Veg Minestrone Soup

Monsoons are here, and nothing is as good as a bowl of steaming hot soup on a rainy day. I love soups and can have them any time of the day. If you have the right vegetables and few spices in hand, you can never go wrong in making delicious soups. Minestrone soup has been my favorite from the time I first tasted it at a fancy Italian restaurant. Though it needs some prior preparation, no soup is as healthy, nutritious and filling as this. Serve with few slices of garlic bread on the side and it can be as filling as a wholesome meal!

Ingredients:

Boiled vegetables – 1 bowl (Potato, Carrot , Cauliflower, Sweet corn) vary veggies as per taste
Capsicum – 1/2
Boiled kidney beans – 1/2 cup
Macaroni pasta – 2 tbsp
Tomatoes – 2
Tomato ketchup – 2 tbsp
Olive oil – 1 tsp
Pepper powder – 1 tsp
Oregano – 1/2 tsp
Salt – 1 tsp
Chilli flakes – as per taste

Method:

1. Soak kidney beans overnight. Pressure cook for 2-3 whistles till they turn soft.  (Alternatively, use canned beans)
2. Chop all vegetables into small cubes. In a saucepan, boil potato, carrot, cauliflower and sweet corn in 4 -5 cups of water till they turn soft. Drain the water into a bowl which can be used as vegetable stock for making the soup.
3.  Cook the macaroni pasta till it turns soft and set aside.
4. Boil 2 whole tomatoes for 2 mins and puree them in a mixer. (Alternatively use store bought tomato puree)
5. In a pan, heat olive oil. Add basil leaves, finely chopped capsicum and fry for 1 minute. Next add the tomato puree and cook for 2 mins.
6. Now add the boiled vegetables, boiled beans and vegetable stock.
7. Next add tomato ketchup, salt, pepper and oregano and mix well. Add the cooked macaroni pasta and let the soup boil for 5 mins.
8. Sprinkle chilli flakes and serve hot!

 

Barley Mung Bean Soup

Preparation time: 10 mins

Cooking time: 30 mins

Loaded with the goodness of mung sprouts, barley and vegetables, this nutritious soup will surely satisfy your evening cravings on a rainy day. This is an experimental recipe which is a mix of misal (Maharastrian dish) and the traditional bean soup. This is a very good dinner option for weight watchers, as the rich Indian flavors will keep your taste buds alive and make you wanna eat it every day 🙂

Yield: Serves 4-5 people

Ingredients: 

To be pressure cooked:

Sprouted mung beans – 1 cup

Barley – 1/2 cup

Green Peas – 2 Tbsp

Vegetables:

Onion – 1/2 (finely chopped)

Tomato – 2 No’s (finely chopped)

Carrot – 1 No (chopped thin 1 inch pieces)

Baby Corn – 3 No’s (chopped thin and long)

Capsicum – 1/2 (chopped into 1/2 inch cubes)

Ginger Garlic paste – 1 tsp

Spice powders:

Jeera powder – 1 tsp

Dhania powder – 1 tsp

Chilli powder – 1  tsp (vary spice level as per taste)

Chana Masala powder – 1 tsp

Turmeric – pinch

Salt – 1 Tbsp (vary as per taste)

Seasoning:

Oil – 1 Tbsp

Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp

Jeera seeds – 1/2 tsp

Method:

1. Pressure cook sprouted mung beans, barley and green peas for 2 whistles. Do not add excess water as it will make the beans mushy.

2. Chop all the vegetables into small cubes and  set aside.

3. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds and jeera seeds. Once it starts sputtering, add onion and fry till it turns slightly brown. Next add ginger garlic paste, tomatoes and cook till tomatoes turn soft.

4. Now add carrot, capsicum and baby corn. Mix salt and turmeric and cook under cover for 10 mins.

5. Once the vegetables become soft, transfer the pressure cooked items and mix well.

6. Add all the spice powders. Adjust the spice levels as per your taste.

7. The soup should not be too watery or too thick. Add water as required and cook for 10 mins.

8. Squeeze lemon juice, garnish with coriander and serve with Pav/ bread on the side.