and cook till sandy texture.
Cool and keep aside.
Blend black channa with a hand blender.
Strain finely in another pan. Put on heat.
Now add gram flour mix and cook for another 10 minutes till required consistency achieved.
Now add tamarind water.
Check for seasoning. Serve hot with boiled rice

MAKAI SHORBA

Ingredients                      Quantity
Golden corn roasted                200 gm
Vegetable oil                             15 ml
Garlic clove                                5 no
Ginger                                         5 gm
Cumin seeds                              3 gm
Coriander seeds                       2 gm
Maida                                         10 gm
Turmeric                                    2 gm
Fresh coriander shoots           5 gm

Method
Blend half roasted corn to make a fine paste and coarsely grind the remaining corn.
Heat oil in a pan
Add chopped garlic clove. When golden, add cumin and coriander
Now add ginger, coriander shoots, turmeric and maida. Cook for another 2 minutes till sandy texture.
Now add water (approx. 100 ml). Cook for another minute
Strain into another pan. Discard residue
Now add pureed and coarsely grounded corn
Bring to a boil and simmer to required consistency
Check seasoning and serve hot with accompaniments

QUINOA CAULIFLOWER SHORBA

Ingredients                Quantity
Cauliflower                      150gm
Quinoa                              50gm
Onion                                50gm
Garlic                                10gm
Bay leaves                        01no
Star anise                         02gm
Vegetable stock               100ml
Oil                                      20ml
Cream                               10ml

Method
Take a pan, add some oil and heat it on medium flame.
Add onion and Garlic, cook for 1 minute, then add bay leaf, star anise, Cauliflower and quinoa and cook for 5 minutes.
Add vegetable stock then bring to boil, reduce heat for 10 minutes or until cauliflower and quinoa is cooked properly. Once cauliflower and quinoa is cooked properly, remove bay leaves and star anise.
Transfer shorba to a large blender. Add small amount of stock and blend until creamy. Strain shorba and reheat and serve hot.
Garnish with cream.