Jhatpat Tomato Soup

There are many soup recipes and when we say tomato soup the results are endless. A lot times we see these soups have stocks added to it - veg., chicken, etc. Lets be honest how many of us actually have it ready kept at home? Or else we have to get it from the market which by the way a lot places we don't get it. I'm trying out recipes for soup without any stock here nor any fancy items.

The recipe I'm sharing here is Tomato Soup with Indian species.

Ingredients :

• 4 medium sized ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped

• 1 carrot, cut in thin round shapes

• 1 onion, finely chopped

• 2-3 cloves of garlic, chopped in round shape

• 1 inch ginger

• 2 black cardamom

• 1/4 tsp cumin seeds

• 1 bay leave

• 1/4 tsp black peppercorns

• 1/8 tsp turmeric (optional)

• Salt to taste

• 2 tbsp oil

• 1 tbsp butter

Recipe :

• In the cooker, heat oil and butter. Add the cumin seeds and let it splutter. Now add the bay leave, black cardamom, peppercorns. Once splutters add ginger and garlic and sauté.

• Add the chopped onion and sauté till golden brown. Add the chopped carrot and tomatoes.

• I like to add little turmeric here. It is an excellent source of antioxidant, which is very much required these days to improve our immunity. (try and add it to all the foods you eat.)

• Add salt and water into the cooker. Water enough that the tomatoes dip. No more. Cover and cook for 2 whistles.

• Once the cooker can be opened, strain the cooked vegetables. Remove the bay leave and let it cool. Grind it all and use the water we strained to grind, little by little, as required. Strain the pureed soup once again.

• In a pan heat 1/2 - 1 tsp butter (as per your taste) and add the strained soup. Check once for the salt.

• If you require add the remaining strained water to the soup. Add the chopped coriander leaves to the soup and let it all boil together for a minute.

Serve the soup with bread croutons.

A spoon of cream to the soup or if you want you can add a little milk to increase the richness of the soup. Do not add very hot or cold milk as it can curdle in the soup.