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ROASTED CAULIFLOWER, ALMOND AND FRESH TURMERIC SOUP



    Do you love soups like I do? I actually love having soups in my dinners most days. Not only during winter months, soups are quite a regular meal in my house. My husband and I enjoy soups in our dinners with a light salad or sometimes a crusty bread to go along.


    This creamy roasted cauliflower soup is so comforting and full of nutrition. It’s quite a flavorful soup made with wholesome ingredients, all plant-based and gluten-free. Roasting the cauliflower gives that extra flavor to this hearty soup.


    To make it very creamy while keeping it vegan friendly, all you need is soaked up almonds blitzed to a purée, this adds that luscious creaminess without adding any cream to it.


    Adding fresh turmeric to the soup gave that extra nutrition and slight hint of earthy fresh note to this soul food.


    Roasted garlic is also added to balance the colic produced from cauliflower.


    I can’t wait to share my recipe which will definitely add on to your list of favorites. Happy souping day!


    SERVES: 4

    PREP TIME: 15 minutes

    COOKING TIME: 15 minutes

    BAKING TIME: 25 minutes

    PASSIVE TIME: 6 to 12 hours



    INGREDIENTS


    For Soup:

    • 1 medium sized / 700g cauliflower head, sliced 0.5 cm thick

    • 1 garlic pod, whole

    • 1 medium onion, chopped

    • 1” piece fresh turmeric root

    • 1/2 cup almonds, soaked and peeled

    • 1/2 cup water

    • 3 1/2 cups almond milk

    • 2 cups vegetable stock

    • 2 tsp lemon juice

    • 3 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

    • 1 tsp sea salt


    For Garnish:

    • 2 fat cloves of garlic, thinly sliced

    • 1 spring onion, sliced

    • 3 tsp extra virgin olive oil

    • 1 tbsp toasted almond slices

    • 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

    • Few small roasted cauliflower slices, reserved


    METHOD

    1. Preheat oven at 220° C.

    2. Tip the sliced cauliflower in a rimmed large baking tray, drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil and toss it to coat lightly. Sprinkle 1/2 tsp salt on top. Spread cauliflower in single layer.

    3. Trim about 1/4 inch off from the head of garlic pod and expose the tops of garlic cloves. Place the pod along with cauliflower in the baking tray. Drizzle half tbsp of olive oil over exposed surface of garlic.

    4. Place the baking tray in hot oven and bake for about 25 minutes or until cauliflower is tender and roasted.

    5. Once cooled slightly, squeeze out the garlic cloves from the skin. Reserve few small cauliflower slices aside for garnishing.

    6. In a small grinder, tip almonds and water and grind them to a fine paste.

    7. In a large saucepan, warm remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, add onions and sauté for 2-3 minutes until translucent.

    8. Add the roasted cauliflower, garlic and grated fresh turmeric and salt, sauté for a minute. Add almond paste, almond milk and vegetable stock to the cauliflower, stir to mix.

    9. Bring to boil, cover with lid and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove and add lemon juice.

    10. Let cool slightly for 3-4 minutes, blend with hand blender or in a blender jar to make smooth and creamy textured soup. Season with some extra salt if required.


    To Make Garnishing:

    1. Warm 1 teaspoon of oil in a small pan, add sliced garlic, roast for a minute until light golden in color and remove from pan.

    2. Now ladle the soup in serving bowls, garnish with reserved cauliflower slices, roasted garlic slices, spring onion and almond slices.

    3. Drizzle 1/2 tsp olive oil and a pinch of black pepper.



    COOK'S NOTES:

    • If you can't get hold of the vegetable stock, add a heaped tablespoon or a knob of vegetable stock mixed with 2 cups of hot water instead.

    • For a non-vegan alternative, vegetable stock can be replaced with chicken stock instead. A dash of butter can also be added for an extra flavour.



    SWEET POTATO AND SUMAC SOUP




      When it comes to nutrition and health, your mind runs to think of grabbing an option of food which will nourish your soul and is delicious at the same time. And one of the easiest ways to deliver both nutrition and flavour is the humble soup. This sweet potato soup blended with middle eastern touch of sumac and pomegranate molasses boasts tons of vitamins and minerals and is tastefully delicious which asks you for some more.


      The tanginess from sumac and pomegranate molasses compliments beautifully the sweetness of sweet potatoes and the touch of coconut cream adds that creamy texture to this most delightfully appetising soup.


      A little crunch is added with the toasted pistachios and fresh pomegranate seeds. I served these with my leftover sundried tomato and basil scones but you can serve it with crusty bread or rolls of your choice.

