Winter season and soup go hand in hand. At a time when the drop in mercury is causing health niggles, having freshly made healthy soups can be the best way to beat the winter chill. Containing ingredients like onion, garlic, black pepper, and spinach, among others, soups are perfect to fight colds and flu. Soups also keep us hydrated in winter, a season when we tend to drink less water. However, when it comes to health, canned soups are hardly beneficial, though they might require less effort. Saurabh Singh Chandel, Executive Chef, Crowne Plaza Greater Noida, shares with us three healthy soup recipes that you can whip up at home and in winter.
Recipe1: Tomato and Egg Drop Noodle Soup
Ingredients:
Noodle: 10 gm
Vegetable Oil: 3 ml
Garlic Clove: 3 gm
Scallion: 5 gm
Tomato: 10 gm
Chicken stock: 80 gm
Soy Willow: 1 ml
White Pepper: 1 gm
Sesame Oil: 2 ml
Salt: 2 gm
Egg: 1 no
Method:
STEP 1
Boil a pot of water to cook the noodles according to the package instructions. Drain and transfer to a large soup bowl. Toss with a few drops of oil to keep the noodles from sticking to each other.
STEP 2
At the same time, heat some vegetable oil in a wok or pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and the scallion whites, and cook for a while. Then add the tomatoes and stir-fry for a couple of minutes, until the oil starts to turn red and the tomatoes soften.
STEP 3
Add the stock, soy sauce, white pepper, sesame oil, and salt to taste. Cover and simmer for 3 minutes, still using medium heat. Now is a good time to beat the egg in a small bowl and have it ready.
STEP 4
Uncover the wok/pot, turn up the heat slightly, and slowly stir in the beaten egg. Turn off the heat and pour the soup onto the cooked noodles. Top with chopped scallion greens.
Recipe 2: Cream of Spinach Recipe
Ingredients
Chopped Onion: 15 gm
Leeks: 5 gm
Carrot and celery bouillon cubes: 15 gm
Butter: 30 gm
Fresh spinach: 50 gm
Vegetable stock: 100 ml
Salt: 3 gm
Freshly Ground Black Pepper: 1 gm
Fresh Cream: 20 ml
For garnish: Fresh Cream
Method
STEP 1
In a large saucepan over medium heat, sauté onion and leeks in butter until translucent.
STEP 2
Next, add water, and bouillon cubes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes or until the vegetable is tender. Add spinach and cook for 2 to 4 minutes longer until spinach is tender.
STEP 3
Working in batches, purée soup mixture in a blender. Return to saucepan. Whisk in half and half, salt, and pepper
STEP 4
Over low heat, bring to just before simmering. Whisk in the cream and butter. You may want to use an immersion blender to get the cream fully incorporated.
This soup is served hot. Garnish with a drop of fresh cream.
Recipe 3: Pumpkin Chaaru Soup
Ingredients
Cooking oil: 10 ml
Cumin Seeds: 2 gm
Garlic cloves: 2 no
Mustard seeds: 2 gm
Curry Leaves: 1 sprig
Dried red chilli: 2 no
Yellow Pumpkin: 30 gm
Water: 150 ml
Crushed jaggery: 3 gm
Black pepper powder: 2 gm
Turmeric powder: 0.5 gm
Tamarind paste: 5 ml
Rasam powder: 10 gm
Salt: 2 gm
Method
STEP 1
In a medium-sized deep pan, heat the oil. Once the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds.
STEP 2
After the mustard splutters, add curry leaves, crushed garlic, dried red chilies, asafoetida, and stir for 30 seconds.
STEP 3
Add the pumpkin cubes (small-sized), and toss well.
STEP 4
Add cups of water, and bring to a boil. Reduce flame, cover, and allow to simmer for 5 minutes, until the pumpkin pieces are almost cooked.
STEP 5
Add tamarind paste, jaggery, salt, rasam powder, black pepper powder, and turmeric powder and simmer for 3-4 minutes.
Serve hot as a soup or with steamed rice.