Indian winter brings with it bountiful produce. An endless variety of vegetables hits the markets and lures seasonal eaters. There is fresh spinach, fenugreek, green onions, turnips, fresh red chillies, cauliflower... and the list goes on and on.
And what could be more heart warming than to have some of these healthy, nutrient packed veggies all put into a big soup bowl? Say?! Most Indians do not take a big bowl of soup to be a meal in itself. It is a vegetable concoction of sorts that is meant for detoxification and is consumed only once in a while ( Yes! That's what my mother thinks too. *phew* )
Anyway, I know nothing beats a bowl of steaming hot soup on a chilly winter evening. And I want you all to experience this feeling too. BONUS- It has noodles/ vermicilli and you can add cottage cheese/ chicken for a protein punch. It is flavoured delicately with the heat of a red chili, the tang and freshness of lemon zest and juice, the aroma of garlic and ginger, and the sweetness of sugar. It is nothing but a treat to all your taste buds.
Go ahead, give it a try! I hope you love it as much as I did.
Happy Winter! =)
Love,
Kavya
THAI STYLE NOODLE SOUP
Serves 3-4
Ingredients-
Vegetables of your choice. I used- 5-6 mushrooms, 1 medium sized red carrot, 1 green onion (with green leaves)
2 tsp vegetable oil/ butter
Half a red chilli, minced. (De-seed if you don't want all that heat.)
3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
A small 1" piece of ginger, minced
3-4 cups water or stock (chicken/ vegetable)
1 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp soy sauce
Half a lemon, zested and juiced
A handful of rice vermicilli/ plain noodles
Half cup shredded cooked chicken/ a few browned toasted paneer batons
Salt and pepper, to taste
Half cup coconut milk (optional- Add during the simmer.)
Method-
1. Heat the oil/ butter in a pan. Do NOT let it get very hot. Keep the heat moderate.
2. Add the ginger, garlic and red chillies. As soon as they turn fragrant, add the onion and saute till translucent.
3. Now put in the sliced mushrooms, carrots and onion greens. Saute till they start to soften up and change colour.
4. Add in the water/ stock and bring to a boil. Also mix in the lemon zest and let the broth simmer for 15-20 minutes, till you see a slight reduction in the quantity.
5. In the last 5-6 minutes of the simmer, throw in the vermicilli /noodles. ( Remember- Vermicilli cooks faster than noodles. Do not overcook, else they'll become mushy.)
6. Just 2-3 minutes prior to the end of the simmer, add the chicken, if using.
7. Stir in the lemon juice, soy sauce, sugar, salt and pepper. Taste to adjust and balance the flavours.
8. Continue to heat for 2-3 minutes to develop the flavour.
9. Serve immediately with the paneer batons topping each bowl. *The number depends on your liking.*
And what could be more heart warming than to have some of these healthy, nutrient packed veggies all put into a big soup bowl? Say?! Most Indians do not take a big bowl of soup to be a meal in itself. It is a vegetable concoction of sorts that is meant for detoxification and is consumed only once in a while ( Yes! That's what my mother thinks too. *phew* )
Anyway, I know nothing beats a bowl of steaming hot soup on a chilly winter evening. And I want you all to experience this feeling too. BONUS- It has noodles/ vermicilli and you can add cottage cheese/ chicken for a protein punch. It is flavoured delicately with the heat of a red chili, the tang and freshness of lemon zest and juice, the aroma of garlic and ginger, and the sweetness of sugar. It is nothing but a treat to all your taste buds.
Go ahead, give it a try! I hope you love it as much as I did.
Happy Winter! =)
Love,
Kavya
THAI STYLE NOODLE SOUP
Serves 3-4
Ingredients-
Vegetables of your choice. I used- 5-6 mushrooms, 1 medium sized red carrot, 1 green onion (with green leaves)
2 tsp vegetable oil/ butter
Half a red chilli, minced. (De-seed if you don't want all that heat.)
3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
A small 1" piece of ginger, minced
3-4 cups water or stock (chicken/ vegetable)
1 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp soy sauce
Half a lemon, zested and juiced
A handful of rice vermicilli/ plain noodles
Half cup shredded cooked chicken/ a few browned toasted paneer batons
Salt and pepper, to taste
Half cup coconut milk (optional- Add during the simmer.)
Method-
1. Heat the oil/ butter in a pan. Do NOT let it get very hot. Keep the heat moderate.
2. Add the ginger, garlic and red chillies. As soon as they turn fragrant, add the onion and saute till translucent.
3. Now put in the sliced mushrooms, carrots and onion greens. Saute till they start to soften up and change colour.
4. Add in the water/ stock and bring to a boil. Also mix in the lemon zest and let the broth simmer for 15-20 minutes, till you see a slight reduction in the quantity.
5. In the last 5-6 minutes of the simmer, throw in the vermicilli /noodles. ( Remember- Vermicilli cooks faster than noodles. Do not overcook, else they'll become mushy.)
6. Just 2-3 minutes prior to the end of the simmer, add the chicken, if using.
7. Stir in the lemon juice, soy sauce, sugar, salt and pepper. Taste to adjust and balance the flavours.
8. Continue to heat for 2-3 minutes to develop the flavour.
9. Serve immediately with the paneer batons topping each bowl. *The number depends on your liking.*
