Tom kha Soup (Vegetarian Thai coconut milk soup)

Tom kha Soup (Vegetarian Thai coconut milk soup)
Tom kha soup is one of the most commonly served Thai vegetarian soup. This soup is very nutritious and flavorful. It has galangal and lemongrass as main ingredients which has great medicinal values too.

Ingredients:
Approx. 5 servings

• Coconut milk – 2 cups
• Vegetable stock – 3 cups
• Lemongrass – 3 stalks, cut into 1" pieces
• Galangal -  2 inch root, thinly sliced
  Note: ginger can be substituted as galangal, but the flavors are different.
• Green chilies - 2 finely chopped
• Sweet onion – 1 medium, cubed
• Tomato – 1 boiled, peeled and cubed
• Mushrooms– 1 cup sliced
• Bamboo shoots – 1/2 cup sliced
• Baby corns -1/2 cup cut in halves
• Bean sprouts – 1/2 cup
• Water chestnuts – 1/2 cup sliced
• Lime juice – 3 tbsp
• Soy sauce – 2  tbsp
• Cilantro – 1/4 cup chopped
• Sugar – 1 tbsp
• Black pepper – 2 tsp
• Cooking oil – 1 tbsp
• Salt as per taste (Soy sauce has some salt too)

Method:

1. In a big pot, add vegetable stock and coconut milk and boil.
2. Add lemongrass, galangal, chilies, sugar and pepper.
3. In a pan, heat oil. On high heat, Sauté all the vegetables for couple of minutes except bean sprouts.
4. Add these vegetables to the coconut milk pot and keep boiling for 5 minutes.
5. Remove the pot from the heat.
6. Add bean sprouts.
7. Add lime juice, soy sauce and salt. Stir well.
8. Soup is ready to be served.

Garnish and serving Suggestions:
Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro and chilies. Serve hot before meal.

Lentil Soup: Comfort in a bowl

A bowl of warm soup sounds so comforting in wintry weather. Curl up near a fireplace with a bowl of aromatic soup and a good book is heaven. Enjoy the simple and healthy lentil soup recipe from my kitchen.

Ingredients:
For lentil Soup: [for 4 servings]

Lentils (whole masoor) dry - 1cup
Onion -1/2 (finely chopped)
Carrots – ½ cup (finely chopped)
Celery – ½ cup (finely chopped)
Tomatoes -1 cup (finely chopped)
Ginger – 1 tbsp (finely chopped)
Garlic – 1 tbsp (finely chopped)
Green chili -1 tsp (finely chopped) [Optional]
Cilantro - 2 tbsp (finely chopped) for garnish
Vegetable stock or water -6 cups
Olive oil - 2 tbsp
Cumin seeds 1 tsp
Red chili powder - 1tsp
Turmeric powder -1/2 tsp
Coriander powder 1 tbsp
Kasoori Methi 1/2 tbsp
Salt as per taste

Method:

• Wash and soak lentils in water for couple of hours.
• In a heavy bottomed pan, heat oil. Add cumin seeds. Let it crackle. Then add chopped onions, carrots and celery. Sauté till it becomes translucent. Add ginger, garlic and chopped green chilies (optional). Cook for 2 minutes.
• Add chopped tomatoes, red chili powder and coriander powder and let it simmer for 5-6 minutes on medium-low heat.
• Add the soaked lentils and vegetable stock/water to it. Simmer the soup on low heat for 35-40 minutes.
• Finally, add kasoori methi and let it simmer for 2 more minutes.

Garnish:
Garnish the Lentil soup with freshly chopped cilantro ans serve with halved lemons. Enjoy piping hot soup in winter nights.

Note: This soup can also be prepared in slow cooker.

Also submitted this recipe for My Legume Love Affair-19th helping event roundup, hosted by EC/Susan in,

Simple Indian Food Blog @

http://simpleindianfood.blogspot.com/2010/02/mlla-19th-helping-event-roundup.html

Spinach Tomato Soup

Spinach Tomato Soup
Soups are the easiest comfort food to unwind a hectic day. Cozy up with your favorite soup and you feel totally relaxed. Soups are great as starters or as a simple meal itself. Spinach tomato soup is one of my favorite.

Ingredients:
For Spinach Tomato soup: [4 servings]
Spinach [Palak] – 1 lbs (fresh or frozen)
Onion -1 cup chopped finely
Tomato-2 medium [chopped in chunks]
Garlic -1/2 tbsp [paste]
Ginger -1/2 tbsp [paste]
Cilantro -1/4 cup finely chopped
Milk – ½ cup
Corn flour – 1 tbsp
Sugar -  1 tbsp
Olive oil -2 tbsp

Dry Spices:
Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
Asafoetida (Hing) powder -1/4 tsp
Black pepper powder – 1 tsp
Salt as per taste


Method:

• Wash Spinach thoroughly in cold water. Boil the washed spinach and tomatoes using 2 cups of water or pressure cook it. Gently blend the cooked spinach and tomatoes with hand blender and keep aside.
• In a pan, heat 2 tbsp oil. Add cumin seeds. Let it crackle. Add asafoetida powder. Then add chopped onions and sauté it, till it turns translucent and light golden. Add garlic and ginger paste to it. Sauté for 2 minutes. Dissolve corn flour in ¼ cup of cold water and add it to the pan and let it sit for further 2 minutes.
• Finally add blended spinach tomato puree and chopped cilantro to the above masala, and mix well. Also add black pepper powder, sugar and salt.
• Mix it all together and sauté it for 8-10 minutes. Stir in milk and serve hot.