Indian Mixed Vegetable Soup — Contemporary Style

Bliss in a bowl. Really. Creamy, packed full of nutrients and filling besides, especially when paired with roti, salad and a fulfilling dal dish, this soup is a gem on any menu. Suggested menu to share with guests would be besan rotis, cracked black pepper rice, a leafy green salad and toor dal palak. You simply cannot go wrong with hot vegetable soup, especially when the wind is blowing directly into your work space. I need my fresh air, but oh, I am not especially smitten with the cold blast that envelopes me.

I adapted this recipe from Yamuna Devi's extensive and informative cookbook, Lord Krishna's Cuisine: The Art of Indian Vegetarian Cooking. Do use any combination of seasonal vegetables in place of the ones I have used here if desired.

Indian Mixed Vegetable Soup — Contemporary Style

Recipe by Lisa Turner Adapted from Lord Krishna's Cuisine: The Art of Indian Vegetarian Cooking Cuisine: Indian Published on February 15, 2011 Thick, creamy and colorful soup of mixed vegetables simmered with Indian seasonings and a nutty cashew paste Print this recipe Cashew paste: 1/2 cup raw or roasted unsalted cashews 3 to 4 green chilies, seeded and chopped 1-inch piece ginger, chopped into thin strips 1 tablespoon brown mustard seeds 4 cups vegetable stock or water 1 teaspoon turmeric 1 tablespoon ground coriander 1/4 teaspoon cayenne 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1 tablespoon jaggery or brown sugar 2 teaspoons sea salt Soup: 3 tablespoon ghee, butter or oil 1 1/2 to 2 lbs (675 to 900 g) chopped vegetables (I used 2 large potatoes, 1 small turnip, 3 carrots thinly sliced, 1 cup sliced mushrooms, 1 celery stalk and a small handful of green beans) 2 large tomatoes, finely chopped 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds 1/2 teaspoon nigella (kalonji or black onion) seeds small handful dried curry leaves 1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper juice from 1 lemon (3 tablespoons) handful of fresh parsley, chopped sprinkle of garam masala Instructions: If using raw cashews, toast them in a dry unoiled skillet or saucepan over medium-low heat, tossing or stirring frequently, for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Combine the cashews, chilies, ginger and mustard seeds in a food processor and pulse until the mixture is coarse. Add 1 cup of the vegetable stock or water, turmeric, coriander, cayenne, Dijon mustard, sugar and salt, and process until smooth. Transfer to a large saucepan or soup pot. Add the remaining 3 cups of stock or water, vegetables, 1 tablespoon of the ghee, butter or oil, and tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer until the vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally and adding more stock or water if necessary. Remove from heat. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of ghee, butter or oil over medium heat in a small saucepan. When hot, toss in the cumin seeds, fennel seeds, nigella seeds and curry leaves. Stir and fry for a few minutes until fragrant. Pour the spices into the soup, cover, and let sit for 5 minutes. Partially blend the soup with a hand mixer or in batches in a countertop blender. Add the black pepper, lemon juice and parsley. Sprinkle with garam masala and serve hot. Makes 6 to 8 servings

More vegetarian soups from Lisa's Kitchen that you are sure to enjoy:
Curried Indian Vegetable Soup
Spicy Millet Vegetable Soup
Curried Carrot and Lentil Soup with Cashews
Greek Lentil Soup

On the top of the reading stack: Silk Road Cooking: A Vegetarian Journey by Najmieh Batmanglij

Audio Accompaniment: 1981 : Guentner;Markus by Markus Guentner