      SERVES: 4

      PREP TIME: 20 minutes

      COOKING TIME: 30 minutes

      TOTAL TIME: 50 minutes



      INGREDIENTS

      • 600g sweet potatoes/Kumara, peeled and cut in 2cm cubes

      • 1 medium onion, chopped

      • 3 cloves garlic, minced

      • 2 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

      • 1 tbsp virgin coconut oil

      • 1 1/2 tsp sumac

      • 6 cherry tomatoes

      • 1 ltr vegetable stock

      • 1 1/2 tbsp pomegranate molasses

      • 2 tbsp coconut cream

      For Garnish:

      • Seeds of 1/2 pomegranate

      • 50g roasted pistachios, roughly chopped

      • 1 tsp coconut oil

      • 6-8 cherry tomatoes

      • Pinch of sea salt

      • Dash of black pepper

      • Lime wedges

      • 1 tsp sumac

      • 1 tbsp coconut cream



      METHOD

      1. In a cooking pot, melt oil over medium heat.

      2. Add onion, garlic, red chilli and sumac. Sauté for 3-4 minutes until onions are translucent.

      3. Add tomatoes and sauté for another minute. Add sweet potatoes, stir to combine well.

      4. Roast for 2-3 minutes, add vegetable stock and coconut cream, bring to boil and cover with a lid. Simmer for 20 minutes until the potatoes are tender.

      5. Remove from the heat, leave to cool slightly and add pomegranate molasses. With the hand blender, blend the soup to a smooth silky texture. Taste and adjust the seasoning if required.

      6. For garnishing, melt oil in a small pan, add cherry tomatoes with stalks, roast for 5 minutes, until they are soft and slightly pulpy. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from pan.

      7. Pour the soups in serving bowls. Swirl 1/2 tsp coconut cream in each bowl, sprinkle a pinch of sumac, garnish with toasted pistachios, pomegranate seeds and roasted cherry tomatoes.


      COOK'S NOTES:

      • Do not add molasses while cooking the soup as it may bitter the taste of the soup. Always use at the end when it’s slightly cool.

      • Make sure the onions don’t caramelise too much as it will make the colour of the soup bit murky and it will lose the rich bright golden orange colour.


      GREEN PEA AND LEEK SOUP WITH ROASTED BEET CHICKPEAS



        This green goodness is highly nutritional food for the soul which I make for dinners usually when your body needs soulful food to keep you light on your stomach and your senses uplifted. Made leek and peas soup with roasted beet chickpeas and added some freshly plucked basil to enhance its flavours.


        Basil is still blooming well in my garden and thought of using it before the sizzling summer hits Muscat and destroys it! Adding this herb in soup gives that extra flavor and freshness. I love basil so much that I almost end up adding this to most of my recipes, be it a soup, drink, salad, wraps, sandwiches or a even a dessert! Will keep posting my experimental recipes for you to try, and in the meantime, enjoy this green goodness and punch of roasted beetroot chickpeas which is again very nutritious and full of vitamins like B6, magnesium, potassium, calcium and more. Try this recipe!

        SERVES: 4

        PREP TIME: 15 minutes

        COOKING TIME: 55 minutes

        BAKING TIME: 20 minutes



        INGREDIENTS


        For Soup:

        • 4 cups frozen peas, thawed

        • 2 leeks, white and light green parts, sliced

        • 2 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled

        • 1 small onion, chopped

        • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

        • 1 cup buttermilk

        • 20g butter (optional)

        • 3 cups hot water

        • 1 tsp sea salt

        • 2 tbsp vegetable stock powder

        • 1/3 cup fresh basil leaves, loosely packed

        • 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

        • 2 tbsp crème fraîche, for garnishing

        For Roasted Beet Chickpeas:

        • 250ml beetroot juice

        • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

        • 1 can/ 400g chickpeas, drained, rinsed and pat dried



        METHOD


        1. For roasted beet chickpeas, preheat oven at 200° C, pour the beetroot juice and vinegar in a small saucepan and bring to boil, and simmer for 20-25 minutes until it’s reduced to about 65 ml and has thick and syrupy consistency.

        2. Now line a small baking tray and tip the chickpeas on it and pour half the reduced beetroot syrup, stir to coat them well, place in preheated oven and roast for 10 minutes. Remove from oven, pour the remaining beetroot syrup, stir to coat and roast further 10-12 minutes, making sure the syrup does not burn. Remove from oven and set aside.

        3. To make soup, cut leek lengthwise and thoroughly wash through each segment 4-5 times to remove dirt. Slice them all.

        4. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat, add shallots and garlic and sauté for few seconds, add leeks and cook them for 10 minutes until softened.

        5. Add vegetable stock and salt, stir to combine and season, add hot water and raise the heat briefly to bring to boil, then simmer and cook for 20 minutes.

        6. Now add the peas and cook for 4-5 minutes until they are tender. Strain the soup into another saucepan.

        7. Pour the stained solids in a blender along with buttermilk, basil and tarragon leaves and blend to a smooth consistency. If necessary, add a ladle or two of stock to the blender for easy blending.

        8. Add the pepper, taste, and add more salt if required.

        9. Now pour the hot soup into bowls, garnish with swirl of crème fraîche on top and gently arrange the roasted beet chickpeas on top, sprinkle a dash of fresh pepper and serve.


        COOK'S NOTES:

        • Sometimes I also add tarragon leaves, which further elevates the taste of the soup.


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