Journalism of Courage
Food cravings are at an all-time high in the monsoon season. Mostly, it is the craving for unhealthy, fried, quick snacks. But experts say it is a no-no in the rainy weather when humidity is high, and digestive issues may also happen.
As such, it is important to understand and prioritise your health and well-being in the pandemic, without having to compromise on taste. This rainy season, if you are looking to prepare delectable recipes, try these five soups, courtesy of Smita Patil, a food blogger and content creator on Trell.
1. Veg Manchow Soup
Serves 4
Ingredients
* 1 tsp vegetable oil
* 1 tsp finely-chopped ginger garlic and green chillies
* 1 bowl of chopped veggies (cabbage, carrot, French beans, onion)
* 1 tsp tomato sauce, green chilli sauce, soya sauce, vinegar and schezwan sauce
* 4 cups of water
* 1 tsp cornstarch
* Salt and 1 tsp black pepper powder
Ingredients for fried noodles
* 1 bowl of boiled noodles
* 3 tsp cornstarch
* Oil for deep frying
Method
* First, to make fried noodles, coat the boiled noodles with cornstarch powder. Heat the oil and deep-fry it on high flame until golden brown. Remove the noodles and keep it aside.
* Take a heavy bottom vessel, heat oil, saute chopped ginger garlic and green chillies. Now add finely chopped veggies and saute for 5-6 minutes.
* Add salt, pepper powder and the sauces mentioned above and add water as per requirement and let it cook.
* Once it starts boiling, dilute cornstarch with water and pour it into boiling soup and stir continuously to avoid lumps. Once the soup turns thick, garnish with coriander leaves and remove it from the flame.
* Serve the soup in a bowl and garnish with some fried noodles.
2. Egg Drop Soup
Serves 4
Ingredients
* 2 eggs
* 4 cups of vegetable or chicken stock
* 1 tsp pepper powder
* 1 tsp chopped ginger
* Cornstarch
* Water
* Salt (optional, if not sufficient in stock)
Method
* Take a heavy bottom vessel, pour chicken stock, add chopped ginger and pepper powder and cook on medium flame.
* Once it starts boiling, drop whole eggs in it and stir continuously for eggs to spread evenly.
* Dilute cornstarch with water and add to the soup for thickness. Add salt if required.
* Serve hot.
3. Classic Tomato Soup
Serves 2
Ingredients
* 3 medium tomatoes
* 1 small onion
* 4-5 garlic cloves
* 3-4 peppercorns
* 1 bay leaf
* 1 tbsp butter
* Water
* Cornstarch
* 1 tbsp Fresh cream
* Salt
Method
* Take a heavy bottom vessel, melt butter, add peppercorns and bay leaf. Then saute onion and garlic for 2-3 minutes.
* Add chopped tomatoes and salt, cook on low flame till the tomato turns mushy. Remove it from the flame and cool down.
* Grind the tomato mixture to a fine paste (remove bay leaf). With a strainer, strain the paste and only take the fine thin soup.
* In the same vessel, add the fine soup and cook on medium flame, add water as per requirement. Sprinkle some pepper powder (optional).
* Once it starts boiling, add fresh cream and cook for 5 minutes and serve hot. Garnish with fried bread.
4. Cream of Mushroom Soup
Serves 4
Ingredients
* 5-7 whole button mushrooms
* 1 small onion chopped
* 3-4 garlic cloves chopped
* 2 tbsp refined flour
* 2 tsp butter
* Water
* 1 cup milk
* Salt
* 1 tsp pepper powder
* 1/2 tsp dried thyme
* 1 tbsp fresh cream
Method
* Take a vessel, melt butter, sauté chopped garlic and onion for 2-3 minutes.
* Now add chopped mushrooms, salt and cook on medium flame till the mushrooms release water. Now add refined flour to it and mix well and cook for 3-4 minutes till the flour smells goes away.
* Now add water and milk to it and mix continuously. Once it starts boiling, add pepper powder, dried thyme and mix.
* Finally, add fresh cream and cook for 5 minutes and serve hot.
5. Sweet Corn Soup
Serves 4
Ingredients
* 1 cup of boiled sweetcorn kernels
* 1 tsp butter
* 1 tsp chopped garlic
* 1 tbsp finely chopped carrot
* Cornstarch
* Water
* Salt
* 1 tsp vinegar and light soya sauce
* 1 tsp pepper powder
Method
* In a vessel, melt butter, sauté garlic and carrot, add salt, pepper powder, vinegar and light soya sauce.
* Now add boiled sweet corn to it (chop it coarsely). Add water and let it come to a boil. Now add cornstarch water and stir continuously to avoid lumps.
* Serve hot.
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